The leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), has asked it members to increase their goods in the various markets as Christmas approaches to avoid incurring losses.
The call comes on the heels of what the traders say is a snub by the Akufo-Addo government.
According to Mr. Amoateng, imported shoes that were taxed in dozens for 0.2 cent for instance, is now being counted in pairs and valued at the same 0.2 cent.
Last year, at Christmas, a container of shoes that was valued at 20 -25 thousand, today its 40-45 thousand. That is why we are telling government we move from one before going to two”. This is too much to bear.
The Association, says they engaged and pleaded with the government to reduce the benchmark values at the port because they contribute largely to cost of imported goods on the Ghanaian markets.
A member of the GUTA leadership, David K. Amoateng, said this on Asempa FM last Friday, after the reading of the 2018 budget in Parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to the traders, they had anticipated some changes in the 2018 budget after making government aware of their challenges, but to their surprise, their concerns were not factored into the budget.
“If government will not listen to us, but impose what they feel is good for us without involving us, we shall also do what pleases us after all, no trader is Father Christmas. If you are coming to the market, add more to your money, because we are going to increase our goods”, he said.
Mr. Amoateng, who praised the government highly for the paperless system and the removal of some taxes said, they have been overburdened with high benchmark values, reason they engaged groups such as the Parliament Committee on Trade and Industry, the Finance Ministry, as well as Senior Minister special advisor, on how to bring these charges
down, but to their disappointment, nothing of the sort was mentioned in the budget.
“We engaged the Ministry of Finance, CEPS Commissioner, he even promised us at our headquarters and assured us that the documents we presented to him were authentic and agreed that the items were high, so we would hear from them. We thought it was going to be about two three weeks, but it’s been five months now. They want to do illegal mining (galamsey) in our pockets?
He explained that, when they met with the Select Committee, they raised concerns about foreigners, who have invaded the various markets competing with Ghanaians on retail businesses, and high benchmark values which were collapsing their businesses.
He dared the host to come to the market to see things for himself.
“Bring your camera to Makola, bring it and witness for yourself”. They assured us they were going to tell Yoofi Grant, speak to CEPS, and Finance Ministry so that they will hasten the reviewing that they said was on-going.
As I speak, we have not heard from them all, we were hoping to hear something positive from the budget that these values have been reduced, but it didn’t happen. This is what breeds illegal trading. Government should reduce taxes at the port and these will lead to everyone paying what is expected”.
He went on “for us we don’t have to even make noise because when you buy and there are increases, you also increase however, we did not want any complaints and untold hardship that is why we want government to reduce the benchmark value”.
He said their goods have been left at the port because of the high charges. Comments from the president of the Importers and Exporters Association, Sampson Asaki Awingobit and the General Secretary of the Ghana Textile Workers Union, Abraham Koomson, were no different.
Source: the herald
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Those who are really ripping the country are the tax collectors. Dig into their individual bank accounts and other investments and you will be amazed. They are killing businessmen and women and by extension killing entrepreneurship in this country. Government should be on civil/public servants. They are giving so much discretionary powers that they abuse and corrupt. Civil servants are the most corrupt in Ghana. Government should wake up.
@ogyam and omg. Well, you need not complain when the price of goods start ski rocketing because no importer is father Christmas. Also you need to know people try all means to evade taxes if it's too high but are willing to pay if it is really affordable. The government needs to know that. Soon the price of food and commodities will be high or importers will import cheap inferior products at cheap prices to enable then be able to compete on the market to make prices stable. You need not complain when you start buying inferior products which you use only for two months, become faulty so you buy another and also start eating inferior foods, having only one sardine in Titus or two SMALL ones in them since you are in support of this high taxes. You guys should import and you will know how it feels.
Ogyam, i agree with you. Importers should be ashamed of themselves. They have ripped the country off for far too long. As the saying goes "everyday for the ***barred word***, one day for the master". Ghana is awake now. The right duties will be charged. Ghana needs all the money to rebuild the country.
It is a fact that most importers under declared the prize of their goods at the time ports. because a corrupts custom official will benefit from the illegality. Now that you are made to pay the right duty, you are complaining. Have you sat down to calculate how much duty you have evaded or underpaid?