The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has rejected claims that Ghana’s ports are being used as conduits for the importation of substandard electrical cables.
This follows comments reportedly made by Prof. John Garchie Gatsi, Board Chairman of the Energy Commission, suggesting that the country’s ports are facilitating the entry of inferior electrical cables.
In a statement on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, IEAG said it “wishes to respectfully express concern over this assertion, as it does not adequately reflect the stringent regulatory controls and operational safeguards that govern the importation of electrical goods through the country’s ports.”
The Association explained that electrical products imported into Ghana are first cleared into approved customs bonded warehouses or designated holding facilities, where they remain under customs control pending inspection, testing and certification by the Ghana Standards Authority and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, in collaboration with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
“Under this system, consignments remain under customs control until conformity assessment procedures are completed and statutory approvals granted. Only thereafter can importers move goods to their destinations,” it stated.
IEAG maintained that the existing framework “represents one of the most effective mechanisms for preventing the circulation of substandard imported electrical cables through formal channels.”
While acknowledging the dangers posed by inferior electrical cables, the Association argued that a significant proportion of such products enter the domestic market through unapproved routes.
It said “evidence from industry monitoring indicates that a significant proportion of such products enter the domestic market through unapproved routes and porous land borders, bypassing formal inspection and duty payment.”
“It is therefore important that enforcement efforts are broadened to address these high-risk entry points rather than portraying the ports, where multiple state agencies operate layered controls, as the primary source,” IEAG added.
The Association further called for stronger collaboration to improve oversight of bonded warehouses, recommending “rigorous compliance monitoring, improved cargo tracking systems, and strict release authorization procedures” to ensure goods under regulatory hold are not released without conformity certification and statutory clearance.
IEAG also highlighted progress made through port enforcement, noting that “operational improvements over recent years, including enhanced inspections, risk profiling, and inter-agency coordination, have contributed to a marked reduction in the incidence of non-compliant electrical cables detected through formal port channels.”
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Abigail praise Pabai
