Stakeholders in Ghana’s shipping, trade, and logistics sectors have unanimously called for the expansion of the Disinfection Health Service operated by the Ghana Health Service through its crisis management partner, LCB Worldwide Ghana Limited.
This call was made during a stakeholder meeting on the Ghana Health Service’s Disinfection Health Service held in Accra on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
Representatives from key industry associations including the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG), Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana (FFAG), Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG), Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG), Exim Frozen Foods Association of Ghana (EFFAG), Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG), Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG), and the Joint Association of Port Transport Unions (JAPTU) commended the effectiveness of LCB Worldwide’s operations at the ports and points of entry.
They expressed satisfaction with the disinfection process, emphasizing that it causes no delays in the clearance chain and has significantly strengthened Ghana’s preparedness for pandemics and public health emergencies.
A key highlight of the meeting was a presentation by Dr. Raphael John Marfo, international public health and biosecurity expert at LCB Worldwide and former Director of Port Health at the Ghana Health Service. Dr. Marfo elaborated on the concept of biosecurity and its critical importance to Ghana’s maritime operations. He noted that Ghana has taken a continental lead in implementing the World Health Organisation’s International Health Regulations (IHR) through the disinfection of cargo at the ports and points of entry.
He further revealed that Tanzania and Nigeria have begun studying Ghana’s model, implemented jointly by the Ghana Health Service and LCB Worldwide, with the aim of replicating it. He cited increased port entry efficiency, enhanced shipping and travel safety, improved international credibility, and reduced operational costs as key benefits of the programme.
In his presentation on sustaining Ghana’s biosecurity, Fiifi Buabeng Baiden, Lead for Partnerships and Programs at LCB Worldwide Ghana, outlined the hidden dangers of global trade and highlighted the necessity of WHO endorsed biosecurity interventions such as disinfection at designated points of entry.
He disclosed that unlike Ghana, which implements the programme at no cost to the government, other countries spend significant amounts annually on similar interventions:
Belarus: USD 5–10 million
China: USD 10–20 million
Japan: USD 25–30 million
Russia: USD 5–10 million
Mr. Buabeng Baiden added that key aspects of Ghana’s approach are benchmarked against countries such as the United States, Australia, Kenya, and South Africa.
The Deputy Director in charge of External Health at the Ministry of Health, Mr. Bernard Brown, commended LCB Worldwide Ghana Limited for its excellent work at ports and points of entry. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the country from pandemics and diseases through ongoing fumigation and disinfection efforts.
Chairing the engagement, Dr. Joseph Obeng, former President and Council Member of GUTA, pledged continuous support for the programme and backed calls for its expansion across the country. He urged the government to fully assess the programme’s benefits, noting that it has positioned Ghana as a regional safe haven in terms of health security.
Dr. Obeng recalled that earlier in the year, LCB met with stakeholders and agreed to put on hold an increment of its fees due to exchange rate volatility, an action he described as a clear demonstration of the company’s sensitivity to the plight of Ghanaian traders and the general public.
An executive member of the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG), Mr. Samuel Aggrey, also applauded the implementation of the International Health Regulations at the ports, describing it as a major policy initiative of the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service. He added his voice to calls for the programme’s expansion.
Head of Research and Public Relations at LCB Worldwide Ghana, Ms. Esinam Adukpo, expressed profound appreciation to stakeholders for their overwhelming support and continued collaboration. She assured them of the company’s unwavering commitment to serving Ghana diligently and efficiently. She further noted that improved equipment, upgraded monitoring systems, and strengthened protocols are being rolled out to ensure Ghana’s disinfection regime remains responsive to evolving threats.
She also reiterated the company’s commitment to continuing its Corporate Social Responsibility activities, including fumigation and disinfection of market centres and schools across the country in partnership with government and stakeholders.
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