Manufacturing sector is fighting Chinese competition - Tariff Advisory Board

The Tariff Advisory Board has dismissed suggestions of not taking proactive steps to protect the local manufacturing sector against unfair Chinese competition.

South Africa last week imposed import tariffs on screws and other metal products from China to protect its local industry.

This elicited suggestions for Ghana to follow suit with the Managing Director of ALUOWRKS, Kwasi Okoh indicating the Board has been rather slow to act. But the Acting Executive Secretary to the Board, Appiah-Donyina disagrees.

“The values that are quoted by Ghanaian importers are ridiculously low. At the world market price the unprocessed aluminum at sells at about two thousand one dollars per tonne. But some people manage to import similar processed aluminum at a cost below the two thousand dollars.

We have already taken a decision and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has brought the value of aluminum to the level of the international market. So nobody can now import any aluminum products below the world market price” he noted.

"The invasion of the local market by cheap Chinese imports has been predicted to worsen due to the economic challenges in the Western economies" he added.

Story by Emmanuel Agyei / Bernard Nasara Saibu - Joy Business