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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, urging a more balanced assessment of the country’s regulatory framework.
The Association was responding to recent remarks attributed to the Board Chairman of the Energy Commission, Prof. John Garchie Gatsi, suggesting that the nation’s ports serve as entry points for inferior electrical cables.
In a press release dated February 17, 2026, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, IEAG expressed concern over the assertion, describing it as inconsistent with the stringent regulatory controls governing electrical imports through Ghana’s ports.
According to the Association, Ghana operates a comprehensive import control regime under which electrical products arriving at the ports are first cleared into approved customs bonded warehouses or designated holding facilities. These consignments, it noted, remain under customs control pending inspection, testing, and certification by relevant state institutions, including the Ghana Standards Authority and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, in coordination with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
IEAG maintained that goods are only released to importers after conformity assessment procedures are completed and statutory approvals granted. It argued that this layered system represents one of the most effective mechanisms for preventing substandard electrical cables from entering the domestic market through formal channels.
While acknowledging the dangers posed by inferior electrical cables — including fire outbreaks, infrastructure damage, and threats to public safety — the Association contended that industry monitoring indicates a significant portion of such products may be entering the country through unapproved routes and porous land borders, bypassing formal inspection and duty payment.
IEAG therefore called for enforcement efforts to be broadened to address high-risk entry points, rather than portraying the ports as the primary source of the problem.
The Association also encouraged the Energy Commission to strengthen collaboration with customs authorities and other regulatory bodies to enhance surveillance at designated bonded warehouses. It recommended improved cargo tracking systems, rigorous compliance monitoring, and strict release authorization procedures to ensure that goods under regulatory hold are not distributed without formal certification.
IEAG further highlighted operational improvements at the ports in recent years, including enhanced inspections, risk profiling, and stronger inter-agency coordination, which it said have contributed to a reduction in the detection of non-compliant electrical cables through formal port channels.
Describing the influx of substandard electrical cables as a major national concern with implications for public safety, revenue losses, and fair competition, IEAG reiterated its commitment to working with regulators and stakeholders to strengthen enforcement across the entire supply chain.
The Association concluded by urging policymakers to focus on improving and optimizing existing regulatory systems, rather than creating perceptions that Ghana’s ports are a breeding ground for substandard imports.
Yaw Boagyan
