Clearing agents at the Tema Port on Thursday (September 7, 2017) thronged the Longroom of the port over what they say are delays in the clearance of their consignments.

This has given Customs Officers a hard time in controlling the freight forwarders at the Tema Port.

Several complaints are still to be addressed by the service.

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A clearing agent Solomon Debrah told Accra-based Starr FM that “we have been here since Monday and nothing is working. We don’t know who to talk to. Custom officers tell us to calm down; my brother I have calmed down since Monday. I can’t calm down again.”

Another clearing agent, Afia Yeboah said “I have paid all the necessary duties online and I have been asked to come here. I have been here since yesterday and nobody is listening to me. What kind of service are they rendering? If the country is not ready for paperless why force it on the poor clearing agent.”

In a related development, the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders is urging that localized solution centres be established within the port of Tema.

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President of the Institute, Kwabena Ofosu Appiah said this will help to address challenges faced by importers and clearing agents in the aftermath of the implementation of the paperless system.

All agencies at Ghana’s ports from Monday (September 4, 2017) started the paperless clearing process after a month of piloting.

This initiative follows a directive from the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in May 2017.

He argued that this will prevent the corruption and long hours of clearing goods at the ports.

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