Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ms Julie Essiam, has met with the leadership of the Country Coordinating Mechanism of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria (CCM-Ghana) in a bid to resolve the impasse over the $45million worth of pharmaceutical products locked up at the Tema port.
Ms Essiam at the meeting with CCM-Ghana, indicated that it was unfortunate that whilst an exemption had been granted for the products, there were outstanding liabilities for third party clearance fees, charges, demurrage and other penalties on the goods at the port. Due to the non-payment of these charges, the goods had overstayed and therefore been forfeited to GRA Custody.
This notwithstanding, she indicated that the GRA would work with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health, to ensure that appropriate processes are followed to secure the release of the goods expeditiously.
In an interview following the meeting, Commissioner-General Essiam indicated that it was important to pay special attention where the GRA’s operations intersected with the health sector, as lives were at stake.
She stated, “It is my priority to engage consistently and meaningfully with stakeholders from all sectors, to ensure that the GRA is serving the needs of our clients, not only with integrity and fairness, but also with empathy. We will continue the drive to achieve the nation’s revenue mobilization goals with greater efficiency and empathy.”
The Acting Chair of CCM-Ghana, Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, on behalf of the team, thanked the Commissioner-General for her proactive and solution-oriented approach, highlighting the tremendous impact that the release of the health commodities would make.
He stated, “Some health facilities are already running out of malaria Rapid Diagnostic Testkits (RDTs), Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), and Antiretrovirals (ARVs). In fact, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH) informed us all in a statement last month that there would be a complete stock out of ARV’s in the country by May 2024, if nothing was done to resolve the situation. It goes without saying that the consequences for our fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria would be dire. This meeting with you, Commissioner-General, is therefore very timely, and we are satisfied with the roadmap providing for the way forward, in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health.
The meeting was attended by Ms Julie Essiam, Commissioner-General, GRA; Deputy Commissioner Emmanuel Ohene, Deputy Commissioner, Customs Operations; Kofi Baidoo, Principal Economics Officer at the Ministry of Finance; Ernest Amoabeng Ortsin, Acting Chair CCM-Ghana; Samuel Hackman, Executive Secretary, CCM-Ghana; and Sidney Kweku Danso, Oversight Officer Covid-19 Response Mechanism.
It is expected that following the intervention of Commissioner-General Essiam, the first batch of 12 bills of lading of pharmaceutical products will leave the ports by the close of this week, for distribution to enhance the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
