Freight forwarders operating from the Kotoka International Airport are counting on the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Commissioner to help quickly resolve a raging dispute with the only destination inspection company there. The freight forwarders say they are unhappy with how BIVAC values imports to determine the duties payable to government and recently staged a demonstration with about a hundred members at KIA to register their grievance. They only backed down following the intervention of the CEPS boss. Chairman of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders at the Airport, Kwabena Ofosu Appiah explained to Joy Business there is too much ambiguity in the way BIVAC determines values. He said contrary to internationally acceptable practice, BIVAC had taken over the valuation of goods for tax purposes from CEPS, but “that is even not our problem, they have taken over the valuation of goods without clear-cut signals to us as to what we should do or what we should not do.” Mr Appiah claimed that presented with the same set of factors and conditions at different times, BIVAC will churn out different outcomes – a situation he said creates serious uncertainties. He is hopeful that the CEPS Commissioner would make an impact in the next few weeks. Source: Joy Business/Ghana