Ghana's Gateway Concept Under Threat

Ghana's huge investment to make its ports the hub of sub- regional trade is under threat of what patrons consider as a crippling tax regime.

Landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have served notice of their intention to go back to their Francophone allies, Abidjan and Lom? ports because of burdening taxes, which the Ghanaian port authorities are imposing on them.

The threat has compelled the Ghana Shippers Council to convene an emergency meeting between importers and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to find a solution to the problem.

A letter dated September 2, this year, with reference H/Legal/02/003 signed by the Acting Assistant Commissioner/Legal headlined, 'Re - New CEPS Bonds for Transit and Warehousing Regimes', states: "As you may recall, the CEPS has authorised the introduction of new approved bonds for use by importers and the other stakeholders who transact transit, warehousing and other business with the service.

"The new approved bonds, which came into effect on September 1, are in line with government's bid to streamline the transit and warehousing regimes as a way of protecting revenue. With the coming into force of the new bonds, therefore, the old ones in existence would no longer be accepted by CEPS".

According to the correspondence, accredited insurance companies were permitted to continue to issue and underwrite only the new approved bonds for such customs transactions with their clients.

It further stated that henceforth, as agreed, insurance companies would be held liable in strict compliance with the terms and conditions contained in the new approved bonds.

Under the new system, importers were to bond their cargo to the tune of 2% of the total value of such goods as insurance premium and must be paid to the insurance companies.

Previously, 2% of the cost of the goods was levied as bond.

The Chronicle's enquiries at CEPS revealed that the new system was necessitated by the recent spate of diversions of transit goods meant for the landlocked countries. The bonds are to protect the goods in transit and the insurance companies were to ensure that bonded goods get to their final destinations without being diverted.

Recently, 1,100 bags of sugar in transit for Mali valued at ?400 million was diverted to Nsawam where the goods were distributed.

The police arrested seven persons in connection with that case. They are investigating another case of diversion of rice.

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) said since it was its installations that attracted the landlocked countries to do business with Ghana, CEPS should have involved them in taking the decisions.

According to an official source at the GPHA, there was the likelihood that the nation would lose revenue if the transitors went back to Abidjan and Lom? Ports, after Ghana had made all the efforts to create an enabling environment for her ports to handle goods for these landlocked countries.