The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has raised concerns about the potential impact of the government’s recent ban on land transit of certain goods, cautioning that smaller traders could be unintentionally affected.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey on Tuesday, March 10, Benjamin Yeboah, GUTA’s Welfare Officer, highlighted the challenges faced by cross-border traders who operate across Ghana’s entry points.
“If we are not careful, the cost of such major transit may end up hurting other genuine business people who are doing cross-border business,” he said.
Yeboah urged authorities to provide exceptions for legitimate traders who rely on land transit to conduct their operations.
The comments follow a directive from Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who recently instructed the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ban the land transit of select goods, including cooking oil, rice, sugar, frozen foods, textiles, flour, canned tomatoes, pasta, and pharmaceuticals.
Under the directive, these goods must now be routed exclusively through Ghana’s seaports, with the aim of strengthening border controls, preventing revenue leakages, and safeguarding government revenue.
Yeboah stressed the need for consultation between the ministry, GRA, and stakeholders such as freight forwarders and trade associations to ensure that genuine businesses are not adversely affected.
“Let us all draw our table of comments to see the best way out, so that we don’t do a blanket thing that might hurt other genuine people,” he said.
He further warned that overly strict enforcement could unintentionally encourage smuggling through unapproved border routes, noting that many of Ghana’s borders are porous.
“Before you realize, those smaller business people who might not be able to afford going through airlines or shipping lines may try to do what we’re all hoping they wouldn’t do,” Yeboah added.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
