Goods shipped from the United Arab Emirates now take three to four months to reach Ghana, compared with 45–60 days previously, according to Ghana Union of Traders Association president Clement Boateng, speaking in an interview reported by MyJoyOnline on 6 November 2026.
Boateng called on banks to grant traders a moratorium on loan repayments because borrowers were being asked to start servicing facilities before their imported goods arrived. He made the appeal on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition on Thursday.
Repayments begin before goods arrive
According to Boateng, repayments begin in the month after traders take out a loan. That timetable can leave importers facing bank demands while the goods financed by the borrowing are still in transit.
“When we take a facility, the repayment shouldn't start after just one month,” he said in the interview.
The shipping times are Boateng’s account of traders’ experience, rather than an independently measured average for all Ghanaian imports. His proposal is a request for repayment relief, not an announcement that banks have agreed to change loan terms.
Port clearance adds another delay
Boateng attributed the longer shipping journeys to rerouting linked to the war and developments around the Strait of Hormuz. He also said congestion at Ghana’s ports was slowing clearance as cargo volumes increased.
The distinction matters for traders: arrival in Ghana does not immediately make a shipment available for sale. Goods must still be cleared, extending the period between paying for imports and receiving sales income.
Despite those pressures, Boateng described the general business environment in 2026 as not entirely negative. His immediate concern was the mismatch between longer delivery schedules and repayment demands on traders using bank finance.
Source: MyJoyOnline’s report of Clement Boateng’s interview, 6 November 2026.