The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Professor Ransford E. V. Gyampo, has led Ghana to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mali Shippers’ Council, aimed at strengthening transit trade and tackling long-standing barriers along the Ghana corridor.
The agreement, signed in Bamako on April 21, 2026, is expected to deepen cooperation between the two countries in trade facilitation, logistics coordination, information sharing, and capacity building.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Gyampo described the MoU as a significant step beyond existing collaboration, positioning both institutions to jointly improve shipping and logistics services for businesses in Ghana and Mali.
“This event marks not only the continuation of a relationship but also the deepening of a strategic partnership,” he said, emphasizing a shared vision to build efficient and competitive trade systems.
Despite Ghana’s role as a key coastal gateway for Sahelian countries, Prof. Gyampo acknowledged persistent challenges affecting transit trade. These include high demurrage charges, non-transparent cargo handling practices, multiple checkpoints, alleged extortion, axle load constraints, and security concerns.
He noted that these issues continue to increase the cost of doing business and weaken the competitiveness of operators along the corridor.
To address this, the MoU provides for joint research, harmonization of transit procedures, and the establishment of a Joint Technical Committee made up of experts from both countries to oversee implementation.
Prof. Gyampo also highlighted the recent passage of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122), which strengthens the Authority’s mandate to facilitate transit trade and resolve bottlenecks more decisively.
He expressed confidence that the new legal framework would enhance Ghana’s ability to support international trade, particularly for landlocked countries like Mali.
A major highlight of the engagement was Ghana’s push to attract investment into the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal (BILT), a strategic inland port project designed to serve northern Ghana and neighbouring Sahelian countries.
According to Prof. Gyampo, the facility is expected to reduce transportation costs by up to 14% for cargo through Tema Port and 48% through Takoradi Port, significantly boosting the appeal of Ghana’s transit corridor.
He invited Malian businesses and international partners to leverage Ghana’s infrastructure and consider investing in the Boankra project.
The MoU is expected to further cement economic ties between Ghana and Mali, with both sides committing to sustained collaboration to ease trade flows and improve operational efficiency.
Prof. Gyampo concluded by reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to reducing port-related costs and enhancing transit trade, describing the agreement as a foundation for stronger economic cooperation between the two countries.
