The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association has expressed their displeasure with the transitional arrangement of Ghana’s Universal Pass (UNIPASS) system as it costs the importer more than before.
The GUTA is therefore calling on government to fix associated challenges and bring operations at the port to normalcy with the enhanced efficiency that was promised the business community.
A statement signed by Dr Joseph Obeng, GUTA President and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said prior to the introduction of the UNIPASS system, the Association was briefed on the efficiency that the new system would bring to enhance the clearing process at the ports.
It said: “We recognised the fact that it is within the remit of the government to bring any system that will enhance trade facilitation and increase revenue for the state.”
The statement said the Association was assured of a smooth transition and that the pilot programmes took place at other places other than the Tema Port and “this is why GUTA was mute and observing the trend of affairs.”
It said it was therefore surprised that the system was full of challenges that caused delay, which eventually cost the importer, in terms of demurrage and rent charges.
The statement said: “We want to know, who bears the cost of such charges of demurrage and rent, since the importer, is not the cause of the problems in the implementation of the new system.”
Source: GNA