Five (5) Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the shipping and logistics industry have been honoured at the 5th Ghana Shippers Awards held on 19th August, 2022 at the Kempisnki Hotel in Accra.
The awards highlighted the activities and roles of SMEs in the sector in supporting the growth of Ghana’s shipping and logistics Industry.
The firms recognised were Jeffag Farms Limited, Joeveg Farms Limited, 2K Farms Limited, Samtak Enterprise, and Pat K. Poultry Farms.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Ms. Benonita Bismarck, who presented the awards to the companies was delighted, and encouraged them to do more to expand their operations.
In her remarks during the event, Ms. Bismarck also indicated that the authority has made significant strides in finding solutions to challenges faced by SMEs in the sector to make them efficient and competitive globally.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah, the Deputy Minister for Transport, Frederick Obeng Adom and Member of Parliament for Upper West Akim, said government has begun processes to streamline charges at the port to reduce the cost of shipping.
“The ministry has over the years taken note of shippers’ complaints including arbitrary charges by some service providers, demurrage-free counting days, working days and hours, and arbitrary exchange rates used by some service providers. I am happy to inform you that action is being taken to find lasting solutions to these complaints,” he noted.
He used the opportunity to also appeal to shippers to comply with all operational requirements, and avoid cutting corners as the consequences, if caught, would be detrimental to their operations.
The 5th Ghana Shippers Awards was on the theme: ‘The Negative Impact of COVID-19 on the Survival of the Shipping and Logistics Industry’.
The event, organised by Globe Productions in partnership with the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, and supported by the Ministry of Transport, Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, awarded sixty six (66) companies in the shipping and logistics sector.
