The Association of Custom House Agents Ghana (ACHAG) has cautioned government to tread cautiously in handling the issue of the interdicted customs officials who allegedly aided some private companies to evade duties and taxes.
According to them, there is a chain of bodies and officers dealing and handling documentation and issues at the Tema and Takoradi Ports, hence government should hasten slowly in passing judgment on the interdicted officers.
It would be recalled that some 21 staff of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) were last month interdicted for allegedly aiding some private companies to evade duties and taxes.
The case is currently being under investigation.
Addressing a press in Tema over the weekend, The Acting President of Association of Custom House Agents Ghana, Mr Yaw Kyei, who expressed concern about the operations at the country’s ports, underscored the need for sanity to prevail in the maritime industry.
He noted that “Ghana in the recent bid to be competitive is aligning itself with modern way of doing business, especially in the port and the maritime industry.”
He, however, said this development must be pursued along with the training of officers managing the operations at the ports.
“There must be sanity, high technical and skillful persons and institution to manage these organizations if we need to grow,”
“Our vision is to be the authority in the freight forwarding industry in Ghana, achieving local, regional and international recognition,” he added.
Mr Kyei appealed to importers to do thorough background checks on clearing agents before transacting business with them.
This, he explained, would go a long way to ensure that they do business with genuine clearing agents.
Story By: Michael Creg Afful
