Tariff Advisory Board to streamline trade activities in Ghana

Bolgatanga, Dec. 9, GNA - The Upper East Regional Minister, has called on the Tariff Advisory Board (TAB) to liaise with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) to stem the negative activities of foreign companies and their local agents.

Mr Mark Woyongo said this was necessary till the board assume a fully fledged International Trade Commission in 2012. Mr Woyongo made the call in Bolgatanga at a training workshop organised under the auspices of MOTI for private sector operators on how to access the services of TAB.

TAB has a mandate to receive and investigate private sector petitions and make appropriate recommendations for action. He said TAB being the first of its kind in West Africa, would perform functions such as analysing and advising MOTI on tariff related issues and overseeing the implementation of capacity development in the private sector on trade contingency measures. Mr Woyongo said TAB would protect the interest of prospective investors in Ghana. Mr Appiah Donyira, Acting Secretary of TAB said Ghana's trade policy had among other objectives to provide transparent guidelines for actions of government in the trade sector to ensure consistent, stable and predictable policy and legal environment within which the private sector could operate with certainty.

This, he said, had the potential to increase access of Ghanaian businesses on the international and domestic markets, promote the enhancement of production capacity, and encourage healthy competition and product quality.

He said prior to the establishment of TAB there was no clear institutional framework to assess the impact of tariff policy on competitiveness of industry.

Mr Donyira said in addition there were no guidelines, procedures and appropriate legislation for the determination and implementation of trade contingency measures to respond to private sector petitions. He said these problems coupled with the absence of resources and tools for the conduct of rigorous impact assessment of tariff policy effects on industrial competitiveness made it difficult for TAB to take advantage of, and exercise the rights granted under the international trade rules to ensure a level playing field for domestic industries. Mr Donyira said the guiding principle of TAB would be the exhibition of fairness when investigating cases and petitions. He said TAB would establish good database and record keeping system to ensure that participatory private sector role was guaranteed in preparing cases and give equal access to all parties.