The Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) has partnered the French Embassy in Accra to provide French proficiency classes for freight forwarders operating in the Port of Tema. The initiative, which was officially launched Wednesday June 20, 2018, will facilitate communication and trading between Ghanaian freight forwarders and shippers from Niger , Mali, Burkina Faso and other French speaking countries .
Thirty selected freight forwarders from the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Customs Union of Brokers Association-Ghana ( CUBAG), Federation of Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana (FFFAG) and Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG) will benefit from the six-week intensive programme. The acting Executive Secretary of GIFF, Mr Eddie Akrong, spoke on behalf of the four freight forwarding bodies and thanked the GSA for putting the initiative together.
He underscored the need for Ghanaian freight forwarders to build proficiency in the French language in order to handle transit trade transactions effectively.
A representative of the French Embassy, Ms Nina Duval, who is also a facilitator of the programme said the Embassy was happy to partner the GSA in carrying out the initiative which she described as laudable On her part the CEO of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Ms Benonita Bismarck, said the initiative was mooted by the Authority’s Board Chairperson, Mrs Stella Wilson.
She congratulated the freight forwarding bodies for seizing the opportunity and added that since Ghana finds itself surrounded by Francophone countries it was important that Ghanaian freight forwarders become proficient in the language. She urged the freight forwarders shortlisted for the programme to make the most of the opportunity and was optimistic the initiative will impact greatly on Ghana’s transit trade competitiveness.
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To make the French proficiency programme sustainable, the GSA will send a staff to France for training and upon return will become a trainer of trainees to continue offering French lessons to freight forwarders working at the borders of Aflao, Paga and Elubo.
