Suspend Ghana Easy Pass Programme - FABAG urges President Mahama

The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG) has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to suspend the newly introduced Ghana Easy Pass Programme, warning that the import verification system will push up business costs and consumer prices.

In a statement issued on Monday, July 6, 2026, FABAG criticised the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for making pre-export conformity checks mandatory for goods entering the country.

The association described the move as an unnecessary burden on a private sector already grappling with rising operational costs.

FABAG argued that existing agencies including the Food and Drugs Authority, GSA, Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority already inspect and test imported goods.

If these institutions face operational challenges, the group said, government should strengthen them rather than bypass them with a new programme.

“It is difficult to understand why government would seek to impose another layer of bureaucracy and cost on importers when existing regulatory institutions are already adequately mandated to ensure product safety and standards,” part of the statement read.

The association warned that importers would be forced to pay additional certification fees, face shipment delays, and absorb higher compliance costs before goods even leave their country of origin.

These expenses, FABAG stressed, would ultimately be passed on to Ghanaian consumers.

Businesses, it added, are still recovering from earlier regulatory reforms while contending with high utility tariffs, steep interest rates, a volatile exchange rate, and costly transport.

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“The private sector cannot continue to absorb an endless stream of new costs without serious consequences for investment, employment and consumer prices,” the statement said.

FABAG also recalled that similar conformity verification schemes had been rejected by businesses in the past after extensive consultation, expressing surprise that the idea had resurfaced.

The association has therefore appealed directly to President Mahama to intervene, urging him to have the GSA withdraw the programme and reopen dialogue with the business community.

DR/SA

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