Accra: Ghana and Niger have renewed their long-standing trade cooperation with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Accra to enhance the efficiency of transit operations and eliminate bottlenecks along the corridor linking the two countries.
According to Ghana News Agency, the agreement commits both nations to improving information exchange, harmonising Customs procedures, strengthening cargo tracking systems, and promoting infrastructural development to support smoother and more secure cross-border trade.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Prof. Ransford Gyampo, emphasized the persistent challenges confronting transit trade operators. He identified major issues such as the imposition of value-added tax (VAT) on transit cargo, lack of transparency in cargo handling, multiple checkpoints, extortion, axle load concerns, and security risks as factors undermining the competitiveness of the corridor.
Prof. Gyampo urged all transit shippers to register with the GSA in line with the new Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024 (Act 1122). The registration, he explained, was crucial to sanitising the transit system, enhancing accountability, and reducing malpractice. He stated that the database generated from the registration would be shared with the Niger Shippers’ Council (NSC) to strengthen coordination and mutual trust between the two countries.
Prof. Gyampo also highlighted the ongoing construction of the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal (BILT), designed to serve northern Ghana and neighbouring landlocked countries such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. When completed, the terminal is expected to reduce transport costs by about 14 percent for cargo routed through Tema Port and up to 48 percent for goods through Takoradi Port, further positioning Ghana as a key logistics hub in the subregion.
The new Ghana-Niger MoU establishes a technical committee to monitor implementation, conduct research, provide training, and address emerging disputes in real time. On the enforcement of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act on axle load limits, Prof. Gyampo noted the GSA’s collaboration with transport unions to promote compliance with regional standards and ensure trade flows are not disrupted.
The Director-General of the Niger Shippers’ Council, Colonel Major Souley Ibrahim, commended Ghana for taking steps to address bottlenecks and streamline the transit system. He reaffirmed Niger’s commitment to collaborating with Ghana to enforce axle load regulations, harmonise Customs procedures, and advance regional trade integration under the ECOWAS and AfCFTA frameworks.