The Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG) has lauded the government for taking steps towards improving trade facilitation at the country’s ports.The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, recently announced that Ghana was going 100 per cent paperless at the ports from September 1, 2017, a move aimed at bringing efficiency to the ports.
In an interview with journalists in Tema, the acting President of ACHAG, Mr Yaw Kyei, noted that such an initiative would not only facilitate the movement of goods and people within the sub-region, but would also spur the private sector on to invigorate their businesses.
ACHAG is a federation of freight-forwarding companies who have come together to champion their common interests in the industry.
“It has become necessary to be at speed with the current ways of doing things globally. Ghana, in the recent bid to be competitive, is aligning itself with modern ways of doing business, especially in the port and maritime industry,” Mr Kyei said.
He stressed that as an association, they could not be left out of that transformation, adding that members will use their collective knowledge and skills to determine and recommend practical and effective solutions to the many challenges in the customs clearing industry and its resultant impact on the commercial interests of their clients.
“There must be sanity. There is also the need for highly technical and skilful persons to man such institutions if we need to grow, hence the birth of ACHAG is to bridge the gap between government policies with its technicalities and the practical ways of implementation. This should reflect the global nature of its acceptance,” he mentioned.
Mr Kyei further indicated that ACHAG would offer training and retraining to its members on current and future development, which could have an impact on their businesses and help members acquaint with authorities about their common problems and harness common benefits.
He emphasised that freight forwarding and other corresponding jobs must be done with skills and interchanging documents, coupled with knowledge in information communications and technology, especially when Ghana is proposed to have a paperless port.
Interdictions
The acting president of ACHAG indicated that with operational areas at the Tema Port, the Kotoka International Airport and Takoradi Port, ACHAG would help work to ensure that clients got value for money while staying within the ethos of the profession.
On the recent interdiction of some Customs officers, ACHAG urged the government to tread cautiously with the issues at the country’s ports. “We believe officers should not be singled out in the instances and the public should appreciate the sacrifices these officers go through,” he stated.
He said in cases where the officials were found wanting, internal structures should be triggered to deal with such matters.
Mr Kyei further called on politicians to desist from seeking all kinds of favours from officials at the ports, including the auctioning of vehicles and engagement of party foot soldiers as National Security operatives, since such persons knew next to nothing about port operations, classification, duties, among others.
“As an association, our stand is that the port should be full of professionals, not party foot soldiers. Those foot soldiers or party members who are appointed as National Security agents end up frustrating clients because they lack the requisite knowledge as far as port operations are concerned,” he indicated.
Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh
via: http://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/govt-s-trade-facilitation-initiative-lauded.html
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