REDUCE CHECKPOINTS-POLICE TOLD

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The Ghana Shippers’ Authority has appealed to the Police Administration to reduce the number of police checkpoints on the country’s highways to the barest minimum, as they are a source of delays for road users with the resultant high operational cost to particularly transporters. 

During road verification trips by the Authority and Borderless Alliance since the beginning of the year, over 45 checkpoints had been mounted by the police on the country’s major roads. 

The appeal was made during a presentation by the Ghana Shipper’s Authority at a Regional Police Commanders Forum on Road Governance in Kumasi. 

It was organised by the Authority in collaboration with Borderless Alliance, to sensitize the leadership of the Ghana Police Service on transit trade in general and transport facilitation initiatives in Ghana. 

The forum was also to engage the Police Service in addressing some challenges on the Tema-Paga corridor. 

A private sector led advocacy campaign that aims to start a trade facilitation revolution. 

The Ashanti Regional Branch Manager of the Ghana Shipper’s Authority, Robin-Huws Barnes acknowledged the critical role the Police play in the safe transportation of goods in Ghana’s transit corridors. 

However some challenges that has come to the notice of the Authority on along these corridors include the numerous police checkpoints, harassment of transit operators from the landlocked countries and other economic operators, cumbersome road block procedures, extortion and the charging of illegal fees.

 Mr.  Barnes noted that since 2009 transit volumes through the ports of Ghana have recorded a 40 per cent reduction, a situation which he described as worrying.

 The Director-General of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Police Service, ACP Patrick Adusei Sarpong noted that inappropriate procedures on the corridors which are easy to harmonize, regrettably lead to wastage of time. 

This has obviously led to upsurge in transport cost, thereby defeating the whole idea of economic integration. 

He expressed optimism that the forum would help develop processes through which the police can work with all stakeholders to ensure that these bottlenecks are completely eliminated.

 The President of Borderless Alliance, Ziad Hamoui, said the forum aims among others to collaborate with stakeholders in the transport sector to ensure smooth flow of trade and transport along the corridor and into the landlocked countries.

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