The charge of clearing goods at the ports will increase by 20%, according to the Ghana Standards Authority.

What this means is that if you are an importer, you will be paying more from the 1st of January.

According to the GSA, the annual review of fees and charges is to ensure clients are serve better.

This new directive takes effect in January and it is expected to affect importers of all products.

A letter signed by the Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to the President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders reads:

“We bring to the attention of your institution that effective January 1, 2020, the Standards Authority will start the implementation of its new fees and charges. Approval for the fees and charges was given by Parliament in August 2019 for implementation in the year 2020. Its implementation was however delayed.”

To this end, the registration of importers per product group has increased by 20 percent for the annual payment.

What this means is that Shopping Malls and supermarkets are now to register a fee of 20,000 cedis for their yearly product group. Cement products (bagged cement and clinker) will go for 5000 cedis – the list goes on and on.

Already, the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders has alerted of a possible hike in prices for traders who import these goods.