The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has signed a bilateral agreement with the Niger Shippers’ Council (NSC) to facilitate trade along Ghana’s transit corridor.

The agreement is to empower the GSA to champion the interests of Nigerien shippers by tackling challenges such as excessive service charges, port delays, high haulage costs, multiple checkpoints, and other non-tariff barriers.

It is also meant to empower both institutions to support shippers through mutual assistance, information sharing, joint research, goods tracking, collective negotiations, capacity building, infrastructure development, and other measures to ensure the free flow of traffic along the corridor.

It is expected to increase Nigerien shippers’ use of Ghana’s ports, boosting cargo volumes and traffic while reinforcing its role as the preferred transit hub for landlocked Sahelian countries.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GSA, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, appended his signature for the authority, while the Director General of the NSC, Colonel Souley Ibrahim, signed for the council.

It was witnessed by the Deputy CEO at GSA, Sylvia Asana Dauda Owuo, a Representative of the Niger Shippers’ Council in Tema, Noureini Aboubakar, and other officials from both institutions.

Strategic partnership

Prof. Gyampo said the signing of the agreement marks not only the continuation but also the deepening of a strategic partnership that had been nurtured over the years between the two organisations. 

“Our collaboration is anchored on a shared vision: to promote efficient, competitive, and mutually beneficial shipping and logistics services for the benefit of shippers in both Ghana and Niger.

“As a coastal country, Ghana has demonstrated a deep commitment to facilitating transit trade in line with existing multilateral and regional conventions and agreements,” he said.  

He explained that tariff and non-tariff barriers continue to impede transit trade, negatively affecting the haulage of transit cargo along the corridor.  

He said the key challenges confronting commercial operators along Ghana’s corridor include the imposition of value-added tax (VAT) on transit, the non-transparent handling of transit cargoes on the Uncleared Cargo List (UCL) without recourse to the importer, excessive checkpoints and related extortions, axle load difficulties, and security concerns.

Competitive corridor

Colonel Ibrahim expressed appreciation for the signing of the agreement, saying that it would strengthen cooperation, streamline trade procedures, and boost commercial activities along the Ghana–Niger transit corridor.

He explained that the agreement was a direct outcome of recommendations made by the Niger–Ghana Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation in May 2023, which underscored the need for greater collaboration in transit trade.

The NSC Director-General said speed, cost and security remain critical to the corridor’s competitiveness; hence, the urgent need for a joint commitment to minimise delays and eliminate illicit practices.

He added that the historic ties and strong diplomatic relations between Ghana and Niger, reinforced by a vibrant Nigerien trading community in Ghana, provide a solid foundation for deepening this partnership.