Produce Modalities for Fumigation Exercise at Ports

The Greater Accra Regional Shipper Committee (GARC) has bemoaned the implementation of the Cargo Fumigation Exercise at seaports, airport and the various points of entry and exit.

According to them, discussions with affected stakeholders such as importers, exporters, shipping lines and terminals amongst others were not done.

The Chairman for GARC, Barima Osei Ameyaw I, in an interview with Radio Gold’s Maritime Trade and Transport News, called on government to come clear on the modalities of the exercise.

“Consultations were not done, we don’t even know the modus operandi, we don’t know the formula, we don’t even know how it is going to work at that port,” he lamented.

The GARC chairman noted that there were genuine concerns that should have been raised and addressed such as charges, risk factors to the content of containers ―particularly food items.

“With some of these things, I believe strongly that consultation is very relevant in these matters because I always say that you can come out with a very good policy but without consultation, that policy might turn to be a bad one,” Barima Ameyaw said.

Another concern raised by the committee was the safety of personnel especially customs official as they come in close contact with decontamination areas where the chemicals can linger for days.

Driving away of investors

The GARC also argued that the introduction of the exercise and the charges that come with it could ward off prospective investors.

“When there are too many taxes at the port, your port will not be a good destination for investment and every country is looking for foreign direct investors to come to its territory to do business,” the GARC chairman said.

He continued: “…already we have been complaining all these while about increases of taxes and all those things at the port…it is not making the port a very good investment destination because we are in between Togo and Cote d’Ivoire and so if the cost of doing business at the port is very high, there is an alternative. Investors might choose not to clear their goods here but rather go to Cote d’Ivoire or Togo to go and clear their goods.”

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]