Importers assure mandatory shipper registration will not disrupt trade

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has urged calm within the trading community following the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s (GSA) announcement of a mandatory registration requirement for importers and exporters, saying the directive should not create panic or uncertainty in the sector.

The GSA, in a public notice, directed all importers and exporters who are yet to complete the registration process to do so ahead of the implementation date to ensure smooth and uninterrupted shipping and trade operations.

Speaking to Citi Business News, Executive Secretary of the Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said the exercise is not intended to introduce new taxes or impose additional financial burdens on businesses.

“I don’t think that there is a need for any fear and panic in this regard. Shippers’ Authority are always working with shippers in this country. They are a statutory body and they have to regulate the industry. We are aware, we have discussed this. We just do not want them to make it like it is a new thing that has come and for that matter it is to make noise out of it,” he said.

He added that the directive should not be misconstrued as an attempt to overburden the business community, stressing that it falls within the Authority’s legal mandate.

“This is not something new. I think that this is not a major thing for us to say that Shippers’ Authority are trying to stretch the neck of the business community and take something from them or unduly regulate them. It is in their law,” he explained.

Under the new directive, importers and exporters operating in Ghana will be required to complete mandatory shipper registration with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority from August 3, 2026. Enforcement will be carried out through the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).

The requirement is backed by Section 26(1) of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122), which mandates the registration of all shippers.

The GSA has stated that the registration will now be fully enforced through the ICUMS platform to enhance compliance and streamline trade processes.

The annual registration fee remains GH¢150, as stipulated under the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2512).

The registration is valid for 12 months and covers all shipment transactions undertaken by a registered shipper within the validity period.

Prince Antwi

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