Customs house agents bemoan high taxes at ports(Daily Graphic, Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Pages 3/16)

The Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG) says the high cost of doing business at the country’s ports and borders has become a major source of worry to industry players. 

The association has questioned what it terms as “nuisance taxes” at the ports and called on the government to remove them.

For example, it sought to know why the government was holding on to the COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy and the Ministry of Health Disinfection Fee.

The outgoing President of ACHAG, Yaw Kyei, who raised the issues last Friday during the third annual general meeting of the association in Tema, also bemoaned the “illegitimate” and “indiscriminate charges” by some service providers at the port, the cumbersome clearance procedures and delays in the processing of cargo documents, among others, saying they contributed to the high cost of doing business at the ports.

The AGM, held on the theme: “Doing business at the port in the face of current economic challenges”, also saw the election of new executives to steer the affairs of the association.

Mr Kyei said in 2021 and 2022, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority realised a little over GH¢16 billion and a little over GH¢22 billion respectively to the national budget.

He said last year, the Tema Collection of Customs was short of attaining the GH¢25.6 billion revenue target by GH¢1.2 billion, with general imports characterised by lower volumes.

Figures

These figures, he said, pointed to pressure on the ports to deliver set targets, compelling them to increase charges to achieve targets in some cases as a convenient way out, adding that it incidentally contributed to high cost of doing business at the ports.

Mr Kyei noted that although the state derived its revenue at the ports from duties, taxes, fees and levies, the many other government and quasi-government bodies lined up at the ports in the name of providing services had added up to the cost of doing business.

He noted that the high cost of doing business at the ports had contributed to high inflation, smuggling, corruption, reduction in the purchasing power of importers and exporters, diversion of imports through neighbouring countries on a financially competitive basis, under-invoicing and misdescription, among other malpractices.

While commending efforts by the government to streamline clearance procedures through the introduction of the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS) since June 2020, he said the system had not attained the efficiency level anticipated by the industry players, and advocated improvements in the system.

He called on stakeholders to do more to curb the situation. 

Investment, technology

A Deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli, acknowledged some of the challenges enumerated by ACHAG and said a committee had been constituted under the Economic Management Team tasked with the responsibility to recommend how to reduce the cost of doing business at the ports.

That, he explained, went to demonstrate the commitment of the government to creating the enabling environment for port business to thrive as well as solidifying the government’s reputation as a listening government, having listened to concerns of various stakeholders in the port’s value chain, including ACHAG, the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), and the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).

Mr Tampuli said while the government and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority had been investing in infrastructure at the ports, evidence had shown that investments in port infrastructure should be complemented by measures on the operational side to achieve the desired objectives.

He said it was for that reason that the government was also investing in cutting-edge technology to improve efficiency and turnaround time at Ghana’s ports.

One of such initiatives, he said, was the establishment of the paperless port system, with the full implementation of the digitalised business and commerce platforms.

A Deputy Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager of the GPHA, Nana Esi Söderberg, on behalf of the Director-General of the GPHA, Michael Luguje, said the port authority was actively committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders to simplify and streamline port processes, including reducing bureaucratic hurdles, optimising work flow, creating transparent processes, providing competitive rates and actively showing the willingness to continually improve towards facilitating smoother business operations at the ports.

The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Shippers' Authority, Sylvia Asana Owu, who chaired the function, stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to find workable solutions to the challenges to ensure smooth business through the ports.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-customs-house-agents-bemoan-high-taxes-at-ports.html

 

Ensuring sustainability: It’s time to review free SHS - Varsity don to govt(Daily Graphic, Tuesday, January 30, 2024. Page 13)

A former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. George Kwaku Toku Oduro, has urged the government to take immediate steps to review the free senior high school (SHS) policy through stakeholder engagement.

He said the “very commendable” free SHS policy must be evaluated through stakeholder dialogue to ensure sustainability.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic last Saturday on the sidelines of the 40th anniversary celebration of Creator Schools in Tema, he said he found it strange that calls on the Ministry of Education to review the current mode of implementing the free SHS policy to ensure quality and equity-indexed education had become a political issue, with “review unfathomably” interpreted as a cancellation.

“I must, of course, concede that isolating basic education for quality without ensuring quality at the SHS level undermines the benefits associated with secondary education,” he said.

Prof. Oduro, a Professor in Educational Leadership at the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration of the UCC, indicated that in every human and organisational endeavour, there was the need for evaluation and review so that one could identify what was going on well, and strengthen that which was not going on well.

“There is no dictionary I have accessed which has defined review to mean cancellation. Review simply means evaluating processes or assessment of something with the intention of instituting change, if necessary,” he said and urged the Ministry of Education to think critically about the call for stakeholder engagement to look at the free SHS in order to put in strategies that would make the policy more beneficial to those who needed it.
 

Perspectives

“Unless as a nation, we put in place measures to bridge the gap between the disadvantaged and the advantaged, the rural and urban, we will not be improving, and our educational system will continue to suffer.

Let us put away politics and look at education from an education perspective,” he said.

Prof. Oduro said inadequate funding to support the policy resulting in delayed releases of funds and the lack of curriculum, among others, were some of the challenges facing the implementation of the policy.

“When you initiate anything, funding becomes critical, and at the early stages of the free SHS implementation, I called on the government not to hasten in the implementation of the policy, but rather define what the free actually means, who and who should benefit from that policy.

Now, funding free SHS has become very challenging and parents are now suffering,” he said.

He added that teachers were also suffering because they did not have time to rest and recharge their creative energies, rethink and modify their teaching methodologies, stressing that the current workload on them meant that they only prioritised teaching students how to pass their examinations instead of offering the students holistic training.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-ensuring-sustainability-its-time-to-review-free-shs-varsity-don-to-govt.html

 

 

President commissions $2bn Sentuo Oil Refinery in Tema (Daily Graphic, Monday, January 29, 2024 Page 16)

 

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned a $2billion oil refinery, Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited, at the Tema industrial hub.

Situated on a 100-acre land, the project, which is under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) policy, can refine five million barrels of oil per annum.

It will produce high-quality finished gasoline (petrol), aviation kerosene, diesel, asphalt and lubricating base oil, and also create about 1,000 job opportunities.

Other products are solvent oil, polypropylene, liquefied petroleum gas, ammonium sulfide, sulfuric acid, sulphur and other by-products.

The first phase of the project, which commenced in 2022, will pump out 40,000 barriers of refined products per day and ramp up to 100,000 barrels daily upon completion of the second phase next year.

The commissioning of the biggest oil refinery in the country attracted people from far and near, including the President of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali; the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, ministers of state, Members of Parliament (MPs), chiefs, captains of industry and chief executives of regulatory bodies.

Significance

President Akufo-Addo said the project was a symbol of the determination of the country to shape its destiny, strengthen the economy, reduce its dependence on foreign oil and inspire investment in its economy.

He said it was also a step towards securing the country’s future and a demonstration of cooperation between the private and public sectors that had enabled investment to flourish.

“No longer will we be solely reliant on external sources for fuel. Instead, we will harness our natural resources to fuel our progress.

Aerial view of the Sentuo Oil Plant in Tema

It will not only provide a stable supply of petroleum products, but will also create jobs and empower local communities to contribute to our industrialisation drive,” the President said.

Currently, Ghana imports 97 per cent of its petroleum products requirement, resulting in heavy reliance on external resources, thus posing economic challenges and a drain on the country’s foreign currency reserve.

President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the efforts of the Chinese promoter, Xu Ning Quan, whose collective efforts with other partners for the past 15 years had culminated in strengthening the industrialisation agenda of the government.

He said that had led to the setting up of the refinery, including the Fujian Sentuo Ceramic Company Limited, a ceramic tile production company located in Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.

“These are good examples of the excellent relations that Ghana enjoys with China,” the President said.

On Team Oil Refinery (TOR) and its challenges, he said, the government remained committed to ensuring the full operationalisation of the refinery to make sure more oil was refined locally.

Commendation

The Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said Sentuo was performing well and that its positive impact would soon be seen in the country.

“Today, we are witnessing the transition from the construction phase to an operational 40,000 barrels per day refinery to support the local economy. 

“I believe for this, the management team at Sentuo deserves commendation for the investments made in this country,” he added.

Dr Prempeh commended the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) for its supervisory role in the establishment of the refinery.

Appreciation

The Executive Chairman of the Sentuo Group of Companies, Xu Ning Quan, expressed appreciation to the government for establishing a sound business environment that had allowed their investment to take off and flourish.

He described China as his mother and Ghana as his wife, and said in the last few years the Sentuo Group had established four factories that included tile manufacturing, and chain stores.

via :  https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-president-commissions-2bn-sentuo-oil-refinery-in-tema.html

Workers demand Tier 2 pensions fund( Daily Graphic, Saturday, January 27, 2024. Page 21)

It has emerged that the mandatory five per cent Tier Two monthly deductions of public service workers has not been lodged with the relevant trustee over the last 10 months.

The employers are in both the private or public sectors. Per the National Pensions Act, employers are required to remit five per cent out of the 18.5 per cent mandatory pension contribution to a private Corporate Trustee on behalf of employees. Contributions are based on monthly pay and are deducted from gross pay before tax.

The affected workers have said the delay on the part of the government to transfer the deductions is hampering the smooth operation of the second Tier Occupational Pension Schemes in the public sector which has put the pensions of workers in danger.

The workers are, therefore, calling on the government to comply with the statutory obligation by paying the money into the accounts of the respective fund managers to be invested for and on behalf of workers.

President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, who disclosed this in an interview on the sidelines of the launch of the Health Sector Occupational Pensions Scheme (HSOPS) mobile application at Senshi last Wednesday, described the situation as really difficult.

“So far as the money has not been paid, the fund managers cannot also invest it for the benefit of the contributor; hence, it is a really difficult situation that puts the contributor at a disadvantage,” she said.

Complaints 

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo, who is also the Member Secretary of the HSOPS, said despite numerous complaints filed at the National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA), the regulator of pensions, about the delay in the payment of the deductions, the  principal and the three per cent surcharge, as stipulated by the law, had not been paid.

Mrs Ofori-Ampofo refuted assertions that leaders of workers were laid back in their demands on the employer to do the right thing, stressing that as leaders, they had not reneged on their fiduciary responsibility to see to it that the money, having been deducted from workers salaries, was paid to the respective fund managers for investment purposes so that the contributor could benefit at the end of the day.

She said having filed several complaints with the NPRA, they expressed the hope that the regulator would act to ensure that the right things were done but, unfortunately, that had not been the case, stressing that the continuous delay in the transfer of the funds to the various schemes for the past 10 months was adversely going to affect  the level of lump sum or gratuity a retired officer was likely to receive in the second Tier .

The Member Secretary of HSOPS thus called on the employer to remedy the situation as early as practicable so the right investment could be made on behalf of the contributors.

Options

On what options were available to workers to force the government to fulfil its mandate, Mrs Ofori-Ampofo said the options available to workers at the moment was for them to continue to engage the employer and the regulator to ensure the arrears were paid.The other option, she said, would be for the contributors to rise up and demand their money. “We don't want to get there because it brings about labour unrest and chaos and all those things but to what extent can we hold back?” She queried.

 via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/ghana-news-workers-demand-tier-2-pensions-fund.html

Mobile App for Health Sector Occupational Pension Scheme ( Daily Graphic, Friday, January 26, 2024 Page 26)

 

The Health Sector Occupational Pensions Scheme (HSOPS) has introduced a new mobile application that allows subscribers to track their second tier contributions.

Known as the HSOPS App, it will enable contributors to monitor their contributions and management from the comfort of their homes, instead of visiting the offices of the fund managers.

The app has been designed to provide members with first-hand information on pensions and allows members to track their second tier contributions.

Embedded with member authentication features, the HSOPS App — which will operate on both android and iOS smartphones — will empower subscribers to make basic enquiries for support, ensuring an efficient channel of seeking assistance.

Personalised portal

At the launch of the app at Senchi, near Akosombo, in the Eastern Region last Wednesday, the Chairman of the HSOPS Board of Trustees, Dr Derek Amoateng, described the HSOPS App as a personalised portal that would ensure a seamless membership management and instant access to subscribers’ pension account.

“It is a personalised portal and members could download their statement and delve into detailed records at their convenience,” he stressed.

He was optimistic that the new mobile app would help leadership reach out to all the 227,000 contributors within Ghana and engage with them on the management of their contributions. 

Strides

Dr Amoateng said the scheme, made up primarily of health sector workers in the public sector, had made significant strides since it started operations in 2012.

He said the scheme had done this through the retirement income benefit for subscribers through structures that would engage and bring together all health sector workers so they could retire comfortably.

Also, HSOPS launched a website five years ago as part of its efforts to provide members of the scheme with concrete information and give them access to track their pension contributions.

However, with a significant increase in access to mobile devices, the Board of Trustees introduced the mobile app to save contributors time and money to access information on their contributions and to track their funds.

The Secretary of the HSOPS Board of Trustees, Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, said the main objective of the scheme was to provide employees with a means of income replacement on retirement and guarantee their dependents income support in the event of death while in service.

Trailblazer

The Managing Director of Enterprise Trustees Limited, Joseph Ampofo, described the HSOPS as a trailblazer among the Public Sector Schemes and commended them for the pioneering role they played in securing the future of their members.

He said for a scheme that was worth almost GH¢ 4 billion, it was their firm view that such innovations would not only enable members to track their contributions via the mobile phone, but also push the scheme further to higher heights to bring relief and comfort to contributors in their retirement.

Functionality

At the launch of the scheme, the Akwamu Kronti Adontinhene and Akosombohene, Nana Ansa Prem IV, who was Guest of Honour at the occasion, applauded the Board of Trustees of the HSOPS for their initiative in providing members with first-hand information on pensions and also giving access to members to track their second tier contributions.  

He expressed the hope that managers of the scheme would expand on the innovation by building an offline functionality into HSOPS mobile app to ensure that the system remained accessible and useful, regardless of internet connectivity in remote communities with health workers who were members of the scheme. 

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-mobile-app-for-health-sector-occupational-pension-scheme.html

TAGG Supports 21 brilliant, needy students (Junior Graphic, Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Page 4)

 

Go into entrepreneurship - Dr Agyekum Addo urges graduates (Daily Graphic, Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Page 27)

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mikaddo Holdings, Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, has challenged graduates of tertiary institutions in the country to pursue entrepreneurship rather than rely solely on the pursuit of white-collar jobs.

He made the call at the 14th Congregation of Data Link Institute of Business and Technology in Tema.

A total of 265 students graduated in various courses in 'Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Strategic Management, Master of Science (MSc) Strategic Management, and Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Administration in Marketing, Human Resource Management, Accounting and Finance.

Some completed courses in BSc Information Communication Technology, BSc Computer Science and Information Systems, while others received certificates from the International Advance Diploma in Transport and Logistics for the 2022-2023 academic year.
 

Awards

Deborah Mawume-Ablordey, a graduate of Bachelor of Business Administration (Marketing), won the Overall Best Graduate in the undergraduates’ category, while Henrietta Quaye emerged tops in the Master’s category.

Other award winners were Joshua Ngmertey, (Best Male Student); Titus Owusu Afriyie, (Best Student – Accounting); Frederica Birikorang, (Best Student - Human Resource Management); Henrietta Quaye and Bright Kwesi Gbadago, (Best Students, MPHIL Strategic Management); Belinda Okyere-Darko (Best Student - MSC Accounting and Finance) and Asamoah Yaw David, (Best Student, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport  Programme).

Entrepreneurship

Speaking on the theme: “Positioning tertiary institutions in emerging economies for entrepreneurship and wealth creation”, Dr Addo said in this era of globalisation and technological revolution, tertiary institutions had been tasked with nurturing not only skilled professionals but also dynamic and innovative managers and entrepreneurs.

He pointed out that entrepreneurship was the key to unlocking the doors of prosperity and personal fulfilment and charged the graduates to pay attention to the needs of society and find creative means to address those needs.

Dr Addo said Ghana, known for its rich culture, vibrant people and growing economy, offered a plethora of entrepreneurship opportunities across various sectors and urged the graduates to explore such opportunities for new ideas and businesses.

He indicated that the country’s agrarian economy presented vast opportunities for agribusiness entrepreneurs, adding that with fertile lands and diverse climate, there was potential for growth in crop cultivation, livestock farming and agro-processing.

Other opportunities, he said, existed in the area of technology and innovation sectors of the economy, stressing that the country had a wealth of opportunities for tech-savvy entrepreneurs and urged the­- graduates to explore that sector.

Dr Addo further indicated that sectors such as tourism and hospitality, renewable energy and green initiatives, health care and wellness, and the creative sector offered ample opportunities for the young people and tasked the graduands to use the knowledge gained in the classroom as a key to unlocking the doors of prosperity and personal fulfilment.

Challenges

The President of DLIBT, Professor Stanley Saamoah Moffatt, said the institute, like all other private universities, was faced with serious challenges ranging from inadequate funding, inadequate infrastructure, inability to recruit and retain highly experienced faculty and staff, tortuous process of affiliation and accreditation, inadequate research output, and logistical support, and low student enrolment.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/education/ghana-news-go-into-entrepreneurship-dr-agyekum-addo-urges-graduates.html