WAIVE IMPORT TAX ON RAW MATERIALS-GNCCI TO GOV’T

The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or GNCCI, is calling on the government to waive taxes on the importation of raw materials used in producing local industries.

According to the first vice chairperson of GNCCI, Mrs Victoria Haja, these high import taxes have pushed the cost of production high for local industries in terms of increasing productivity.

She said that it will help to support and protect investments made in the country and to ensure that goods produced are affordable and able to compete favourably on the continent as the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is in full force.

It is also to cushion locally produced goods from unfair competition posed by cheap imported goods from other countries.

She was speaking to uniquenewsgh News during an interview at the Ghana National Chamber and Industry Women Conference in Kumasi.

The Ashanti Regional Deputy Director of Trade and Industry, Mr.Osman Mamadu, called on Ghanaians who are into commerce to abide by and respect laws governing trade outside the borders of Ghana but not to abuse them because of free trade.

He called on law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws to apprehend foreigners who are engaging in various businesses without following due process to allow them to trade retail or wholesale.

“The law enforcement agencies, especially those responsible for foreign immigrants, that is, the immigration service, must enforce the law and arrest those foreigners who are trading illegally in Ghana.”.

By Enock Baffoe/uniquenewgh.com