GOVERNMENT ORDERS FOR THE REMOVAL OF ALL CUSTOMS ROAD BARRIERS BY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2017

By September 1, 2017, all Customs road barriers in Ghana are to be removed and the personnel deployed elsewhere.

The removal of custom barriers is part of three major policy initiatives which the Vice President announced at the Port Efficiency Conference in Accra. The others are mandatory joint inspection of goods at the Ports by GCNET and West Blue and the Ports going paperless.

The new directive forms part of efforts to make Ghana’s ports very competitive in the sub region.

Takoradi and Tema ports would become the preferred destination if the measures were implemented.

Dr. Bawumia stated:”This single window, double window matter, we have to deal with it. The whole issue that has to do with the presence of multiple agencies at the ports, we are going to deal with it, we are not going to wait for months to come but in four weeks time… we have these three policy items that we are announcing today but in another four weeks when we resolve recommendations of this conference we will be announcing those decisions at that point in time.

“It will really change Ghana’s competitiveness in the sub region, we’ve looked at the revenues that are being generated from these barriers and they are really nothing to write home about, but the cost to the consumers and trackers and so on.