The Ghana Shippers Authority has threatened to drag Ivory Coast to the ECOWAS Secretariat if it fails to allow cargo trucks from Ghana into its country the authority’s Chief Executive, Dr Kofi Mbiah has told Citi Business News.
According to the authority, Ivory Coast has not complied with its own directive and is also breaching the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of goods across the sub region.
Ivory Coast a couple of weeks ago enforced a new directive that restricts all cargoes originating from Non-ECOWAS countries and destined to Ivory Coast from being cleared from entries apart from its seaport.
The new directive has resulted in about 60 cargo trucks locked up at the Noe-Elubo border for over two weeks.
Dr Kofi Mbiah speaking to Citi Business News said a visit to the border revealed that the some of the cargo trucks have goods originating from West Africa hence should have been allowed.
“Some of the trucks are carrying goods originating from the ECOWAS subregion. Per the directive from Cote D’ivoire, the goods which are from ECOWAS are to be allowed to enter into Ivory Coast.”
Dr Mbiah added that his outfit found “it a little strange why cargoes which are emanating from the ECOWAS region have not been allowed to enter into Ivory Coast.”
According to Ghana Shippers Authority they have brought the issue to the attention of their team in Abidjan as Ghana’s foreign mission is present in the meeting. Dr Mbiah said the team in Ivory Coast will bring the issue up over there and “consequently, we will make a strong case that this contradicts their own regulation and ECOWAS protocol.”
“If they do not take any immediate action on this we will have no option than to carry this up to the ECOWAS secretariat on the action that has been taken by Ivory Coast.”
By: Kwaku Anim Boadu/citifmonline.com/Ghana