The Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) has held its 8th consultative media seminar.
The event, in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), took place on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
Held at the Shipper’s House in Accra, it was chaired by the GSA’s Head of Research, Monitoring, and Planning, Emmanuel Arkoh.
The forum sought to foster understanding and educate journalists on contemporary trends and developments in the shipping and logistics industry.
It brought together relevant stakeholders in shipping and logistics who shared in-depth knowledge about the industry with participants.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GSA, Benonita Bismarck stated the collaboration with GJA was necessitated by the role of the media in information dissemination to the public.
Miss Bismarck acknowledged that the role of the media as the fourth estate of the realm was not lost on GSA.
Mr Arkoh highlighted the role of GSA in creating and ensuring a level playing field in the industry, given the competitive nature of the market.
In this regard, he stated that GSA constantly protects and promotes the interests of shippers in Ghana’s commercial shipping sector in relation to international trade and transport logistics.
This he explained through charge negotiations with service providers on behalf of shippers because the market is not even with the odds always against the latter, who do not have the capacity to negotiate on their own.
The Head of Export at the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Charles Arthur Ntiri also touched on the relevance of shippers obtaining a certificate of origin for clearing their consignments.
Mr Ntiri noted it forms part of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which Ghana is the secretariat.
He revealed that 55 companies have registered so far and that was subject to renewal after two years with about 98 certificates issued three years after the implementation of AfCFTA.
In a related development, a fellow and Chairperson of the Global Membership Committee of Chartered Shipbrokers, Gertrude Adwoa Ohene-Asienim, sensitised participants on marine cargo insurance.
Mrs Ohene-Asienim noted the insurance forms part of the government’s effort to ensure that Ghanaian shippers are protected in their international trade transactions.
She explained the local insurance market is adequately regulated to provide full protection for the insured.
On the part of GJA President, Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, he commended GSA for the insightful forum, adding it is in line with his administration’s training and capacity-building policy.
He indicated it was one of the many trainings and platforms provided for journalists to abreast themselves with national issues since he assumed office.
In addition, he said there is currently a collaboration with the Wisconsin University through which scholarships are made available for journalists to further their education.
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