GIFF appeals for legislation to guide industry

To acquaint themselves with the operations of ministries, departments, agencies and companies, among others, parliamentary committees sometimes pay visits to assess their operations and learn at first hand, their progress and challenges in order to make a case for them on the floor of Parliament.

Even though the House is currently on recess, one committee that has been active in its oversight function is the Roads and Transport Committee.

The committee has been visiting all agencies under its jurisdiction and non-governmental institutions working in the transport, aviation and the marine sector for some weeks now.

One organisation which made a case when the committee, led by its Chairman and Ranking Member, Mr Michael Coffie Boampong and Mr Kwabena Owusu Aduomi respectively, visited the Tema Harbour and the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF).

Briefing the committee about the operation of freight forwarders, the President of GIFF, Mr Carlos Kingsley Ahenkora, appealed for the necessary legislation to guide the freight forwarding industry from the influx of foreign companies.

He said there was the need to enact a law to reserve freight forwarding as an industry that is reserved for Ghanaians to enable members of GIFF continue to increase the taxes they pay to the government.

According to him, majority of Ghanaians engaged in the freight forwarding sector had enough resources and capacity to render services to all clients.

He explained that currently, local freight forwarders were facing stiff competition from foreign companies which had not made any investment in the freight forwarding industry in the country.

Mr Ahenkora said notwithstanding the resources and capacities of local freight forwarders, many Ghanaian companies engaged their services and wondered why there were no laws to protect Ghanaians in that industry.

He said the GIFF paid GH¢254 million as Value Added Tax and GH¢505 million as income tax in 2012, in addition to employing about 15,000 Ghanaians.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Boampong commended member of the GIFF for their contribution to the economy.

He implored the leadership of the GIFF to put their grievances in writing and forward them to the committee so that a statement could be made on the floor of Parliament when the House resumes sitting in October, this year.

By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah / The Mirror / Ghana