The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has stated that some of its members have resorted to clearing their goods in neighbouring Togo instead of Ghana .
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday( 16 November ) ahead of the 2022 Budget public relations officer of GUTA Joseph Padi said the myriad of taxes is making it difficult for some of its members to clear their goods in the country.
” Taxes are expensive here , recently my brother here cleared my goods for me and for a forty feet container , service fee alone between the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (and the shipping line , its about nine thousand cedis, he said.
” Just the service charge, without the duty and freight you are paying nine thousand for a forty feet container for service fee, over four thousand goes to the shipping line and over four thousand goes to the shipping line which we think its an extortion after you have paid your freight out there and then you come here and the shipping line is taking another fee here astronomically.”
He added “And we have been complaining to government all this while and nothing has been done ….. when we went to the neighbouring countries , it wasn’t so, so we dont want to see another layer of cost of doing business in the coming budget because when you look at the tax component it is on the higher side.”
2022 to focus on reducing unemployment
The 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government will focus primarily on reducing unemployment and expanding on the economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Finance has said.
In a statement, the ministry said the Budget will also focus on import substitution, digitisation of the economy, skills development and entrepreneurship, among other points.
“In accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 constitution and Section 21 (3) of the Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921), the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, will, on behalf of the president, lay before Parliament the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government on Wednesday 17 November 2021,” the ministry said.
“The Budget will primarily focus on expanding on the economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as creating a climate-friendly entrepreneurial state to address unemployment and import substitution.
“Digitalisation of the economy, skills development and entrepreneurship will also feature prominently in the presentation,” it also said.
Review road tolls
Meanwhile, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has called on the government to review the payment of road tolls in the country.
Godfred Abulbire Adogma, the GPRTU general secretary, said Ghana should substitute paying of road tolls with a one-pesewa increment on the Energy Levy. This will provide more than enough to cover any losses from monies collected at various toll booths across the country.
“When you come to the issue of road tolls, even if the government decides to raise the current amount of GHC1 to GHC2, that wouldn’t be enough,” Adogma said.
“So, we have itemised all the reasons and the government could scrap all the toll booths and rather charge an amount per litre of fuel. That can be another measure to prevent revenue leakages,” he said.
Fred Dzakpata
