Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, says the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has come to symbolise the twin process of globalisation and liberation of the world economy.

He said WTO provided and set the pace for the establishment of a predictable and transparent environment for the conduct of international commercial relations.

Ghana as a member has endeavoured to accede to the agreements of the WTO by establishing "The Appeals Committee on Customs Valuation", which was inaugurated in Accra on Thursday.

The committee has representatives from the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, Association of Ghana Industries, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders the Gateway Services Limited and Ghana Standards Bureau Verities.

A second committee, Committee on Customs Revenue Reconciliation was also inaugurated.

Dr Apraku said under the former valuation, which Ghana operated, the Commissioner of Valuation had the final say and the importer had either to take it or leave it. That system made the customs officer the judge, jury and executioner.

He said the WTO agreement on Customs Valuation contains an enforceable requirement that countries acceding to must introduce legislation to provide for a formal right of appeal.

"Customs is enjoined under the agreement to give in writing reasons for or decisions to reject a declared value if requested by an importer," Dr Apraku said.

He, however, stressed that it did not mean that any frivolous problem associated with valuation should be brought to the appeals committee.

Dr Apraku called on CEPS to strengthen and re-invigorate its internal appeals procedure at the various collection points to the level of the headquarters.

"If properly handled this will pre-empt the need for importers to get to the appeals committee," he said.