Freight forwarders have declared a four-day sit-down strike from Tuesday, April 14, to demand a clear operational policy framework for the Publican AI system.
The action, led by the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, is expected to run until Friday, April 17.
According to GIFF, there must be well-documented procedures governing the system, particularly around the appeals process, which they say is frequently declined, as well as clear operational guidelines.
The group also cited persistent delays in cargo valuation, excessive duty assessments, and an ineffective appeals system as major concerns.
Speaking at a protest, the General Secretary of GIFF, Paul Kobina Mensah, called for a structured governance framework to address the challenges.
“We are taking a four-day coordinated strike from tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14 to Friday, April 17. After that, the traders will be asked to bring their action for the following week so that it continues till ears are given to our issues,” he said.
He added that members had been urged to suspend imports and payments, arguing that it was impractical to continue clearing goods under what they described as an unstable system.
“We are not going to pay the duties. Some of the payments are done online, and we are monitoring that. We are not going to be processing online payments as well,” he indicated.
The Publican AI system, designed to streamline and modernise import clearance processes at Ghana’s ports, has sparked intense debate within the shipping and logistics sector. While authorities maintain that it will improve efficiency, transparency, and reduce delays, its rollout has faced strong resistance from key industry players, particularly freight forwarders.
