African Wax Prints dealers want overland imports legalized

Ho, Feb 13, GNA- Spokespersons for a group of dealers in African Wax Prints from across the eastern frontier have called on government to legalize their trade and allow them to pay duties on their imports. Madam Gladys Doe, one of the dealers made the call following the seizure of a total of 941 full pieces of African Wax Prints by the Customs excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at the Asikuma barrier at the weekend.

The total duties, which would have been paid on the consignment stood at about 45.9 million cedis.

Alhaji Osman Zigani, Preventive Commander of the Ho Sector of CEPS told newsmen at Asikuma that 910 full pieces of the cloths packed into 26 bales and concealed in a truckload of charcoal from Dzemeni was valued at over 109 million cedis.

He said another consignment of 31 full pieces valued at about 3.7 million cedis was concealed in false compartments of a Mazda passenger vehicle from Ho.

Madam Doe said the directive for all such imports to be channelled through the Takoradi Port was a denial of livelihood to many dealers who resorted to ways and means to bring the products into the country resulting in loss of revenue to the state.

Madam Doe therefore urged the government to designate the Aflao border as the designated route through which the cloths could be brought in and assessed for duties.

Mr John Tetteh Affum, whose cloths were also seized, observed that the African Wax prints brought in from the eastern frontier were much cheaper and that it would be helpful if they were allowed in with the payment of duties.

Unlike other smuggled goods, which could be released to their owners upon the payment of duties and penalties upon interception, African Wax Prints brought in illegally did not have the options of duties and penalties once intercepted.