Importers in Ghana can now pay their duties on-line weeks earlier than their items arrive on the port, Commissioner-Normal of the Ghana Income Authority, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has disclosed.
He mentioned the system permits importers to estimate the worth of their duties two weeks upfront and make funds from their workplaces or properties with out visiting the port.
“In the present day, you possibly can estimate the worth of your duties two weeks earlier than your items arrive. And you may pay on-line, so that you don’t must stroll to the port to pay. You may pay out of your desk.
“Pays from the consolation of your room. What you then want is the bodily clearance, and that’s why we added that element on the port to ensure that it drives that operation,” he mentioned.
In response to him, this reform is a part of the broader 24-hour financial system coverage being carried out on the ports to reinforce commerce and help industrialisation.
“So the 24h+ is likely one of the key flagship packages that President John Mahama has launched, and it’s a program that’s focused at industrialisation, job creation, world creation, and finally home tax income. And, due to this fact, GRA we see ourselves as a key constituent and companion when it comes to the success of this program,” he defined.
Mr. Sarpong revealed that the Tema Port is already operating full 24-hour operations in collaboration with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and different state businesses.
He famous that earlier than the launch, Customs already labored across the clock, however different businesses weren’t prepared.
“Not all these establishments had been 24-hour prepared, however we’ve labored with them, and we’ve positioned them such that each one of those establishments are being hooked and automatic into our customs icon platform, in order that method all authorities establishments are then accessing the port operations underneath a 24-hour,” he mentioned.
He burdened that the purpose has all the time been to attain a single window the place each company operates on one platform concurrently.
“So what we’ve carried out inside the President’s imaginative and prescient is to make sure that businesses that weren’t inside the one window, we’ve introduced them on board in order that we will totally implement the 24 hours on the port. In order we communicate right this moment, the 24-hour program is in earnest, working at Tema Port,” he added.
Answering a query on whether or not items arriving at 2 a.m. could possibly be cleared on the port, he was emphatic that it was potential.
“Sure, on Monday, as I advised you earlier than, earlier than the launch, customs and GPHA had been educated for our readiness. What we’ve additionally carried out is to deliver all the opposite businesses in.
“And that’s the reason, for us, when it comes to the switch, we did the Tema port as a part one in preparation to bolster our males to be on the bottom for the 24-hour initiatives.
“In order we communicate right this moment, Tema port is working 24 hours when it comes to clearing of products,” he mentioned.
He additional disclosed that the GRA had engaged delivery traces and banks to make sure easy implementation.
“We’ve got had engagement additionally with different stakeholders, just like the delivery traces. We’ve got had engagement with the banks that acquire the income. And you understand, right this moment, GRA, we already educated for so far as submitting and paying taxes. It’s on-line,” he mentioned.
The Commissioner-Normal admitted there could possibly be preliminary challenges, however insisted the coverage was already being carried out efficiently.
“As a result of the authority, or GRA, is a key element of the success of the 24h financial system, we wanted to do that in order that it facilitates commerce, it facilitates enterprise actions. However clearly, for any new initiatives, generally there could possibly be challenges. However as we communicate right this moment, we are literally implementing the president’s imaginative and prescient of 24 hours on the port,” he concluded.
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