The Presidential Candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has promised to reform Ghana’s import duties to realign with those of Togo if elected President in the December polls.
According to him, the Lome port posed a significant challenge to Ghana due to its lower tariffs, resulting in importers re-routing their traffic.
He indicated that this initiative aims to curb the ongoing smuggling and diversion of goods to neighbouring ports, draining the country of millions of cedis meant for rapid development.
“We are introducing a new import duty policy that will align the duties at the Tema port with those at the Lomé Port. This policy will benefit our business community by eliminating the need for smuggling,” he said.
Dr Bawumia made the comments in his interaction with religious leaders to begin his two-day tour of the Central Region on June 3.
The Vice President disclosed that the Tema port will also undergo full automation.
He added, “Ghanaian ports will not impose higher duties than those at the Lomé port. This is our stance; we will maintain equal duties as they are our competitors.”
Dr Bawumia outlined his strategy to stabilise the local currency and ensure exchange rate stability through the Bank of Ghana’s gold-purchasing policy, underscoring the significance of price predictability for businesses.
He affirmed, “My government will adopt a business-centric approach to enhance Ghana’s standing as one of the most business-friendly economies globally.”
He also mentioned that the Kotoka International Airport(KIA) will switch to electronic gates (E-Gates) on the same platform by the end of this year.
According to Dr Bawumia, these E-gates will be installed in the airport’s arrival section, removing the need for Ghanaians to undergo immigration checks upon arrival.
He emphasised that the government was committed to digitising most state institutions to make them more accessible to Ghanaians.
“In fact, before the end of this year if you arrive in Ghana at Kotoka Airport you don’t need to go to an immigration officer, we are putting together the E-gates, you put in your Ghana card it will open for you, and you pass and enter. The E-gates will work in Ghana before the end of this year,” he stated.
E-gates, also known as electronic gates, are automated passport control systems that use biometric technology to authenticate the identity of passengers.