The Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has tasked the newly inaugurated 14 member board of the Ghana Shippers Authority to streamline laws within the business community and deal with the high arbitrary charges within the shipping industry.
According to him, this will help strategically position the Authority and contribute meaningfully to the country’s GDP growth.
Speaking during the inauguration of the 14 member board for the Ghana Shippers Authority, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, urged the Ghana Shippers Authority board to collaborate and spearhead the development of new policies capable of resolving the safety issues on the country’s maritime domain.
“Our maritime domain today is not something we should not talk about; it is not something pleasant for ship owners, international trade and like you know, about 90% of the world trade is done through shipping and shipping is done through seas and our seas are not safe. Because if a ship owner is bringing his ship into the waters, the challenge is that insurance cost has to go up and the ship owner will definitely transfer this cost to the shipper which invariably, the shipper will also transfer the cost to the consumer. This needs immediate attention,” he noted.
He further noted that the safety of Ghana’s martime domain is in the hands of the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana Shippers Authority, further charging these two bodies to be proactive in dealing with the myriads of challenges currently confronting the maritime domain.
According to him, although there exists a number of policies or regulations that seek to protect Ghana’s maritime domain, they aren’t strong enough considering the development of new safety challenges.
Mr. Asiamah stressed that safety challenges such piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, illegal bunkering, ship-to-ship transfers, drug trafficking, pollution, transnational crimes, smuggling, absent of regulation for inland water ways and unchartered navigational fare ways are critical issues that need immediate attention.
Chairman of the Ghana Shippers Authority is Stella Wilson.
Some of the members of the GSA include Kwame Asamoah Adam, Benonita Bismarck, Patrick Nimo, Amin Abdul-Rahaman, Vincent Okyere Akomeah and Lawrencia Awuah.
Others include Nana Ama Amponsah Ntim, Dr. Festus Awuah Kwofie, Michael Adjei Anyetei, Yaw Adu-Adjei Gyamfi, Victoria Hajar, Abraham Jawol and Kwabene Adjare Danquah.