Ghana Easy Pass: New trade policy undermines ease of doing business - Awuni

The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG) has noted that the proposed Ghana Easy Pass Programme will undermine efforts to improve the ease of doing business.

According to the Chairman of FABAG, John Awuni, the initiative which requires selected imported goods to be inspected, tested, and certified in their country of origin before shipment to Ghana would impose additional financial and administrative burdens at a time when businesses are already grappling with elevated operating costs.

The FABAG Chairman pointed out that agencies such as the Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, and Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority already conduct inspections, testing, and quality assurance on imported goods.

“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,” he said.

He stated that the aforementioned institutions should be strengthened rather than bypassed through another costly programme if operational challenges exist.

FABAG further urged business groups, importers, manufacturers, and chambers of commerce to collectively oppose policies that unnecessarily increase the cost of doing business.

He also appealed directly to President John Dramani Mahama to suspend the Ghana Standards Authority’s Easy Pass initiative, warning that the policy could ultimately push up consumer prices.

FABAG insists that improving efficiency within existing institutions such as the GRA and GPHA would deliver better results for trade facilitation, while avoiding the duplication of roles and costs that Easy Pass would introduce.

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