GPHA Salutes Customs On World Customs Day

Date published: February 3, 2014
 
The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) has sent a congratulatory message to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on this year’s World Customs Day, which fell on Monday, for standing up to the test of time as one of the strongest pillars supporting Ghana’s development.

In recent times, however, the message disclosed that port users have complained about delays in the cargo clearance procedures and its associate escalation of transaction cost in the port adding, it is estimated that each day of delay in shipping time increases the cost of manufactured goods by about 0.8%.

The message which was signed by Mr. Jacob Adorkor, acting Director of the Tema Port mentioned ‘The multiple and repetitive activities of regulatory agencies; delays by cumbersome customs clearance processes; excessive port documentation and the uncertainty resulting from differences in interpretation of laws and provisions’ and false declarations by the trading community as identified causes of delay at the port.

‘It is the candid opinion of the GPHA that the Customs administration would take measures to improve any weaknesses observed in the operation of these systems to boost their capacities to better serve their purposes, rather than going back to the old manual systems that gave room for inefficiencies and corruption.

‘Legal instruments of the port and regulatory agencies must be reviewed to harmonize aspects of their activities that permit repetitive and time wasting procedures including the establishment of common texting laboratories in the port.

‘As we join the Customs administration to celebrate this day, we call on all actors in the industry to take a common stand against incompetence and any anti-social practices, that will retard our progress,’ the statement noted.

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