GUTA President, Dr. Joseph Obeng
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is blaming the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority and shipping lines for pushing some importers to open their shops and warehouses.
According to the largest trade unionized association in Ghana, despite persistent calls by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ghana Shippers Authority to the shipping lines and GPHA to waive the demurrage and rent charges at this very crucial time, they have ignored them.
“We are therefore calling on the government to strongly appeal to the Shipping lines and GPHA to give unconditional waivers to demurrage and rent charges during this period of the lockdown so that together we all achieve the aim of fighting this pandemic to success”, it said in a statement.
Further, “it is our hope that government quickly heed to our call so that our members are not forced to clear their goods and open their shops and ware houses to off load their goods.”
GUTA explained that “We will also advise that inspite of the fact that government agencies like GRA , GPHA etc want revenue , they cannot put the lives of Ghanaians in danger so we ask that government orders that consignments that form part of essential goods only must be cleared while all others must be held on till the end of the lock down unless under special dispensation.
“It is very sad that while most of our members cannot move out freely because they are all adhering to the restrictions announced by government, the shipping lines are asking that since they are still working, our members whose goods have arrived at the ports should clear them or pay demurrage if the containers continue to remain at the ports during this lockdown period.
“The Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority are also asking importers to clear their goods from their ware houses or pay further rent charges”.
Another sad aspect it said since most businesses have closed, it has become very difficult for its members to make the needed sales to even pay for the duties at this point in time.
Last but not the least, GUTA emphasised that the importers will need the services of the off loaders when the goods get to the closed warehouses, bearing in mind the social distance restriction.
