By Francis Ameyibor
Koforidua (E/R), Nov. 28, GNA-Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister, has commended freight forwarders for their immense role in the global supply chain.
“Freight Forwarders’ various roles and activities make them indispensable in the current global supply chain,” Mr Acheampong stated at the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) 25th Annual General Meeting in Koforidua, Eastern Regional.
The GIFF 2022 annual general meeting deliberated on how freight forwarders can maintain their relevance in a turbulent global supply chain.
The Eastern Regional Minister noted: “From Customs Brokerage to compliance, networking, scheduling, inventory management, warehousing, administration and documentation, the freight forwarder maintains his relevance in the current turbulent global supply chain.”
Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, Minister of Transport noted that to ensure a competitive business environment, there is a need to harmonise and standardise shipping line charges.
He stressed the need “to negotiate for minimum service standards and more importantly, build a strong regulatory framework for enforcement and compliance.”
The transport minister said the ministry will ensure non-proliferation of charges at the Ports, arbitrary increases of charges, improved service quality, and value for money.
Leveraging technology and building capacity and partnerships across the global supply value chain, Mr Asiamah said, could provide a competitive advantage in the service provision.
“I, therefore, want to take this opportunity to urge the Institute to provide the needed support and capacity building to ensure that members are abreast with modern trends in the industry,” he stated.
Mr Asiamah revealed that the Ghana Shippers Authority Act has some inefficiencies, which precluded them from exercising their Authority, therefore, the act would be amended to give them more power.
He noted that sustainable shipping is the future of the industry, hence, the need to ensure that the maritime industry evolves along that trajectory.
“Ensuring environmentally friendly ports and promoting regulations for green shipping through technology and renewable energy along the shipping value chain are some of the interventions being pursued by the government.
“Therefore, ensuring green logistics operations across the logistics value chain is a strategy that we must all pursue in our various capacities,” Mr Asiamah stated.
Daasebre Nana Kwaku Boateng III, Omanhene of New Juaben, who chaired the event appealed to freight forwarders, to be honest in their dealings with importers and refrain from acts of distortion.
GNA