The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders has elected new executives at the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Association in Cape Coast.

Edward Akrong, a former Council Member of the Freight Forwarding Association, has been elected president, taking over from Kwabena Ofosu Appiah who had steered the affairs of the Association for the past four years.

The 23rd Annual General Meeting of the Association also saw the election of other executives into office including William Abraham Turkson - 1st Vice President, Paul Kobina Mensah- 2nd Vice President, and Millicent Osekre – National Treasurer.

The outgone President of GIFF, Kwabena Ofosu Appiah stated that in his tenure of office the institution has affected policy direction both locally and internationally.

He also expressed his gratitude for all the support offered him by members of the institution.

The AGM was used to deliberate on the issues affecting the institution, devise new strategies that seek to promote best practices in the freight forwarding business and account for stewardship from the council members on their four years’ tenure of office.

The meeting of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders GIFF brought members of the institution across the entire nation together to deliberate on issues and devise new strategies to drive the institution forward.

Over the years, clearing agents and freight forwarders have through the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders undergone constant training to cope with the changes in the methods of clearing goods with the advent of new modules in the customs house business.

The Commissioner of Customs Col. Kwadwo Damoah, in a speech read on his behalf urged GIFF members to continue to strategize for the future in order to grow with the evolving trends of clearing and forwarding business.

“We must move forward. We in Ghana are in a competitive world. We are naturally in competition with other states in the business arena. If we slip or sleep others will overtake us,” he said.

The Head of Freights and Logistics of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Fred Asiedu Dartey praised the freight forwarding fraternity for standing up to the changing tides in the port industry and proving their competence to serve as intermediaries between traders and port service providers.

“Changes in the industry are not only testament of the improvement the port’s processing had gone through but more importantly it shows the resilience of the freight forwarding fraternity,” he commended.

Kingsley Abeyei, General Manager Operations of West Blue Consulting, IT service providers for the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, acknowledged the role GIFF has played to make port clearance reforms a success for national development.

“It is worthy to note that your major contribution of development to the strategic action plan which set out a blueprint and a roadmap for the Ghana National Single Window Program has been followed diligently,” he praised.

The National Secretary of Customs Brokers Association of Ghana, Nicholas Osae urged his fellow freight forwarders to work with integrity and eschew some malpractices that threaten the reputation of the profession.

“As customs house agents, let us do well to protect our prestigious career by making sure we do not fall into the temptation to succumb to enterprises of mischief,” he advised.