After 31 May 1998 any vehicle over 10 years old imported into Ghana will be seized and sent to the Steel Mills for recycling. The time allowed for motor vehicles to be cleared from the ports is further reduced from 120 days to 60 days.

This was announced by Mr. Michelle Opoku-Boamah, Special Adviser to the Ghana Customs Service at a press conference in Accra today.

He said motor vehicles, which are not cleared within 60 days, would also be forfeited, adding that these measures would ensure that only sound vehicles are brought into the country, and also to decongest the ports.

Mr. Opoku-Boamah noted that some importers were unable to clear their vehicles as result of the 50 per cent penalty hitherto imposed on over-aged vehicles and expressed the hope that the abolition of the penalty would make things easier for them.

The press conference was called to explain changes in tariffs as contained in the 1998 Budget Statement and approved by Parliament.

He said the proposals were approved by Parliament last Friday and are awaiting Presidential assent.

Mr. Opoku Boamah said four import duty rates are now in place, namely zero percent, five per cent, 10 per cent and 25 per cent. These were introduced in the Duties and Taxes Act.

The zero rates relate to priority areas like agriculture, health and education, while the five per cent is a concessionary rate.

The 10 per cent rate affects raw materials and the 25 per cent is a standard rate.

The import duty of 25 per cent and 15 per cent sales tax on fish is reduced to five per cent and no sales tax.

All imported fish, including those brought in by vessels owned by Ghanaians now attract five per cent import duty, while fish caught by Ghanaian canoes are exempted from import duty.

Mr. Opoku-Boamah said in order to encourage the growth of local industries, iron rods attract 25 per cent import duty and 15 per cent sales tax.

The 17.5 special tax hitherto imposed on locally manufactured goods has also been abolished.

The special tax of 17.5 per cent on air conditioners has been abolished while solar cells, panels, modules and generating sets are zero-rated.

Computers attract 15 per cent sales tax but are exempted from import duty.

The the excise duty on beer/stout has been reduced from 75.8 per cent and to 65 per cent while that on mineral water goes down to 35 per cent from 50.4 per cent.

The export duty on Aviation Turbine Kerosene has been reduced from 0.9 dollars per litre to 0.02 dollars per litre.