Members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA)’s Ashanti regional branch have accused the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of subjecting them to stringent scrutiny and forcing them to pay high tariffs on imported items.

According to them, such checks are deliberate targeting, which they say is impeding their businesses.

Speaking at an event organized by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to educate shippers on “addressing post-clearance audit challenges,” Anthony Oppong, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of GUTA, urged Customs to conduct the necessary checks at ports to reduce the stress that shippers face when transporting goods to the Ashanti Region.

“Officials of customs have done this work for a long time, and I am expecting that they should know the average cost of a 40-footer spare parts container and so if an agent is manipulating the situation and paying lesser duties, they should know and let the agents do the right thing so that we are not subjected to the many checks we go through in transporting the goods to Kumasi.”

Benonita Bismarck, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, gave a speech at the event and urged shippers to avoid the numerous audit issues they face by being knowledgeable about the procedure for clearing cargo at the ports.

“We want our shippers to have a seamless flow of business and trade facilitation and paying taxes should not be an impediment but if we don’t pay our taxes, the government is not able to generate the needed revenue to build our roads and other projects and so if you are well-informed about this, you don’t wait for Customs to come and knock on your doors.”