GRi Business, Economics & Finance 01 - 07 - 2002
Over 100 million cedis lost through smuggling - CEPS
Takoradi Harbour to undergo rehabilitation
Kpone (Eastern Region) 01 July 2002 - The State lost 108.8 million cedis through tax evasion and smuggling of goods valued at 250 million cedis. The goods burnt by the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in the presence of officials of the Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies and newsmen at Kpone at the weekend, were declared unwholesome and expired.
Destroyed in the exercise included 1,745 cartoons of London King Size cigarettes, eight sacks of used footwear, 68 packets of bathroom sandals, broken down television sets and electrical appliances.
The other items were 100 bales of used clothing, 2,845 bottles of Pasties alcoholic beverage, one carton and 23 packets of assorted drugs and spices including Maggie, Royco, curry powder and monosodium glutamate.
Mr Robert Hugh-Tagoe, Principal Collector in charge of Preventive of CEPS urged importers not to bring any item into the country under the free market policy only for the goods to be declared "junk". He warned that CEPS would deal ruthlessly with those caught smuggling since their activities contributed to loss of revenue to the state.
Mr Hugh-Tagoe said expired goods were not allowed into the country and explained that the importer who had not shown up smuggled the goods through unapproved routes and they were seized.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 01 July 2002 - The Takoradi Harbour is to undergo a major rehabilitation at an estimated cost of $250 million to make it one of the most modern sea ports in the sub-region within the next eight years.
It would involve the expansion of the dry dock and marine engineering and shipway sections, building of additional container terminals with modern equipment and the construction of a multi-purpose berth.
Mr. Paul Asare Ansah, Marketing and Customer Services Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) said under a short term plan, 130 million United States dollars contract for the dredging, supply of some equipment and the provision of certain facilities had been awarded and work would begin soon.
He was briefing a 25-member delegation of the Kumasi Shippers Committee and members of the shipping community in Sekondi-Takoradi on new strategies being evolved to make activities at the port more efficient and competitive at a forum at Takoradi on Friday.
It was also to afford the delegates the chance to explore existing opportunities for passing their imports and exports through the port. Mr. Ansah said an aggressive publicity programme would also be adopted to create a new image, exposure as well as to promote the port in countries in the sub-region and beyond.
Mr. Ansah asked the public to disabuse their minds of the notion that the Takoradi harbour was 'dead or dying" and said by the performance indicators, activities at the port had been growing steadily over the past 10 years providing statistics to support his claim.
For instance, 488 ships with 3.4 million tons of cargo docked at the port in 2001 as against 382 with a cargo of 1.8 million tons, which docked in 1992. He explained that owing to the increase in efficiency, ships now discharge cargo, load and set sail within a shorter period, adding "ships now require only 1.5 days to discharge cargo, load and leave, making the port, provider of the fastest services in the sub-region"
Mr. Ansah mentioned a number of incentives for shippers and those who would do business through the port. Some of the advantages to be derived include, rebate on transit charges and stevedoring.
Mr. Chris Amedor, Acting Director of the Takoradi port, told the forum that the port, which deals in both exports and imports, would adopt more pragmatic measures to deepen the relationship between it and other port users and the shipping community.
GRi../
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