Strike balance between trade and revenue mobilization – GIFF
Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, National President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), has underscored the need to draw a balance between trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation in order not to stifle free-flow of trade.
Making the call at a workshop on the topic: “Facilitating the Valuation Process in Cargo Clearance through the Ports,” in Tema on Thursday, Mr Ahenkorah noted that the proper classification of imported goods was one of the most assured sources of revenue generation for government.
The workshop was one of the continuous professional development programmes organised by the Tema branch of the Chartered Institute of Logistic and Transport (CILT) for members to update themselves on activities that would help advance and promote the arts and science of logistic and transport.
Mr Ahenkorah suggested that the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) should be solely responsible for the strategy process of classification and valuation of imported goods so that enough revenue could be mobilised for national development.
Mr Ebenezer Annang, Chief Collector of Customs Division, GRA in Tema in-charge of compliance said customs valuation played an overriding role in clearance system at the Ports.
For this reason, Mr Annang urged importers to furnish Customs officers with accurate information on their goods to ensure proper valuation.
Mrs Amma Addo, Corporate Affairs Manager of Gateway Services Limited (GSL), who spoke on the topic: “From the Destination Inspection Company’s Perspective,” defined Destination Inspection (DI) as the inspection of imports at the Port of clearance.
Giving the historical background of DI, Mrs Addo said, it was introduced in Ghana in April 2000 to replace pre-shipment inspection, which involved inspection of imports before shipment from the country of supply.
She said GSL was the first DI Company to introduce scanning services to facilitate clearance of goods at the Ports, but currently, she went on, as many as five companies had been contracted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry to offer DI services in the country.
She noted that Customs’ valuation should be fair and transparent in order not to serve as a barrier to international trade.
Mrs Addo appealed to importers and customs house agents to be compliance in submitting genuine shipping documents to ensure fairness in Customs’ valuation.
During an open forum, the workshop participants urged stakeholders in the Maritime industry to coordinate their activities in order to ensure efficiency.
Mr Robert Kingsford Kutin, Managing Director of Allship Logistics Limited, chaired the function.
CILT is the leading international professional body associated with logistics and transport.
Established in 1919 and receiving its royal charter in 1926, CILT has over 33,000 members working in over hundred countries word-wide.
The institute, whose patron is Queen Elizabeth III, has as its mission the advancement and promotion of the arts and science of logistics and transport.
Source: GNA