Importers Grow Wild Over Unequal Tax System

The Frozen Food Importers Association of Ghana wants government to grant its members preferential values for duty or taxes charged on imported products at the ports.

According to them, government has subsidized taxes on imported products for one company thereby creating unfair competition in the frozen foods industry.

The association believes if this is not checked, the industry will be hit by massive layoffs and fold-ups as its members who double as owners of companies are unable to pay workers.

In a letter addressed to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and copied to Citi Business News, the association through its lawyer, argued that the situation has created wide disparity in the value regime and undermined competition in the industry.

Vice President of the Frozen Food Importers Association of Ghana, Charles K. Ansah who spoke to Citi Business News said government must endeavor to ensure all players pay equal duties at the ports to prevent further collapse of the affected companies.

“The industry is confronted with thirty five percent tax so the tax issues are very disturbing to begin with. It must be on record that if you look at it, it is not realistic. So that is actually what is crippling most of us in the industry and the fact that it is giving another person the leverage makes the story totally different altogether. For poultry product it is 35 plus 17.5%”.

“So our position now has been made loud and clear; let us all pay same duty across board until we come out with realistic duty for all the players in the industry”

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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana