A roundtable discussion on the Axel Load Policy Implementation has been held by key players in the transit trade sector in Ghana.
Hosted by the Ghana Shippers Authority, the forum brought together representatives from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Ghana Highway Authority, National Security, Customs, the Motor Traffic & Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service, the Joint Association of Port Transport Unions, (JAPTU), and representatives from the Shippers Council of the Sahelian Countries.
Core in the agenda was to fish out some of the bottlenecks hindering the successful implementation of the policy which seeks to promote safe and sustainable carriage of transit cargo through Ghana, as well as find solutions to them.
This comes at the back of some apprehension by stakeholders within the transit trade arena as well as regular civilians on the abuse of the Ghanaian road corridors, by individuals and syndicates which has even led to some arrests in the recent past.
The CEO of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Benonita Bismarck, in a speech read on her behalf, listed some complaints that has come to the attention of her outfit from the trading community in association with the axel load program.
“The use of faulty and inadequate axle weighing scale, possible tampering with axle load weighing scale by some axle load weighing station personnel, non-adherence to protocols at the axle loading station among others,” he said.
The Axel Load Manager at the Ghana Highway Authority, Faustina Oppong-Yeboah, admitted to corruption by some members of her outfit and transporters of goods, in circumventing the system, hence called for tightened measures that would nip the menace in the bud.
“A few recommendations include increased education and sensitisation of stakeholders, upgrade of the weighing system, enhanced electronic surveillance and increased training of our personnel at the weighing stations,” she said.
Chairman of the program, Ziad Hamoui, who is the National President of Borderless Alliance, a private sector led advocacy group, called for an accurate diagnosis and action plan that would curb the existing menace to enhance transit trade without compromising security and safety.
