President Akufo-Addo has indicated that there is an ongoing debate within government to pass a decision on whether or not Ghana should abolish the system of duties payment on imported goods at the ports.
Mr. Akufo-Addo said this whilst addressing journalists at his final media encounter for 2018 on Wednesday, December 19 at the Jubilee House.
He used the encounter to update the media and the general public on happenings within several sectors of the country’s economy, including agriculture, railway, aviation, roads, banking and the judicial system.
According to him, “On high import duties, there is a major debate going on inside our government right now about what action we are going to take on the duties.”
President Akufo-Addo added that “there is a strong lobby that is saying that we should go, for instance, the level of Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai – almost no import duties, everything comes in and it will generate a lot of business.
According to the president, the outcomes of the ongoing debate on the way forward for the maintenance or abolishment of duties payment system would be made public within due course.
“That argument is being made. The traditional argument is also being made that we maintain the duty system. I am hoping that very soon the final result of that debate inside the government will be known to the Ghanaian people,” he pointed out.
Source: Daily Guide
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This important discussion should be done by the public and not just within government. Consult widely and you will be happy with the results.
Even a resourceless country as Togo has a free port system. With all the resources at her disposal, Ghana could do better than just focusing solely on the ports as the key drag net to milk Ghanaians by way of shady import levies, etc. Let the focus be on managing the resources Ghana has very well and distributed equitably by way of real infrastructural developments which will energize rural industries to benefit the folks instead of the politicians that are corrupt hacks that fleece Ghanaians with impunity. The ideal thing to do is to reduce import duties first before mouthing a total waiver. A free port is ideal for all Ghanaians because politicians are the ones that enjoy all kinds of freebies, but let Ghana walk that line slowly. Reduce the rates now and then the option to go port free will follow logically.
Yea, mid you duty free kills industries. that is the downside.
If government let all tax payers pay their taxes directly into a government account at any bank and then send the receipt to the GRA offices then there will be no need to charge import duties. The officials at GRA are too corrupt to handle Cash. I know GRA staff who buy houses for their girlfriends.
We don die finish, Akufu Addo's free can be very expensive. I think government should rather charge export duties because all our wealth is being exported and we don't seem to be getting any thing from it. If you are a leader and you leave important policies to debate you will not be able to do anything outstanding. Just charge export duties leave the items we don't produce locally.
Fellow Ghanaians I definitely do not have a dead-goat-syndrome. My government is a listening government and I am here to assure you that I will be the last to ensure the collapse of Ghanaian own businesses. I have a burning desire to see businesses prosper. Duty-free port will be clearly spelled out in our next manifesto. Like we promised FSHS, we will make Ghana an industrial and trade hub in the Africa by having a FREE DUTY AT THE PORT. God bless you and our dear Nation!!
Unless the president has said vividly elsewhere that there will be a duty free port, his comments on duties at his press conference with journalists do not explicitly conform to the headline given to this report at this website. Some journalists and media houses must grow up and stop exhibiting emptiness and mediocrity.
Peacefmonline the President never said there is going to be free port in Ghana 🇬🇭 what the president said was that “there is a major debate going on inside government right now about what action we are going to take on the duties and tariffs at the port. And very soon it going to be made knw to Ghanaian. So stop misrepresenting him
Not his time, it will be NDC time, as they laid the Free SHS for him and he came to implement it, so shall it be
Do that and you'll forever be remembered by Ghanaians