The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Ms. Benonita Bismarck, has won the Woman of Excellence Award for the Public Sector at the second edition of the Ghana Business Awards held on 25th October 2019 in Accra. She was awarded for leading the GSA to institute measures and interventions that protect and promote the interests of shippers in Ghana.
Since her assumption of office, the GSA has embarked on nationwide campaigns by organising seminars and stakeholder workshops for shippers and stakeholders in the shipping and logistics sector on contemporary industry issues.
Members of trade associations such as the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and other shippers across the country have been educated on how to avoid payment of demurrage at the country’s ports; the benefits of local insurance; best export practices and procedures among others.
The over-60 award-winners of the night also included Mr. Ernest Koranteng of Ernest Chemists, Entrepreneur of the Year; Global Cargo and Commodities Ltd., Logistics Provider of the Year; Kingdom Exim Ghana Ltd., Exporter of the Year, among others. The Ghana Business Awards is a prestigious awards programme that recognises and rewards excellence across all sectors in Ghana. The Awards provide a platform to recognise individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of their business sector, while recognising the key functions within the sector which promote growth and sustainability.
In a separate development at the same award, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) was adjudged Trade Facilitation Company of the Year 2020. The award was in recognition of the GSA’s role in protecting and promoting the interest of shippers in Ghana through its services and activities via the engagement of shippers, shipping service providers and other state agencies whose functions have a bearing on trade facilitation.
Some of the GSA’s trade facilitation activities include the promotion of Ghana’s transit trade corridor by removing non-tariff barriers; education and sensitisation campaigns on promotion of local marine insurance; ‘how to avoid demurrage’; exporters’ forum to build capacity of exporters; resolution of recurrent shipment challenges; and negotiation of port charges, among others.
