Freight forwarders want decentralisation of Customs operations

Freight forwarders at a day’s workshop on tax collection at Elubo have called on the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to decentralize customs systems to enhance revenue generation.

They said the current situation whereby decisions are taken only by the Commissioner of Customs in Accra does not speed up revenue generation.

The participants, who are operating at the Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire border, said decentralization of the system would facilitate their operation.

Mr Desmond Koney, Assistant Collector, Custom Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority at the Elubo border, urged freight forwarders to educate their clients to comply with the rules and regulations governing their business.

The workshop attended by 60 freight forwarders was under the theme, “Freight Forwarders and Free Zone bonded warehouses”.

It was organised by the Elubo branch of the Customs Division as part of its nationwide transformation exercise on tax collection.

Topics treated include free zone concept, bonded ware houses regime, temporary importation and transit regimes.

Mr Sammy Quarmyene, Assistant Commissioner  of Customs in-charge of the Elubo border, said the regime was undergoing transformation and urged the participants to put what they had been taught into practice.

He appealed to the participants to see how best to address challenges related to the regime with a review of reducing deficiency and bottlenecks.

Source: GNA