The AGI argues that, the practices at the ports, which have been perpetrated for years, threaten government’s major policies such as the one district, one factory, as well as plans to create an industrialized economy and reduce unemployment levels in the country.

[contextly_sidebar id=”92VZEytpQa5jWHT88dRH4sAPpox8dv13″]Among the concerns raised by the AGI are the under-invoicing and under declaration by importers, ineffective scanning system at the ports among others.

The President of the AGI, Dr. Yaw Adu Gyamfi, also alluded to the decision by some port officials to aid in the crime.

“Paying taxes in Ghana is mandatory, yet some criminal-minded importers have found cunning ways to evade tax/duties through the connivance with some revenue officials at the ports,” he stated.

Some members of the AGI who have been directly affected also say they have been compelled to cut labour size to avert a complete shutdown of their businesses.

The issue is having a heavy toll on the fruit juice sector, electrical cables, tomato paste, canned tuna and Fast Moving Consumer Goods sectors.

GRA Customs misses revenue targets for two years

The AGI cited that, the GRA Customs Division missed its annual revenue target for two consecutive years; 2016 and 2017.

In 2016, the revenue agency was able to collect 10.33 billion cedis out of a target of 10.82 billion cedis.

This represents a collection deficit of 495.84 million cedis or 4.6%.

In the subsequent year (2017), GRA Customs division collected 12.69 billion cedis out of a target of 13.94 billion cedis.

This also represents a collection deficit of 1.25 billion cedis or 9%.

Impact of malpractices on industry

The AGI maintains that, failing to address these outstanding issues confronting manufacturers is likely to worsen the already burdened industrial sub-sector.

The unwarranted impacts range from huge revenue losses to the state, erodes competitiveness of local manufacturing, massive reduction in employment levels as well as the inability of start-ups to survive their first anniversary due to unfair competition.

Meanwhile, over the last four years, the real sector of the economy has witnessed an average growth of 1.8 percent.

This has largely been attributed to the over concentration on the oil sector which has seen significant growth in recent years.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

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Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, a member of CEPS communication team, Paa Kow Ekumah, said they also do not think something untoward happened during the clearing of the goods.

“In the case of this chicken, yes, the full work hasn’t been done yet, and we have our officers down there and I’m sure in a matter of a day or two, we will come to the conclusion of it. But nothing really has gone wrong that has to do with Customs having done the wrong thing or even the FDA,” he added.

[contextly_sidebar id=”SxSpc9naPlZt2uGxpQOKugLEsifeuuvl”]Mr. Ekumah also said they are investigating the matter to ascertain the entire truth.

“That issue has come up and we are seriously looking at it – investigations going on from different angles. It’s a little sensitive now and it’s a little early to draw conclusions but what we know is that when it comes to Customs, we will always make sure that we will not find ourselves at the wrong side of the law.”

The Herald newspaper on Monday reported that, thousands of Ghanaians may be in danger as credible information they have from the Tema Ports suggests that, some unwholesome frozen food products, have found their way into the country under bizarre circumstances.

Not all the chicken were rotten – FDA

The Foods and Drugs Board (FDA), one of the bodies involved in supervising such products, also defended its action, saying not all the chicken were rotten at the time they saw it at the Tema Port.

According to the FDA, after  its officer assigned to the consignment realized that not all the chickens were rotten, ordered for the unwholesome ones to be destroyed, but prevented the company [that imported the products] from clearing a second consignment full with frozen chicken.

The Head of Public Affairs at FDA, James Lartey told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that, although the second consignment was embargoed, they later realized that it had been cleared.

He explained that their officer was subsequently able to detain 2,800 cartons of the embargoed consignment.

“I don’t know why our officer should be blamed in this instance. In the first place, he has allowed a product to be cleared…he went there, he did sorting, there was a second institution that was among the sorting team, samples were taken, the wholesome ones were kept and the unwholesome ones were destroyed. What has he done wrong? I don’t know how I’m going to blame our officer.”

Mr. Lartey noted that “With the second consignment, he had clearly agreed that the product should not be cleared, and it has been cleared, how do you blame him?”

“He has followed up and found 2,800 cartons of the one that was not supposed to be cleared, and he has detained them, and you blame the officer for what?”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

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According to the Authority, the taxes and charges shippers are made to pay at the ports, is having a toll on their businesses hence the need for the downward review.

In a Citi News interview at Bolgatanaga during an annual get-together of the Upper East Regional branch of shippers over the weekend, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the GSA, Sylvia Asana Owu, underscored the need for government’s intervention in the reduction of charges at the ports for exporters and importers.

“The concerns we have received from a lot of shippers in this country has to do with the charges and taxes at the ports. A lot of service providers serve the shippers at the ports. we have the freight forwarders, the shipping lines, the port authorities and even government agencies and invariably most of them end up charging for the services that they provide.”

“If a shipper pays so much in terms of taxes and charges, it will be passed onto the final consumer so if the taxes and charges are reduced at the ports, it will help us and so we are going to work with the Minister for Transport to ensure that these charges are reduced.”

Mrs. Owu admonished shippers to take pragmatic measures in processing the necessary documents for offloading their containers on time at the ports to avoid paying the huge cost on demurrage.

She hinted that, shippers would be sensitized on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the ‘Rotterdam Rules’ to meet international best practices.

Mrs. Owu swore in Mr. Francis Danso (Chairman) Alhaji Abdul Salaam (Vice chairman) Martin Akogti (Secretary) and Elizabeth Asaana (Treasurer), as the newly elected members of the Upper East Regional Shippers Committee.

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By: Frederick Awuni/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He stated that “ the plant will start operations with about 30 million standard cubits of gas per day and graduate the process” to about 150 million as time goes on.

Mr. Obagmey believes the amount of gas that will be produced by the plant will be “enough to take care” of the power needs of the 10 regions in Ghana.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) on Monday revealed that natural gas from the Atuabo gas plant will not end power rationing in the country.

According to the VRA, Atuabo plant will not necessarily increase the amount of power to be generated.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Obagmey stated that though the plant will not transform Ghana’s power generation systems, it will stabilize power production and help reduce cost significantly.

“Of course the gas from Atuabo will not change our power generation capacity. That is a fact and of course there are efforts to increase our power generation capacity. But what nobody can take away or argue is that the gas from Atuabo will at least stabilize our production and help reduce our cost significantly”

The Jubilee Partners have warned against any hasty decision to connect the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant to the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

They have also demanded an audit of the facilities at the plant before hooking it up to the production platform to prevent any unexpected accident  that might threaten offshore investment.

Mr. Obagmey justified the decision by Jubilee partners to demand an audit of the plant, describing it as normal and safe.

He further stated that Ghana Gas Company and other companies are “ready and open” to the decision by Jubilee partners to audit the plant.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The plant is situated at Atuabo in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

The leaders said the management of the company is taking them for a ride by failing to properly negotiate for the acreage of land acquired for the project.

Spokespersons, Awonyi Mensah Robert, Tufuhene of Anokye and Nana Bonsah 111, Obaahema of Atuabo said at news conference that since Dr George Sipa Yankey, Chief Executive of the Gas Company visited the traditional council with bottles of Schnapps to ask for land two years ago; little had been done and achieved in terms of negotiations and documentation on the many acreage of land lease out for the project.

The Tufuhene said described the action of the company as disgusting and lack of respect for the people and leadership of the three communities and the traditional council as a whole.

He said many attempts by the traditional authority to get the leadership of the company to negotiate had failed adding, “We have called about four to five meetings and the management of Ghana Gas had failed to attend any.”

The community leadership also wants to know from the management of the company future development plans, issues of environmental safety, and where to turn to in case of emergency.

Awonyi Robert complained that the company had sidelined the indigenes in the area of employment adding that even drivers are employed from out of the communities.

The Atuabo gas project when completed could solve half of Ghana’s energy crisis since the Aboadze Thermal Plant would feed on it for additional power generation.

Source: GNA

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