GIFF calls for emergency meeting with GRA over UNIPASS impasse

The Ghana Institution of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) is calling for an emergency meeting with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) over the Universal Pass (UNIPASS) impasse.

GIFF is believed to be unhappy with the replacement of West Blue Consulting and GCNet because it could derail the smooth operations of port activities, particularly payment for clearance of goods at the ports (Tema and Takoradi).

UNIPASS is expected to take over the electronic payment of tariffs among others at Ghana’s ports (Tema and Takoradi), hence taking over the duties of West Blue Consulting and involving Ghana Community Network Service Limited GCNet.

President of GIFF, Edward Akrong, says the nation cannot toy with revenue mobilisation at the ports.

“What we have now is something that we have built together to this point and we’ve become comfortable, certainly they’re going to shift our positions…what is coming? We have not seen anything that is extraordinary that is going to change our lives.

“This is where we work and live, we will have to speak about it, speak out. We have actually sent letters to the commissioner that we want to meet him on this issue, and then we have to sit down and consider”, he said.

He added: “If any of these technology-support institutions pull out, it’s UNIPASS which is coming in; is it ready to plug in, are we ready to go tomorrow? We cannot toy with what we do at the port. In fact, we are talking serious revenue issues, trade facilitation, so, we cannot toy with the situation as it is. We seriously have to sit down and make sure we are going the right way and like I said, this is a pure recipe for chaos”.

Tension is brewing at the ports as the government prepares to abrogate the trade facilitation agreement involving West Blue Consulting and GCNet.

Despite the contract of West Blue ending at the end of this year while that of GCNet is expiring in 2023, reports say they have been directed to submit their terms of transition.

Civil society organisation, IMANI has already warned that any abrogation will lead to payment of judgement debts.