PR & COMMS UPDATES-MOTAI
The 50-member National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) convened its 3rd and final meeting of the year in Accra on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.
The meeting which brought together leaders from government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, and trade facilitation organizations to analyze progress made during the year under review and address major concerns within Ghana’s trading ecosystem.
In his opening remarks, NTFC Chairman Mr. Alex Mensah reiterated the Committee’s dedication to enhancing coordination, boosting operational effectiveness, and boosting Ghana’s competitiveness under regional and international frameworks like the AfCFTA and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
He congratulated stakeholders for their dedication throughout the year and encouraged ongoing momentum in enacting reforms.
The Vice Chairman, Mr. Raymond Amaglo, highlighted institutional accountability and improved coordination among NTFC member institutions.
He delivered a detailed overview of past sessions, stressing gains in capacity building, greater regional cooperation, progress toward satisfying WTO TFA commitments, and advances in trade infrastructure and logistics.
In order to guarantee the successful accomplishment of national trade facilitation goals, he exhorted institutions to assume complete responsibility for the responsibilities they were given.
Mr. Wilfred Essuman, representing TradeMark Africa (TMA), thanked all parties for their cooperation and praised Ghana for its leadership and ingenuity in achieving crucial trade facilitation changes.
He emphasized TMA’s continuous commitment to developing institutional structures, supporting inclusive trade, and enhancing logistics and border operations.
He also praised the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry (MOTAI) and other partners for their efforts during the year.
The enforcement of axle load limitations was a prominent subject discussed at the meeting.
Participants emphasized the significance of validating axle loads at ports before vehicles enter important road corridors to protect national infrastructure and maintain regulatory compliance.
The summit also noted the ongoing problems in intra-West African commerce compared to trade outside the continent, highlighting the importance of harmonization, improved inter-agency collaboration, and more efficient border operations.
The Ministry was advised to continue directing issues to the proper institutions, with a collective reminder that all agencies must complete their tasks in a timely manner to improve regulation and service delivery.
Participants agreed on shared accountability, openness, and an ongoing commitment to attaining national trade facilitation goals.
The Ministry has declared that it will host the NTFC Secretariat to support seamless operations and coordination, subject to World Bank logistical approval.
Furthermore, discussions focused on Customs operations, emphasizing the need for increased efficiency and adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) in order to avoid excessive costs that affect shippers.
Stakeholders urged increased collaboration among border authorities to improve trade flows and eliminate delays at Ghana’s entrance and departure points.
The meeting also highlighted gender-inclusion achievements within the AfCFTA framework, including the sensitization of 2,800 women-led, youth-led, and disability-led enterprises through the SME program, which aims to promote inclusive participation in cross-border commerce.
Mr Raymond Amaglo, an ICUMS representative, offered updates on system improvements, assuring stakeholders that recent issues were being handled and that full stability will be achieved by the end of the week.
Ghana was commended by the World Trade Organization (WTO) for its creativity and steady success in adopting trade facilitation measures, putting the country ahead of many peers in TFA implementation.
Source: newsthemegh.com