The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) has stated that it will start confiscating vehicles from the ECOWAS region that stay in the country for more than 90 days without legal permission.
This the Customs Division says it will do through the full implementation of Article 5 of the ECOWAS Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, residence and Establishment from May 1st 2019.
According to the Protocol, citizens of ECOWAS can enter the territory of another member state and remain there for a period of not more than 90 days with a private vehicle and not more than 15 days for a commercial vehicle registered in the territory of a member state upon the presentation of the required documents to the competent authority of the member states.
A publication from the GRA warned that drivers that enter member states country such as Ghana must have valid driving license, Matriculation certificate Insurance Policy and international customs carnet recognized within the community.
It maintained that vehicles that satisfy the other requirements but fail to produce an international customs carnet recognized in the sub region may however deposit the duty element of the vehicle in lieu of the customs carnet before being admitted into the Ghana.
The amount deposited will be returned to the owner if the vehicle exits at the point of entry at the given date of expiry or within the authorized period.
The publication cautioned that “failure of the owner to exit the vehicle within the authorized period will not only lead to the forfeiture of the amount deposited, but may also lead to the seizure of the vehicle or the prosecution of the owner or both”.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
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