Must CEPS Charge GHC 60,000 (40%) Duty For Goods Valued GHC 150,000

Accra, Oct. 25, according to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) - The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), have destroyed unwholesome, damaged and expired goods, valued at about GHC150,000, with a duty element worth GHC60,000, at the Oblogo land fill site, at Weija, in the Greater Accra region.

I think the authorities are in actual fact not at all interested to know why the goods (which have been abandoned by their owners because of the heavy duties) overstayed its mandatory storage period at the state ware house. How can the CEPS charge 40% duty, GHC 60,000 on goods valued only GHC 150,000 It is crystal clear that importers of such goods will fail to correct their goods. It is very sad that the government of Ghana is giving the citizens an impression that they want to build the nation only on Duties and Taxes, which will end up with an unbearable living standard in the country.

Living in a country with such an uncontrolled economy will always raise challenges like strikes for more pay and better condition of service the other negative side of it will be bribery & corruption and the worst of all will be the influx of Armed Robbery.

Why is the Ghana government, especially CEPS and other Tax/Revenue offices always trying only “to rob Peter to pay Paul”, Ghana as a country produces generally very less than we need and therefore has to rely almost 80% on imports, thus this mean the government must take an advantage to imposing such unbearable duties on imported goods making the living in the country very difficult?

I think the government of Ghana must “do (more than) little” about the excessive charging of Duties, Taxes and Revenues in the country.

FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg – Germany)