Customs Service yields to pressure on escort fees directive

The Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Mr J.K. Oklu, has ordered the immediate suspension of the escort fees, being charged at the country’s sea ports following the protest lodged by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), ship owners association and other stakeholders.

According to information available to The Chronicle in Takoradi, the assistant commissioner has instead directed that a daily flat rate of ?50,000 be paid per escort for goods that entered in transit through Ghana’s seaports. Chronicle learnt that the transit fees of the equivalent in cedis of $200 would, however, continue to apply at the seaports.

The marketing and customer service manager of the Takoradi Port, Mr Paul Asare Ansah, has confirmed the order given by the assistant commissioner and copied to all transitors, importers and their agents when the paper contacted him at his office last Wednesday.

The escort fee of $65 was introduced at the country’s seaports on 18 March, this year, by CEPS as a charge payable on an officer for a day to undertake escort of transit cargo. The GPHA, Ghana Shippers Council, Institute of Freight Forwarders, Ship Owners Association and other stakeholders at their meeting held in Tema recently protested against the new tax since it could collapse maritime business at the seaports.

As reported earlier by the Chronicle, two vessels – MV Wilking and MV Gtg of London – carrying a total cargo of 18,000 metric tones left the Tema Port somewhere last week on hearing of the $65 order from CEPS. This, among others, led to the losing of 10 per cent of total cargo that passes through Tema Port alone by GPHA.

The aforementioned associations subsequently sent a petition to the Minister of Finance, the Vice-President and other sector ministers to do something to salvage the situation, an action, which has now resulted in the suspension of the tax.

Meanwhile, some businessmen in the maritime industry have appealed to the government to do something about the bad nature of the Yamouransa-Kumasi road, especially from Fomena to Kumasi. According to them, efforts being made to resuscitate the Takoradi Port would come to nothing if the government did not see to the immediate reconstruction of the road that is going to be used by importers from Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali to cart their goods.

In its attempt to promote more business at the Takoradi Port, the authorities have embarked upon vigorous public awareness campaign at the three aforementioned countries to entice them to use the Takoradi Port, which can also be reached easily from Kumasi by rail.