Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, GPHA, wants the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to initiate investigations into the alleged higher charges on imported goods due to the implementation of the paperless system at the ports. 

Director General of the GPHA, Paul Ansah said the cost is rather expected to reduce hence the need to investigate the allegation.

He said his outfit will also form a committee to assess the impact of the paperless operations on businesses at the port.
“We have not introduced any new levy on goods being cleared since the implementation of the Paperless operations,” Mr. Ansah said.

He spoke to JoyBusiness at the opening of the 8th African Shippers Day celebration in Accra under the theme “Trade facilitation and its impact on Africa’s Industrialization”

Mr. Ansah said, “We managed to get the shipping lines to waive the cost on delayed goods as a result of the paperless system, and the agencies not to charge any penalty on goods delayed so it is part of measures to minimize the challenge for importers.”

He was hopeful that all other challenges hindering the ease of doing business at the port will be dealt with before the end of the year.
“We are doing an assessment of the situation and as I speak, Port Authority and Customs have not increased operational charges, therefore, we must be able to get rid of all other hindrances as soon as possible” he ended.

Some Freight Forwarders and some spare parts dealers have alleged that their cost of doing business at the ports has unduly shot up since the paperless system was introduced in September.