GRA to introduce new measure to control transit trading

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be introducing a new measure to control transit trading along the country’s ports.

According to the division, it is considering a policy to accept only containerized goods through the country’s ports as transit.

This is expected to curb the diversion of transit goods into the Ghanaian market which denies the country the needed revenue.

Ghana is reported to lose huge revenue through trading at the ports as a result of diverting transit goods into the market and among others.

The new measures will help the officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority to promptly monitor goods in transit.

Speaking at a seminar on transit trade in Accra, Commissioner of Customs Isaac Crentsil revealed that all the measures put in place to streamline the process will be implemented in the first quarter of the year.

“With time, transit goods would be transported in only containerized vehicles except for bulky like iron rods. It is also expected that the first port rule system would come into operation in the course of the year.

This will make transistors pass their declarations and pay their duties in the destination country upon receipt of the electronic manifest,” he said.

This he believes will avoid the abuse of transit trading which denies the state of the expected revenue.

Mr Crentsil added, “These steps are all aimed at ensuring that Ghana government gets all revenue due the state and duty paid on all goods actually consumed in Ghana.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Transport, Daniel Titus Glover has warned traders and officials of the Ghana Revenue Authority that the law will deal with anyone found to be evading tax through transit trade.

Source: Myjoyonline