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Executive Summary West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) French speaking countries surround Ghana, making the language barrier and the WAEMU applicable regulations a concern for high harassment towards foreign trucks. Yet Ghana is a leading country in many road transport aspects, including axle load regulations, governance, and infrastructure. This report aims at being a useful tool for trade and transport stakeholders in Ghana, whose ultimate goal is to boost economic growth and reduce poverty in order to facilitate trade. The report provides findings and recommendations in order to initiate targeted actions of improvement. Numerous active checkpoints. Ghana currently has some of the best performances in road governance across the region in terms of bribes and delays. However, the number of controls from the Police is still among the highest in the region, at almost one control per 100 km. The number of controls from Customs is also among the highest. There are many active checkpoints in Ghana: 44 checkpoints along the 880 km between the port of Tema and the Burkina Faso border of Paga. Whilst most of these checkpoints do not operate on a systematic control basis, this can be considered a form of harassment, especially for foreign drivers, who are more likely to stop at every checkpoint. 80% of the bribes are paid at the 17 most important checkpoints. In order to optimize the impact of actions to reduce road harassment, stakeholders should focus on the checkpoints where higher harassment is experienced. Therefore, priorities should be: Decrease bribes paid at the Police checkpoint of Jema (50 km north of Techiman), especially by foreign drivers, who lack knowledge of the applicable rules and thus struggle to effectively communicate with police. Decrease delays at Paga border by: o Simplifying the procedures, especially for the foreign trucks o Raising local and foreign drivers awareness about required documents and applicable regulations Decrease the overall number of fixed Police checkpoints along the corridor. Ensure application of Customs policies regarding mandatory checkpoints and targeted controls. 2
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1. Ghana: West Africa s Regional Leader Ghana s overall performance surpasses other countries covered by the Improved Road Transport Governance (IRTG) initiative, i.e. Burkina Faso, Côte d Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and Togo. In terms of the number of controls, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo are leading with an average of one control every 60 km, whilst Côte d Ivoire, Mali and Senegal are far behind with approximately one control every 40 km. In terms of average bribe paid per control, Ghana is currently the leading country with GHS 1.3 per control, compared to the equivalent of GHS 4.5 per control within West Africa. Even if Military Police can be considered a Ghanaian equivalent to Gendarmerie in WAEMU countries, their mandate remains very different. Military Police very rarely stop trucks on the road, which contribute to a lower level of harassment in Ghana. However, the number of Police checkpoints in Ghana is among the highest in the region at almost one control per 100 km, and the density of Customs checkpoints is also among the highest. 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 Gendarmerie Customs Police Number of controls per 100 km 4th quarter 2010 Others Forces Nouvelles Gendarmerie Customs Police Customs Others Unions Gendarmerie Gendarmerie Gendarmerie Customs Customs Police Police Police Customs Police Burkina Faso Côte d'ivoire Ghana Mali Sénégal Togo Delays in Ghana used to be close to the regional average, but since they have been stable while increasing in all other countries, Ghana is once again in a leading position. 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Worst performance among IRTG countries Delays per 100 km (min) Ghana Best performance among IRTG countries Q3 2009 Q4 2009 Q1 2010 Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 2010 4
2. Performances have not improved for two years Compared to the 2007 2008 period, performances have improved in Ghana especially regarding bribes, which were close to 40 GHC per trip (between Tema and Paga), and has now decreased to around 20 GHC per trip. However, since the 3 rd quarter of 2009, none of the three indicators show any clear improvement, as delays continue to increase, reaching 2 hours per trip in late 2010. Average number of controls is stable, around 15 controls, which is far from the 2 checkpoints recommended by ECOWAS. Moreover, unlike other countries, Ghana has not put in place any policy to reduce the number of checkpoints, arguing that fixed checkpoints are necessary to ensure security along the corridor. Evolution of IRTG indicators per trip Ghana 21 Bribes (GHC) 15 19 19 13 Number of controls 84 Delays (min) 103 15 14 Q3 09 Q4 09 Q1 10 Q2 10 Q3 10 Q4 10 107 15 121 3. Main checkpoints During the last two quarters of 2010, surveys recorded 44 active checkpoints including 33 Police checkpoints, 10 Customs checkpoints and one common checkpoint (Tema). Road harassment is widely spread among these checkpoints. Still, 80% of the bribes are paid in the 17 most important checkpoints. Also, half of the delays occur at Paga and 10% near Kumasi. Checkpoints are spread regularly along the corridor, with an average of one active checkpoint every 20 km and one inspection at every 3 checkpoints for legal trucks. The quietest part is between Kintampo and Tamale, while the areas near Kumasi, Techiman, Tamale, and the Burkina Faso border are the busiest. Average harassment at main checkpoints, Ghana, 2nd half 2010 GHC 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Bribes (GHC) Delays (min) 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 minutes 5
4. Customs Not surprisingly, the Paga border is the Customs checkpoint where bribes are highest. At six other Customs checkpoints, trucks are inspected almost systematically with an average bribe amounting to about 1 GHC: Kumasi (Aboabo), Techiman (Kuntunso), Savelugu (30 km north of Tamale), Kandinga junction (near the border), Ahenkro (also known as Offenso), and Yapei (50 km south of Tamale). Among these six checkpoints, only two (Offenso and Savelugu) are considered by Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) as mandatory checkpoints. Nsutam (between Accra and Kumasi) and Kubease (50 km south of Kumasi) are less important but still active checkpoints. Tema Harbour and Balungu (20 km south of Bolgatanga) are minor checkpoints. Average bribes at main customs checkpoints (GHC), Ghana, 2nd half 2010 1.6 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 Paga Border Kumasi Aboabo Kandiga Junction Savelugu Kuntunso (Techiman S.) Yapei Ahenkro Nsutam Kubease 5. Police With almost 3 GHC paid in average, Jema is above all other checkpoints concerning bribes, although only 27% of the trucks get stopped there. This means that the average bribe, once the truck has stopped, is huge at about 10 GHC. Unlike the general trend, bribes in Jema were much lower in 2009 than in 2010. It has been reported that foreign drivers were asked for an international driving license even though it is not mandatory. Although less harassing than Customs checkpoints, Police checkpoints are numerous in Ghana. The main ones are Paga, Doboro (4 km south of Nsawam), Tamale (two checkpoints), Techiman (Wuiso), Bolgatanga and Kumasi, which make up the major cities along the corridor. 3.5 3.0 Average bribes at main police checkpoints (GHC), Ghana, 2nd half 2010 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Jema Paga Doboro Tamale South Tamale Total Wuiso (Techiman Ctr.) Bolga South Kumasi South Pwalugu Kintampo South Nsawam 6
6. What are the criteria that impact road harassment? a. Import and empty trucks Trucks coming from Tema are systematically more harassed than trucks going the other direction. Based on an IRTG trip evaluators report, this is mainly due to the perceived value of imported goods (equipment, consumer goods), which is often considered a basis for higher extortion. Among trucks heading to Tema, significant numbers of them cannot find goods to transport and therefore must travel empty. Empty trucks experience 20% less inspection and 20% less bribes than trucks carrying goods. They also spend 45% less time at checkpoints. This is due to the lower level of legal procedures and the absence of urgency when making a delivery. IRTG indicators per trip Average 2009 2010 in Ghana 13 17 17 23 91 123 Export Import Number of controls Bribes (GHC) Delays (min) b. Foreign trucks and drivers Most foreign trucks and drivers operating on the Tema Ouagadougou corridor are from Burkina Faso. Data shows that trucks and drivers from Burkina are stopped more frequently and pay more bribes. During second half of 2010, trucks from Burkina were inspected 7% more often and spent 7% more time at checkpoints. During the same period, a Burkinabè driver in a truck registered from Burkina paid twice as much in bribes as a Ghanaian driver in a truck registered from Ghana. c. Axle load control and regulations During the 2009 2010 period the UEMOA/Trade Hub Road Governance survey did not record any complaints about harassment or bribes being requested at weighbridge stations in Ghana. Trade Hub transport evaluators confirm that bribes have dramatically decreased during the past year. In March 2010, UEMOA member states and Ghana agreed on a roadmap to implement common regulations on axle loads. This roadmap includes the enforcement of permissible gross weights and axle loads, the installation of weighing facilities and its proper management. In March 2011, Ministers of Transport across ECOWAS met to discuss the harmonization of axle load rules across the community, whereby they agreed to apply UEMOA regulations by the end of 2011. However, Ghana and its neighboring countries apply the UEMOA regulations differently. In Ghana, a USD 200 fine is applied when the vehicle gross weight exceeds the permissible limit but is within an accepted tolerance (e.g. 7
between 60 to 68 tons of gross weight for a 6 axle articulated vehicle), while no fine is applied in Burkina Faso, making this the cause of frequent complaints from drivers. According to the UEMOA roadmap, the tolerance should have been eliminated starting June 2010. However, because of delays by some countries to implement the roadmap, Ghana has postponed the expiry date until Burkina Faso aligns its policy to the roadmap as Ghana did. According to Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), to be effective the fine should exceed the revenue the transporter can earn on the freight. The USD 200 flat fee currently applied encourages overloading trucks as much as possible. A system is not yet in place to allow uniformed services to offload custom bonded cargo trucks. GHA has therefore requested the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to align Ghana policy to the UEMOA recommended fine of CFA 60,000 (USD 120) per ton. GHA also reports corruption at weighbridge stations, impeding the enforcement of the axle load regulations. GHA s actions to reduce corruption include hiring private operators and providing them with an incentive package to perform well. In addition, GHA are equipping weigh stations with CCTV and installing High Speed Weigh in Motion Scales just before weigh stations in order to verify the performance of the weigh bridge operators. GHA is also using mobile weighing equipment on side roads in order to verify trucks that by pass the weighbridge stations. At the writing of this report, the unreliability of the weigh bridge at Tema Harbour up to 7 tons discrepancy with the GHA weigh bridges remain an issue. However, the Tema port weighbridge is in the process of being replaced and the new one should be operational by the end of 2011. 8
7. How Ghana compares with Togo For hinterland countries such as Burkina Faso, the choice for the best corridor to seaports is a strategic issue. Road harassment is an important criterion when deciding to import or export via Tema or other ports. Currently, Lomé can be considered the main competitor, making it of interest to compare road governance in Ghana vs. Togo. Data gathered during the last two years shows that bribes are 63% higher in Togo than in Ghana. However, the number of checkpoints is 16% lower and delays 41% shorter in Togo than in Ghana. Language barriers are also an issue in Ghana for a French speaking driver, compared to Togo. IRTG indicators per trip Average 2009 2010 15 13 21 34 113 66 Ghana Togo Number of controls Bribes (GHC) Delays (min) 9
Annex 1 Context, objective and methodology The Improved Road Transport Governance (IRTG) project is an ECOWAS (Economic Commission Of West African States) and WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union) initiative established in 2005 with the technical and financial support from USAID s West Africa Trade Hub, and with financial support from the World Bank s Transport Policy Program in Sub Saharan Africa (SSATP). The objective of the Improved Road Transport Governance (IRTG) project is to institute road governance along primary road corridors. The initiative monitors and reports on the number of checkpoints, the length of delays, and the value of bribes drivers pay when hauling goods along the Tema Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou Bamako, Lomé Ouagadougou, Bamako Dakar, Abidjan Ouagadougou and Abidjan Bamako corridors. Results presented in this report are based on data continuously collected through volunteer truck drivers. Trained IRTG agents distribute data collection sheets to drivers in ports (or inland ports). They only selected drivers with trucks that were in good condition (according to legal standards) and had the correct paperwork in order. Their counterparts at the other end of the corridor collect the completed data collection sheets from drivers completing their journeys. If the agents determine the data is reliable, they computerize it and send it to the Information Technology Department of WAEMU Commission for analysis. The number of controls corresponds to the number of times a driver is stopped by a uniformed service at a physical checkpoint. If a driver is not inspected, he does not indicate that a control occurred. The number of controls excludes the stops when the driver has to eat, sleep, load or unload goods. The delays refer to the total time spent at a checkpoint, excluding time to sleep or to eat, load or unload goods. The bribes are the amounts illegally paid to uniformed services by the drivers. It excludes the bribes paid by forwarders or customs agents. This report is based on data gathered between Tema and Paga at the Burkina border, and between April 1 st 2009 and December 31 st 2010, representing about 900 trips. It aims at providing detailed information to national and local stakeholders, decision makers in the trade and transport sectors, think tanks, uniformed services, transporters, importers and exporters. Annex 2 Source data Number of trips 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2010 Q1 2010 Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 Ouagadougou Tema 10 33 50 27 57 41 37 Tema Ouagadougou 61 109 93 87 54 132 114 Number of controls 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2010 Q1 2010 Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 Ouagadougou Tema 160 400 695 417 729 489 451 Tema Ouagadougou 1,038 1,605 1,349 1,528 942 2,230 2,047 Bribes (GHC) 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2010 Q1 2010 Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 Ouagadougou Tema 220 505 657 546 807 810 649 Tema Ouagadougou 3,233 2,928 1,460 1,642 897 2,486 2,305 Delays (min) 2009 Q2 2009 Q3 2009 Q4 2010 Q1 2010 Q2 2010 Q3 2010 Q4 Ouagadougou Tema 1,571 1,896 2,714 3,347 5,409 4,163 4,067 Tema Ouagadougou 11,833 11,941 9,553 10,506 5,950 14,940 15,063 10
Annex 3 Detailed data on checkpoints Checkpoints Frequency Bribes Delays of controls (GHC) (min) Police Customs Paga Border 100% 1.34 32.6 x Kumasi Aboabo 100% 1.07 5.5 x Kuntunso (Techiman S.) 98% 0.87 2.7 x Savelugu 91% 0.91 2.8 x Paga 90% 1.12 28.4 x Kandiga Junction 78% 0.92 2.9 x Doboro 73% 0.77 1.9 x Ahenkro 72% 0.70 1.9 x Yapei 65% 0.65 2.7 x Tamale South 63% 0.72 2.2 x Tamale Total 59% 0.64 1.9 x Nsutam 56% 0.57 1.7 x Bolga South 53% 0.44 1.5 x Wuiso (Techiman Ctr.) 51% 0.49 1.5 x Kubease 48% 0.46 1.3 x Kumasi South 41% 0.36 6.1 x Kumasi Abufam 37% 0.21 1.2 x Pwalugu 32% 0.36 1.1 x Nsawam 31% 0.26 0.9 x Kumasi Hwereso 31% 0.16 0.8 x Jema 27% 2.88 4.8 x Techiman North 27% 0.08 0.7 x Kintampo South 26% 0.26 0.9 x Navrongo 25% 0.26 0.7 x Tema Harbour 24% 0.17 2.7 x x Ejisu 21% 0.19 0.5 x Bolga North 21% 0.24 0.6 x Kadelso 17% 0.16 0.5 x Balungu 17% 0.15 0.4 x Fufulso 14% 0.15 0.3 x Yekene (Bolga N.) 13% 0.11 0.3 x Tetteh Quarshie 13% 0.13 0.3 x Tema Motorway 13% 0.09 0.7 x Suhum 12% 0.12 0.4 x Namong 12% 0.10 0.2 x Kintampo North 11% 0.13 0.6 x Akumadan 8% 0.09 0.1 x Kintampo Center 6% 0.06 0.4 x Kodie 5% 0.04 0.2 x Kumasi North (Suame) 4% 0.05 0.1 x Nayagnia 3% 0.05 0.1 x WALE WALE 2% 0.03 0.0 x Kukobila 2% 0.02 0.1 x Sakamkrom 2% 0.02 0.1 x 11
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