Some importers and manufacturers in the Ashanti Region have expressed worry over the re-examination of cleared imported goods at the Kubease Customs checkpoint.
The situation, according to them, causes delays and undue charges; and as such is counterproductive. Additionally, they said, it brings cost differentials in doing businesses outside Accra; thus compelling companies to relocate to the national capital.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vester Oil Mills Ltd., Kwasi Nyamekye – who is also the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), narrated the ordeal these traders go through to the B&FT; saying he finds it difficult to understand why goods that are checked and cleared at the ports have to re-examined at road checkpoints.
“What most members are complaining about is the Kubease Customs checkpoint. According to our members, they are stopped at the Kubease checkpoint and tracked from that point to the Customs warehouse at Aboabo – where if you are not lucky, your goods will be stripped and offloaded at your own cost.
“The Customs officers at the checkpoint then claim they need to do some thorough checks again. If these businesses were to be in Accra this wouldn’t happen, because our colleagues there do not go through this. Once they clear goods from the ports, they go straight to their warehouses or factories,” he lamented.
Mr. Nyamekye added that the only reason given by the Customs officials is that “some importers under-declare their goods”. He however emphasised that this cannot be the case, since all goods from the ports go through thorough checks before they are cleared.
“To curtail this, Customs should make sure that their officers at the ports do a thorough check before clearing goods. Besides, what compensation will you give me if you strip my goods and find out that there is nothing wrong?” he asked.
He added: “What compensation will you give me for the delay and for the offloading and loading. These things must be checked. They should be on their people at the ports to make sure they do thorough work; or, should they find anything, their people at the ports should be dealt with and not just mishandle a poor manufacturer”.
