The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA) Dr. Joseph Obeng is calling on government to direct the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and shipping lines to give unconditional waivers on demurrage and rent charges during the lockdown period.
The President of GUTA, Dr Joseph Obeng said his members were the hardest hit during the lockdown period as majority of members of the association had their businesses closed. Dr Obeng says the situation has left many of them with little to no funds to pay duties at the Ports.
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Speaking on a local radio station in Kumasi, he indicated that a form of government intervention through duty waivers wouldl help boost businesses and make them more vibrant to absorb the economic shocks the coronavirus pandemic has brought.
“Due to the lockdown, most of the demurrage free period that was given to members expired before the lockdown was eased. This means that members will have to pay additional fees starting from the time of expiry of our demurrage. This is a huge burden to us considering our financial status at the moment” he lamented.
Earlier, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority through an official statement ordered the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) together with their subsidiaries to waive off charges on “demurrage/detention and storage rent charges” on all cargo which were not cleared at the ports from March 30, 2020, to April 19, 2020, following a government directive.
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But GUTA in a press release signed by its President, Dr Joseph Obeng responded to the directive with an appeal to government through the Minister of Transport and also the honourable Minister of Trade and Industry, to give all those who had been affected some period to mobilise funds to clear their goods at the ports.
SOURCE: Enoch Acheampong/ATLFMONLINE
