The Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG) has presented a petition to Parliament as regards the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note system following what it describes as President Akufo-Addo’s failure to suspend its operation.
GGAGG insists that the system is not to be implemented by GRA and CTN Ghana Limited which has no connection with the World Trade Organisation platforms such as World Customs Organisation (WCO), International Criminal Police Organisation ICPO, International Maritime Organisation IMO and World Bank.
The group, by petitioning the legislative body, says it hopes to “seeing Parliament of Ghana rectifying the irregularities, administrative breaches and flouting of Laws there are in the implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)/ Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) SHIPMENT policy to help achieve its aim of boosting and expediting Global Trade.”
A statement released and signed by Listowell Nana Kusi-Poku, Executive Director of GGAGG said some six laws of the country have been flouted by “some public Servants and appointees of the President at Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance, Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA).”
As listed in the petition and press release, the said laws are: Ghana Revenue Authority Act, 2009 (Act 791), Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 1998 (Act562), Ghana Shippers Authority Regulation 2012, (L.I. 2190), Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663), Public Services Commission Act, 1994 (Act 482) And Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
About CTN
The Customs Excise and Preventive Service of GRA last year decided to implement the CTN system which is used globally after realizing that some importers provide inadequate information on their goods making it difficult for the Customs division to correctly verify the goods that are brought in, the volumes, weight, among others.
By adopting the CTN system into Ghana, Customs said it was seeking to modernize its operations to facilitate the movement of legitimate trade in line with international best practices.
Under the new system, exporters the world over, shipping cargo to Ghana will be expected to provide detailed and timely information about their shipment in advance on the global online platform.
Below is the statement announcing the petition
Listowell Nana Kusi-Poku, Executive Director of GGAGG