The Ghana Importers Association has welcomed the pledge by the flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, to introduce a flat rate at the ports, saying it will check corruption when clearing goods.
Dr. Bawumia, during the launch of the NPP’s manifesto for the 2024 polls, promised to introduce flat rate charges at the various ports in Ghana to bring profitability and stability to the pricing of goods.
He also pledged to harmonize port charges to align with those of competing regional ports, ensuring Ghana’s ports are the same or lower.
Reacting to the campaign promise in an interview with OTEC News Reporter Jacob Agyenim Boateng on Monday August 19, 2024, Maxwell Odame Sefa, Public Relations Officer for the Importers in the Ashanti Region, said constant changes in port charges breed corruption.
He noted that most of their members suffer extortion at the ports, all in the name of port duties, adding that the introduction of flat rate charges will check these problems.
