Freight Forwarders want One Stop Shop policy implemented now!

Freight forwarders in the country have appealed strongly to the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to take steps to expedite action on the process of bringing the much awaited relief to importers and other operators in the Maritime Industry in the clearing of goods.

In this regard, the operators have called on CEPS to resume its core function of classification and valuation of goods without delay, in order to enhance the process.

Speaking to the media recently in Accra, a member of the Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders (GIFF) Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah said, “Importers and clearing agents are suffering from delays and frustrations in clearing goods at the ports”. He warned that the perpetuating of the current cumbersome regime of clearing goods would be “the worse thing” that could happen to importers and clearing agents.

“We want CEPS to resume its core functions now”, he called, asking that those responsible for giving CEPS the green light act with urgency. Mr. Ahenkora expressed optimism that the situation which compels importers and Freight forwarders to deal with the Ministries of Trade and Finance before clearing goods even without the guarantee of success would be eliminated by the proposed one-stop-shop facility to be provided by CEPS. Under the new system which was expected to have started operating this Month (January, 2009), CEPS would offer a One-Stop-Shop for clearing goods where issues such as the valuation and classification of goods, payment of Income Tax, VAT and other import related handlings would be dealt handled with speed by CEPS in one-go.

Mr. Ahenkorah described the proposed system which is also expected to enhance revenue collection for the state, “The best, probably in the whole Africa” as he believes it would enable importers and clearing agents to clear goods within two days instead of the “unbearably many days” which characterize the present system.

First Vice-President of (GIFF) David Nutakor said people have been trained and retrained for the new system and expectations are high but “We don’t know what is happening”. He said industry players expect the one-stop-shop facility to roll out immediately.

He said the Institute had, since January 1 been looking forward to the start of operations of the new system, “But our expectations have been dashed”. While congratulating the new government for assuming power in the country Mr. Nutakor urged them to come out and clear the air about the status of the proposed system in order to calm nerves and restore the hope of freight forwarders in government’s good faith in the deployment user-friendly system of clearing goods.

This he said is very important since it has serious benefits for both government and users of the service.

Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of Baj Freight Shipping Agents, Customs House Brokers and Freight Forwarders Joe Biney said the announcement of the establishment of the One-Stop-Shop facility came as big relief to operators in the industry who have had to pay huge sums of money as demurrage, rent and other port user charges as a result of delays in clearing their goods. “The delays also retard business”, he noted.

Mr. Biney said, “We are not happy they have not started operating the new system”. “We want to see improvement in our businesses, he declared, adding, “The old system is reaping us off. We prefer CEPS taking money to enhance its classification and valuation functions”.

He also pointed out that time wasted in the clearing of goods is paid for by someone, “And in order to avoid this, CEPS must be made the final determinant of duty under its classification and valuation functions”. He added again that the situation in which goods are valued elsewhere only to be rejected by CEPS must stop immediately.

CEPS has been carrying out live classification and valuation of goods since late last year in its new classification and valuation building complex building at Rigde in Accra. The Commissioner of CEPS E.M Doku recently stated that,”The service has made significant investments in the training of our officers both within and outside Ghana. I can therefore confidently say that we are ready to meet any challenges that may crop up even during the transitional phase of the project”.