Shipping lines are cautioning of massive drop in government’s revenue for the rest of the year if the row over the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN) is not resolved.
The shippers complain of drop in cargo which is affecting their operations.
The tussle over the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN) has the GRA on one side and a section of freight forwarders on the other.
While the former insists that the system will address under-declaration and undervaluation by freight forwarders, the latter argues that the policy is a disincentive to trade facilitation.
But the Executive Member of the Ship Owners and Agents Association, Adam Imoro Ayana explains that the policy has since faced lower compliance which has impacted the volumes transported.
“If that becomes the case, it could affect even routing into Ghana so for instance, if your threshold into Ghana is about maybe a thousand or 300 boxes, and you get something like 50 boxes, maybe the beginning you might come,” he told Citi Business News.
“But at some point in time if it continues, you might like to hold back and consolidate more cargos to come in.”
The Shipping lines are also abiding by a directive by the Ghana Revenue Authority not to accept any cargo without the CTN number effective September 1 this year.
Mr. Ayana tells Citi Business News their members will duly comply so as not to jeopardize the processes at the ports.
“That deadline that the government has given to us that if we load we will be penalized, that is when we will start refusing cargo. But the refusing is underlined; it is not that we will refuse. It is the rules of the game in Ghana; the laws, because the document we have states that if we bring any cargo into Ghana without a CTN number, we will be penalized. We don’t know what the penalization is also so we are not going to even try it,” he stressed.
The freight forwarders are anticipating a strike action on Monday to register their displeasure.
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana