Shippers Authority, MoT secure release of six Ghanaian cargo trucks in Burkina Faso

The Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA) with support from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) has secured the release of six Ghanaian cargo trucks detained at the Dakola border in Burkina Faso.In April of this year, the trucks were initially detained by Burkinabe Customs (Douanes) on suspicion of transporting prohibited goods from Ghana into Burkina Faso.In June 2024, GSA intervened in the detention of twenty trucks carrying unwholesome cargo, flagged by Burkinabe authorities, after Joint Association of Port Transport Unions-Ghana's (JAPTU-Ghana) efforts to resolve the issue proved unsuccessful.To resolve the issue, the GSA and the MoT held a series of stakeholder meetings at the Dakola border and Tema port, and collaborated with its Burkinabe counterpart, the Conseil Burkinabe Des Chargeurs (CBC), to secure the release of the detained trucks.On August 20, 2024, Mr Frederick Atogiyire, Northern Zonal Manager, GSA, led a team to meet with Dr Kassoum Traore, Director General of the CBC, and his team to discuss the detained trucks.Dr Traore clarified that under Burkinabe law, unwholesome cargo could result in the confiscation of both the cargo and trucks.He assured the team that progress was being made and that an out-of-court settlement had been reached with the shipper, paving the way for the trucks' prompt release.In a media briefing in Tamale, Mr Atogiyire, announced that the Burkinabe Customs had efficiently processed the trucks for departure, enabling them to resume their journey to Ouagadougou on August 25, 2024, and subsequently return to Ghana on August 29, 2024.Mr Atogiyire expressed his appreciation for the Burkinabe Authorities' concerted efforts in facilitating the trucks' release.Source: Ghana News Agency