The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has deferred the implementation of the reversal of the benchmark values to Thursday, January 6, 2022.
This is to allow importers who got their duty bill before the initial implementation date, that is Tuesday, January 5, 2022, to pay and clear their goods.
The GRA’s decision comes on the back of complaints by some freight forwarders about the fact that the new decision was being implemented with retrospective effect.
Tema Branch Chairman of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Johnny Mantey, in an earlier interview with Citi News said, “we are at a loss. It is just confusion all over. I don’t understand how you expect people to pay the duty, yet you are blocking them so that they pay more. What is the rush? Give enough information, let people prepare and at a certain time when people are aware, then you tell them what to anticipate. You can’t give information on Friday night, and today you want people to adjust.”
Following the GRA’s new directive to defer implementation by just a day, he said while it is welcoming, the one-day window given is not adequate.
He added that there is the need for the grace period for clearance of goods already in the system before January 4 to be extended.
“The one day is not enough, and it is never going to solve the problem we are talking about. We require an extended period and Customs needs to extend the time. We will continue to speak to Customs about this.”
Johnny Mantey however said his outfit will continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders particularly the Customs department of GRA to resolve the issue.
