Fulfill One-Stop-Shop promise -CUBAG enjoins CEPS

The Customs Union Brokers Association of Ghana and Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana have called on the CEPS to take over its core functions in the management of the ports and borders of the country.

Dan Kofi Asomaning, President of CUBAG, said in an interview that he expected CEPS to take over its core functions as soon as possible to bring an end to the revised valuation process that importers and Freight Forwarders currently encounter.

"Revised valuations are caused by importer valuation of imported goods which most of the time results in the importer paying additional costs after goods have been re-valued by CEPS,' explained Mr. Asomaning.

"The new service would bring in certainty, convenience as well as time and cost saving to all importers and the language would be one - 'customs language',' he stated.

'We work to assist collection taxes' explained Mr. Asomaning,'so we must abide by the principals of taxations'. We have four principals of taxations and if customs takes over their core functions of classification and valuation, all advantages associated with it would be fulfill' he continued.

Mr. Asomaning further explained that, 'In shipping, a delay of one day can cost you a lot of money in the form of demurrage and rent, so if the one-stop-shop comes in operations and things go faster than now, the importer saves money in the form of demurrage and payment of rent'

'With the one-stop-shop, importers can meet customers demand resulting   in a positive turn-over for the importer which would also affect the cost of goods and the pockets of the ordinary Ghanaian.

Revenue collections for the Government would also be greatly affected,' he stated.

'Currently, a processing fee of 1% of the CIF values of goods are being charged by the Destination Inspection Companies' Mr. Asomaning explains, these are costs that could be collected by the government economically when CEPS resumes their functions he added.