Importers of building materials want government to review charges on their imports.
They argue that the continuous imposition of the levies is causing a strain on their businesses.
Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta during the budget presentation had announced that eight taxes including the one percent special import levy will be abolished.
But, in an interview with Citi Business News, the Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaaki Awingobit said,
“The concern espoused by the importers of building materials is a genuine one and as a responsible association that has been advocating for importers and exporters in the country we cannot but re-echo their grievances to government to get them addressed.”
“For instance, I’m told that the cost of a WC is only $5 but because of the kind of duties that the are charged in import levies, the importers end up paying more which they eventually add on to the final prices which could reach as high as between 200 and 300 cedis.”
Sampson Asaaki also appealed to government to continue with a complete scrapping of other levies impacting on their operations.
“So we just have to draw the attention of the finance ministry and the government so that probably in the mid-year review of the budget, government will be compelled to look in that industry and do something about it,” he remarked.
Some of the taxes that were scrapped include; 1 percent Special Import Levy; the 17.5 percent VAT/NHIL on selected imported medicines and the duty on the importation of spare parts.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)