Ghana's ports not entry points for substandard cables - IEAG

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has dismissed claims that Ghana’s ports are being used as channels for importing substandard electrical cables.

The Association was reacting to comments attributed to the Board Chairman of the Energy Commission of Ghana, John Garchie Gatsi, who reportedly suggested that the country’s ports serve as entry points for inferior electrical products.

In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, IEAG expressed concern over the remarks, arguing that they do not accurately represent the strict regulatory controls governing imports through Ghana’s ports.

According to the Association, electrical products entering the country via the ports are subject to a comprehensive control regime. It explained that such goods are transferred into approved customs bonded warehouses or designated holding facilities, where they remain pending inspection, testing and certification by the Ghana Standards Authority and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, in coordination with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.

IEAG maintained that consignments stay under customs supervision until all conformity assessment procedures are completed and the required statutory approvals granted. It described the system as an effective safeguard against the circulation of substandard cables through formal import channels.

While acknowledging the dangers posed by inferior electrical cables — including fire outbreaks, infrastructure damage and risks to public safety — the Association argued that industry monitoring indicates that a significant share of such products enter the local market through unapproved routes and porous land borders, thereby evading inspection and duty payments.

IEAG therefore called for intensified enforcement at high-risk entry points instead of portraying the ports as the main source of the problem.

The Association also urged the Energy Commission to strengthen collaboration with customs authorities and other relevant agencies to enhance oversight at bonded warehouses. It recommended stricter compliance monitoring, improved cargo tracking systems and tighter release authorisation procedures to prevent uncertified goods from entering the market.

According to IEAG, recent operational improvements — including enhanced inspection regimes, risk profiling and closer inter-agency coordination — have already reduced the incidence of non-compliant electrical cables detected through formal port channels.

Describing the influx of substandard cables as a serious national issue, the Association highlighted its impact on public safety, government revenue and fair competition for compliant importers.

IEAG reaffirmed its commitment to working with regulators and other stakeholders to protect lives, safeguard state revenue and promote responsible trade practices, stressing that policy responses should focus on strengthening existing systems rather than creating perceptions that Ghana’s ports are a hub for substandard imports.