The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has blamed the low volumes of imports into the country on fiscal policies implemented by the government and high local charges by some shipping lines at Tema port.
In a one-on-one interview with the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana Mr. Sampson Asaki Awingobit on Plan B FM morning show NKOSUONSEM, he told Nana Yaw Abrompah that, high charges by the shipping lines are government’s retrogressive fiscal and unfriendly port policies which the government has turn deaf ears is contributing factor to high prices of goods in the country.
“Cost of doing business for importers is going to go up which will ultimately lead to us the final consumers suffering.”
“A drop in imports in the country is not because of the GPHA, it is a result of the government’s fiscal policies including the total reversal of the benchmark values that have quadrupled the funds needed to import into the country. The benchmark values hurt the duty and also the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar. Again, the increase in Value Added Tax in the 2023 budget has also increased the cost of doing business”, he said.
“As an importer or exporter be specific about what they want agents to do for them because some of the agents take advantage of the arrogant importers and exporters and dupe them when they asked them for help”
He continued that importers and exporters need to also increase the prices of their goods to meet the expenses, duty charges, and taxes imposed on imports and exports to enable them to stay in business.
“If the government did not quash some of the taxes on imports and exports many businesses will collapse and prices of goods will keep soaring” he added.
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