By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
Takoradi, Oct. 29 GNA - Most of the haulage truck drivers engaged by the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) have expressed their frustration over the load discrepancies at the various axle load points caused undue delay and the payment of unlawful fees.
Many of them noted with concern that though their load were certified at the port as the right tonnage, various axle check points quoted wrong figures as alleged by them, "We want to know if your machines have different calibration at the different stations", they queried.
Other they raised were the haulage truck drivers were the many MTTD check points on the Kumasi/Tamale road, the numerous rumps on the Takoradi through Fosu road which affected the transportation of cargoes to their final destination from the Tacotel terminal or the main Takoradi port.
The drivers expressed the sentiments during a sensitisation workshop organised by the Ghana Shippers Authority in Takoradi.
The workshop formed part of the mandate of the GSA to engage their clients from time to time and solicit their inputs of matters that affected international national trade and transit of cargoes to neighbouring countries for proper advocacy and reforms.
Officials from the Police MTTD, the Road Safety Commission, Customs and the HighWays tutored the haulage drivers on their responsibilities on the road until they reached their final destination.
Mrs Benonita Bismarck, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority said substantial efforts were made to facilitate transit trade and to make Ghana the most attractive in the sub-region.
However, there were fundamental issues affecting the Transit Trade that called for much attention.
She said the sensitisation was to highlight the measures introduced by the Customs Division to curtail in particular the surging diversion of transit cargo.
The CEO said, haulage truck drivers were critical in the transport logistics chain and that much effort must be committed in fully equipping them on international conventions, national and regional regulations, directives and measures in their area of operations to improve compliance.
According to her, the Shippers Authority's fact finding missions along the major transit corridor revealed serious infractions on road traffic regulations, police harassment, malpractices at the Axle Load stations among others.
Mrs Bismarck said,"Ghana's quest to become the preferred transit country and consequently become the gateway to the West African Sub-Region requires that we must all be committed to contributing our quota to finding solutions to the plethora of challenges affecting the Transit trade".
Mr Darling Sey, the Branch Manager of the Authority said the engagement was first of its kind leading to the implementation of their institutional mandate of protecting and promoting their interests.
He said the Authority would continue to offer the best of services to shippers along the logistics value chain.
GNA
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