Ahead of last week’s highly contested presidential election in Ghana, which has seen President Nana Akufo-Addo voted into office, importers were hedging their bets and holding back on collecting containers from the Port of Tema.
According to the assistant commissioner in charge of customs collection at the port, Joseph Adu-Kyei, a lot of cargo remained uncleared at the port prior to the elections.
Quoted on the Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority website, he said even though the containers had been arriving, importers had failed to clear them – all because of uncertainties around the results.
Commenting on the general performance of the port, he said there had been a significant decline in volumes during the course of the year as a result of the impact of Covid-19, as well as challenges that had emerged following the introduction of a new Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).
He said June had represented the worst performance for the year in terms of revenue because traders had not adjusted to the system.
Now that the elections are over, he expects to see a bounce-back in cargo clearances in line with traditional pre-Christmas peak period trends.
