The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) has called on the government to urgently address prolonged delays in the clearance of cargo at the country’s airports, warning that the situation could undermine the efficiency and competitiveness of Ghana’s logistics sector.
President of the Institute, Stephen Adjokatcher, said the delays are particularly concerning for airlines and businesses that depend on the timely clearance of critical equipment and spare parts.
He spoke at the official unveiling of Africa World Airlines’ new Embraer E190 aircraft on Saturday, September 19, 2026. The new aircraft is expected to expand the airline’s operations and improve connectivity.
Mr. Adjokatcher said the delays are inconsistent with the government’s 24-hour economy agenda, which seeks to promote round-the-clock economic activity and improve productivity.
He questioned why businesses and airlines are sometimes required to wait several days to clear cargo at the airport despite the establishment of customs facilities intended to facilitate faster clearance.
“We don’t understand why there’s a centre brought here by Customs so that aviation is speed, but sometimes people take days before they clear things from the airport here,” he said.
He appealed to the Transport Ministry to engage the Finance Ministry and the relevant agencies to find a lasting solution to the problem.
According to him, delays in clearing aircraft parts can disrupt airline operations and affect the broader efficiency of the aviation and logistics sectors.
“I’m happy my Transport Minister is here to address that to the Finance Minister, because it takes days to clear parts from the airport. Why should it be under 24 hours?” he asked.
Mr. Adjokatcher also called for the provision of adequate storage facilities at the country’s airports to enable airlines to keep essential spare parts on-site and access them quickly when needed.
He said such facilities would help reduce clearance bottlenecks and ensure that critical aircraft components are made available without unnecessary delays.
“[We need] storage facilities at our airports so that airlines can hold the spare parts there so that they can clear on time when they need it immediately,” he added.
Citinewsroom
