The business community under freight forwarding and logistics are going through difficult times in carrying out their business at the ports, despite doing business at the port has been improving as a result of electronic system implore; which saves time and enhances efficient use of human resources at the port in recent times.
It’s on record that there is a shortage of consumable goods going into Christmas as a result of high taxes on imported goods into the country. Most importers cause worry which has to do with the high cost of taxes from shipping lines and port charges affecting business operations at the port.
The Executive Secretary, of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Sampson Asaki Awingobit, discloses this on Adekye Mu Nsem’s morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra.
He reiterated that local handling charges have gone up, and surprisingly some agents of shipping lines are charging exorbitant prices in dollars coupled with duties and worse exchange rates has plunged the port economy into disarray.
Sampson Asaki Awingobit opined that demurrage charges are now on the increase where all quotations have been charged in dollars. Despite there is no law backing this act of transaction which is been implemented by local shipping lines, this act is upfront to our laws.
Comparatively, in our sister countries in the sub-region, there are lower local charges and considerate duties for importers. He further stated that the taxes on goods imported into the country should not be decoupled, such as COVID-19, National Health Insurance Levy, ECOWAS levy, and other tax components from the value-added tax; which could help lower the duty on the imported goods into the country.
Sampson Asaki Awingobit said the depreciation of the cedi is another challenge affecting business transactions at the port, and there is a need for the government to come out with pragmatic policies else there is going to be a shortage of consumables in the Christmas season.
Story by: AYM Kukah. E:mail: kukahalexander7@gmail.com
