GIFF displeased with January 6 deferment of benchmark value policy
The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) has expressed their displeasure on the January 6 deferment of the reversal of the benchmark value policy.
Chairman of GIFF, Johnny Mantey, has indicated that the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders are unhappy with the short notice by the GRA, and are therefore demanding that the implementation date should rather start in March to enable agents with goods on the high seas to dock.
”You don’t spring this surprise on us in as much as we agree that local industries have to be protected, we were hoping for further engagement on this”.
Read: Deferred implementation of reversed benchmark values ends today
”We are not happy at all, the country has lost a lot revenue because of the confusion because many people refused to pay for the new charges. We think that a minimum of three months or more would not be too much to ask,” he stated.
The reversal of the policy was to take effect on January 4, 2022, but was then deferred to January 6, to allow agents and importers with old stock clear their goods.
Forty-four items have been affected by the reversal of the policy.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, there was confusion at the Port of Tema’s long room with many people unaware of the directives and the subsequent deferment.