CEPS cannot meet 2013 revenue target

A Chief Collector of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Nicholas Tawiah Okporah has revealed that the Tema Collection of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) cannot meet their revenue target this year because the target is too high.

He believes CEPS cannot achieve this year’s target due to a number of factors, including some financial constraints the country which was the result of the eight month long election petition.

Okporah was speaking Wednesday on Adom FM’s “Burning Issues” programme. Government has set a target of four billion, four hundred and eighty million, five hundred and ninety thousand Ghana cedis (GH¢ 4,480,590,000.00) as target for Tema CEPS, an increment of 37.87% over the previous year’s target of three billion two hundred and forty nine million eight hundred and ninety thousand Ghana cedis (3,249,890,000.00)

Okporah stressed that apart from the 2012 election petition, CEPS lacked the capacity to generate such revenue, due among others, to the congestion at the Tema Port.

Already, some importers and clearing agents have threatened to embark on a massive demonstration over high duties and special import levies.

The importers and agents say neither customs officials, importers, clearing agents nor officials of Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) was consulted about the recent 2% special levy tax, insisting it is negatively affecting their businesses.

However, Chief Collector Okporah says the officers are just obeying government directives.

Mr Okporah also denied allegations by some importers and agents that CEPS offers special treatment to foreign importers when it comes to warehousing at the Tema Port.

He reassured agents and importers that the Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority (GPHA) is undertaking renovations at the port to ease congestions and allow free flow of movement there.