The Food and Beverage Industry Association of Ghana (FABAG) has issued a strong warning to international shipping lines operating in the country, insisting that companies unwilling to comply with Ghana’s laws should leave the market.
In a sharply worded statement, FABAG declared its “unequivocal support” for the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) amid an ongoing dispute over shipping and port charges imposed by some international shipping operators.
“The shipping lines should leave the Ghanaian market if they can’t obey the institutional laws of the country,” the association stated.
FABAG’s reaction follows reports that some shipping lines have gone to court seeking an injunction against regulatory measures introduced by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to control and approve shipping-related charges.
The association described the legal action as “unfortunate, counterproductive, and detrimental to the broader national interest,” arguing that it undermines efforts to improve transparency and fairness within Ghana’s shipping and logistics sector.
According to FABAG, businesses in Ghana, particularly those in the food and beverage industry, have for years struggled under excessive and unjustified port and shipping-related charges imposed by international shipping lines.
“For years, businesses in Ghana, particularly those in the food and beverage sector, have borne the burden of excessive port and shipping-related charges, many of which have significantly increased the cost of doing business and contributed to rising consumer prices,” FABAG said.
The association noted that the situation has worsened the burden on businesses already battling high operational costs, inflation, exchange rate instability, and unfair trade competition.
FABAG praised the Ghana Shippers’ Authority for what it described as efforts to promote “transparency, fairness, and accountability” in the sector and urged government, organised labour, trade associations, and civil society groups to support the regulator’s interventions.
The association also insisted that all shipping charges and related fees must be transparent, justified, and subjected to stakeholder consultations before implementation.
