Accra, Oct. 30, GNA- The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) on Tuesday said it was withdrawing its escorts services accompanying container cargo into free zone enterprises in and out of Accra and Tema.

A statement by the CEPS Public Relation Department in Accra said the measure, which was aimed at facilitating Free Zones operations takes effect from Monday, November 5, 2007. The statement said escorts fees, which were hitherto chargeable for both containerised consignments and loose cargo or non containerised cargo released for delivery into free zone enterprises within Accra and Tema had also been abolished with effect from next Monday. It said however, that loose cargo or non-containerised cargo released for delivery into free zone enterprises outside Accra and Tema would be accompanied by escort officers and would attract a charge of 25 Ghana Cedis per day for each escort.

The statement said information on the departure from the ports of Free Zone consignments would be communicated in advance to receiving stations and free zone resident Officers by CEPS Sector Commanders. It said all delivered consignments would be thoroughly examined by the Resident officers on arrival at the Free Zone premises and the results imputed to the Ghana Customs Management System.