A Coalition of Concerned Exporters, Importers and Traders has strongly opposed the Ghana Shippers’ Authority’s (GSA) planned mandatory implementation of the Smart Port Note (SPN), warning that the policy will increase the cost of doing business and undermine trade facilitation efforts.
In a statement signed by Michael Obiri-Adjei, Convener of the Coalition, the group said it had reviewed the GSA’s notice announcing the rollout of the SPN from February 1, 2026, and found the policy unjustified, duplicative and burdensome for traders.
According to the Coalition, although the GSA claims the SPN is intended to promote trade facilitation, cargo monitoring and compliance, no position paper has been made available to demonstrate how the system will uniquely achieve these objectives.
The statement argued that the initiative appears primarily designed to generate revenue for the service provider, Inter-Ocean Maritime and Logistics Institute (IOMLI), contrary to the GSA’s core mandate of protecting shippers from unnecessary costs.
The Coalition further questioned the legal basis of the SPN, noting that advance shipment notification and pre-shipment inspection fall outside the GSA’s jurisdiction and could conflict with the Ghana Revenue Authority’s destination-inspection regime.
It added that there is no clear evidence of coordination or approval from the GRA for the introduction of the system.
Addressing claims that the SPN would impose no additional cost on traders, Mr. Obiri-Adjei described the assertion as misleading, explaining that fees charged to exporters would inevitably be passed on to Ghanaian importers and consumers.
The statement also noted that Ghana’s existing Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) already provides comprehensive cargo data, tracking and risk profiling, making the SPN an unnecessary administrative layer that could slow trade rather than facilitate it.
The Coalition has therefore called for an immediate and full reassessment of the SPN policy, urging the GSA and relevant ministries to engage stakeholders more broadly and pursue reforms that genuinely reduce the cost of doing business and support economic growth.
