The Car Rental Association of Ghana (CRAG) is worried about the hike in custom duties on imported vehicles by the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), which its members say is hampering the smooth operation of their business.
The President of the association, Mr. Forster J. Nyarko said this at a press conference in Accra yesterdayat the launch of the 2nd Appreciation and Awards Dinner Night CRAG.
The dinner night aims at rewarding hard working members of the association and honouring corporate bodies and individuals who have contributed to the growth of the car rental industry.
He emphasised that the huge custom duties charged on imported vehicles discourage members from procuring high quality vehicles, a development, which hinders the growth of the industry.
Mr. Nyarko expressed concern about the number of freelance car rental operators in the system and called on the authorities to stem the situation. He called on patrons of the industry to cooperate with CRAG by avoiding such illegal firms.
Further, the president said the association in collaboration with the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ghana Tourist Board would embark on a series of activities to flush out illegal operators.
He said the association has called on the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to allow only members of CRAG to operate at the airport. This, he said, would help stem the tide of crime in the city especially on foreign investors.
He condemned the high rate of accidents on the roads, and said the association in collaboration with other stakeholders in the transport industry would champion the crusade for safety on the roads. He said the current statistics of three deaths per day through road accidents is unacceptable and called for intensive education of drivers. He urged the government to equip the MTTU with patrol vehicles and tow trucks to enable them to check lawlessness on the roads.
Answering questions from the press, the president stated that the association's position on custom duties is not because it wants to avoid payment of duties.
The Ag. Executive Director of the GTB, Mr. Martin Mireku who chaired the occasion implored the select committee of the awards programme to adhere to the laid-down criteria of the scheme to avoid nepotism.
