A dispute is brewing between the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) and the Joint Association of Port Transport Unions (JAPTU) over the planned introduction of new regulatory measures linked to a regional axle load control system.
The GSA, working alongside Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and JAPTU, is moving ahead with plans to implement the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Supplementary Act on Axle Load Control.
The initiative is designed to standardise axle load regulations across West Africa, boost compliance, and improve efficiency along major transit routes. Officials say it will also help minimise delays at border points and promote smoother cross-border trade within the sub-region.
As part of the rollout, the Authority indicated that under Section 26 of Act 1122 (2024), all haulage drivers will be required to register annually at a cost of GH¢250. Drivers who complete the registration will be issued certification allowing them to operate across Ghana’s ports and key transit corridors within the West African region.
According to the GSA, the policy is intended to enhance monitoring systems, strengthen institutional oversight, and ensure safer and more efficient transport operations.
However, JAPTU has strongly opposed both the proposed charges and the broader regulatory framework, insisting that no consensus has been reached.
Speaking at a press conference in Tema on Friday, April 10, 2026, JAPTU National Chairman Shamsu Babayaro rejected claims that transport unions had approved the measures, describing such reports as misleading.
“We have not agreed to any proposal presented to us. We were shocked to hear on television that we had accepted them,” he said.
Mr Babayaro further argued that the new framework would impose additional financial strain on drivers, pointing to mandatory fees at weighbridges in addition to the GH¢250 annual registration cost.
He warned that the cumulative charges could significantly burden transport operators who are already grappling with rising economic pressures.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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