The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana wants Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson to call an emergency meeting to tackle persistent Tema Port delays that it says are driving up costs and threatening the country's trade efficiency.
In a statement dated October 19, IEAG Executive Secretary Samson Asaki Awingobit said the problems, ranging from slow invoicing to payment processing hiccups and container release bottlenecks, have gone on long enough.
"The matter therefore requires urgent ministerial attention and coordinated intervention rather than routine stakeholder engagements that do not produce measurable results," the statement read.
The Association is proposing a meeting that pulls in the Ghana Shippers' Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, shipping lines, terminal operators, clearing and forwarding agents and other industry players. The aim is straightforward: find out what's actually causing the delays, assign responsibility, and set deadlines that stick.
IEAG says some businesses are stuck paying demurrage, rent and storage charges even after completing all the required payments and paperwork, through no fault of their own.
It is not disputing that such charges have a legitimate place in port operations. Its concern is that they stay transparent and consistent with the tariffs, contracts and laws already on the books, rather than becoming an unfair penalty for service failures businesses had no control over.
MPS Terminal 3 Under Scrutiny
Separately, the Association flagged a disruption at Meridian Port Services Terminal 3, where it says more than 120 trucks scheduled for container transfers were delayed.
That kind of hold-up ripples outward fast, lengthening truck turnaround times, cutting equipment utilisation and squeezing haulage schedules tight enough to create bottlenecks elsewhere in the logistics chain.
IEAG has not claimed the allegations are confirmed fact. It is calling instead for a transparent investigation into what caused the disruption and whether any charges tied to it were properly justified, with GPHA expected to work alongside MPS and other stakeholders to pin down responsibility and stop it from happening again.
The statement also addressed a separate and more troubling incident, a reported confrontation at the Mediterranean Shipping Company office at Tema Port that allegedly involved an assault. IEAG condemned any form of violence or intimidation outright and called for an impartial investigation, with consequences for whoever is found responsible.
It linked the episode back to the broader frustration building among port users, warning that unresolved complaints and rising financial pressure could eventually boil over into further friction between service providers and the businesses that depend on them.
Tighter Rules, Shared Accountability
IEAG is pushing for a full review of the Service Level Agreements that govern shipping lines, terminal operations and cargo handling, insisting they need measurable performance standards, clear turnaround times and proper complaint escalation procedures baked in.
For the Association, the obligation cuts both ways. Shippers are expected to meet container-return deadlines and other contractual commitments, and it believes shipping lines and terminal operators should be held to the same standard. "Accountability in the maritime sector must be reciprocal," the statement said.
IEAG insists the proposed emergency meeting needs to end with actual decisions, not another round of talk. That means assigned responsibilities, firm deadlines and some mechanism to track whether anything actually changes, because for the Association, Ghana's standing as a regional trading hub depends on getting this right.
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