Importers and exporters in Ghana are calling on government to review directive on provisional payment on tax exempted products at the ports.
The directive which was issued by the GRA stated that “all applicants who qualify for exemptions from import duties and taxes must make prior payments and after, make a claim for refund of the amounts paid.”
But the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana Samson Asaaki Awingobit told Citi Business News government must take a second look at the directive as it remains unfavorable to them.
“Why should it be so? if you are exempted it remains so because some of those manufacturing companies especially the free zone companies their duties could cost as much as one million Ghana cedis and they are strategic investors.
You want them to come and pay then a month later they can put in a claim. We all know the process that we go through before they can withdraw money from the consolidated fund to pay a debt.”
“So if it is been exempted, it should remain exempted because it is not investor friendly at all.
The importers are complaining bitterly because they believe this is a hasty decision government has taken.” he stated.