Due to uncleared cargoes, many containers had been left sitting in the Tema Port, creating congestion and leading to negative revenue implications for the government and shipping lines, who are custodians or owners of these containers as it slows down maritime trade.

Madam Perpetual Osei Bonsu, Executive Secretary of SOAAG, interacting with the media on the issue, said the evacuation was necessary following years of effort to have it done and clear the Port.

She said in the past containers were being used for warehousing to support the system due to the lack of enough warehouses to take over the cargo.

Mr Mark Klutse, Chairman of the Technical Committee of SOAAG, on his part, explained that the non-returning of containers had dire consequences on the business of shipping lines.

He said while uncleared cargoes were not the making of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the expectation was that Customs would expedite processes following its detention.

Mr Klutse stressed that “you have situations where containers have been moved to state warehouse and have been there for three to four years, and you would see containers which are 30 to 40 days being auctioned and one will ask why?

The executives of SOAAG also called for the rehabilitation of the state warehouse to better accommodate uncleared cargo.