The Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG) has commended the management of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) for producing the automated user manual that has made classification and valuation of goods at the country's ports more transparent and fast.
The President of the association, Mr Daniel Kofi Asomaning, said the system would also facilitate clearance of goods and reduce cost of doing business at the ports, making the country's corridors the preferred destination for trade partners within West Africa.
Mr Asomaning said this at the closing session of a training course for stakeholders on the use of the new system.
He commended Bankswitch Ghana Ltd for partnering CEPS and the other regulatory agencies to introduce the manual that enables the members to check the status of their documents that had been submitted to CEPS without travelling long distances.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Revenue Agencies Governing Board and CEPS has trained over 516 stakeholders to keep abreast of the new system to enhance revenue generation at the country's ports.
The modern Information Technology tools incorporated in the system include electronic verifying HS Codes, FOB, Freight and Insurance values.
The Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMC), Ms Rebecca Schlechter, said the new system had been integrated into the existing GCnet/GCMS.
Ms Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
PRICE OF FISH GOES DOWN IN TEMA (PAGE 47)
The cost of fish reduced considerably last Friday at the Tema Fishing harbour canoe beach following a bumper catch by fishermen.
A crate of herrings that previously sold at GH¢22 now costs GH¢16 while salmon now costs GH¢18 as against GH¢26.
Fishermen in Tema landed more fish last Friday than last Monday after a long period of lean catch in the sector.
It was another busy day at the beach when the fishermen landed tuna, herrings, salmon and other species of fish.
As early as 7a.m. when the Daily Graphic went to the canoe beach the boats had started arriving with the fishermen showing joyous faces, an indication that they were successful.
They claimed that from all indications the season would be good and they were expecting it to last up till November.
According to them, the move to curtail the activities of the big trawlers had shown that they were part of the problem. One of the fishermen, Mr George Forson, claimed that the fishermen earlier returned with an average of three crates of fish daily but now they were able to get 50 crates or more.
He said the foreign vessels cleared the breeding grounds with their system of fishing and therefore the local fishermen were only lucky to have some catch.
Mr Forson appealed to the Navy to intensify its action against the culprits to save the industry, noting that they should have been catching bigger fishes by now, but they only got medium-size ones.
He noted that they had not in the past week encountered the bigger vessels at sea and suspected that the foreigners could possibly be withdrawing from their activities and therefore had gone far away to sea.
The Tema canoe beach has over 500 canoes operating but in the last four years fishermen had not experienced any bumper catch. Bigger foreign vessels were blamed for the woes of the local fishermen but recently there have been intensified complaints about the activities of the bigger vessels, which has affected the operations of local canoe fishermen.
A crate of herrings that previously sold at GH¢22 now costs GH¢16 while salmon now costs GH¢18 as against GH¢26.
Fishermen in Tema landed more fish last Friday than last Monday after a long period of lean catch in the sector.
It was another busy day at the beach when the fishermen landed tuna, herrings, salmon and other species of fish.
As early as 7a.m. when the Daily Graphic went to the canoe beach the boats had started arriving with the fishermen showing joyous faces, an indication that they were successful.
They claimed that from all indications the season would be good and they were expecting it to last up till November.
According to them, the move to curtail the activities of the big trawlers had shown that they were part of the problem. One of the fishermen, Mr George Forson, claimed that the fishermen earlier returned with an average of three crates of fish daily but now they were able to get 50 crates or more.
He said the foreign vessels cleared the breeding grounds with their system of fishing and therefore the local fishermen were only lucky to have some catch.
Mr Forson appealed to the Navy to intensify its action against the culprits to save the industry, noting that they should have been catching bigger fishes by now, but they only got medium-size ones.
He noted that they had not in the past week encountered the bigger vessels at sea and suspected that the foreigners could possibly be withdrawing from their activities and therefore had gone far away to sea.
The Tema canoe beach has over 500 canoes operating but in the last four years fishermen had not experienced any bumper catch. Bigger foreign vessels were blamed for the woes of the local fishermen but recently there have been intensified complaints about the activities of the bigger vessels, which has affected the operations of local canoe fishermen.
CHECK UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES ...Tema Traditional Council urges TDC (PAGE 47)
The Tema Traditional Council has appealed to the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to educate developers in the area to acquire legal documents to avoid unauthorised development practices for Tema to retain its image of well-planned city.
The council has also called on the management of TDC to sanction its task force, which has allegedly connived with desperate and innocent developers to flout building regulations.
It claimed that the TDC Task Force, which has the statutory obligation to check unauthorised siting of structures and illegal allocation of land, was not functioning as expected and was directly or indirectly involved in the creation of the mess and therefore lacked the courage to confront it.
Members of the council said they were not happy because they were mostly blamed for land allocations, alleging that land guards were making it dangerous for landowners in some areas to enter their own land.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Tema on issues bordering on unauthorised allocation of land and estate development in the Tema Traditional area, the Spokesman of the Council Nii Anum Keteke, the Chief of Klangon, said Tema had its stool lands spreading through Klangon to Adjei Kojo among others with those areas becoming new settlements.
He said they were all part of the government’s acquisition areas but in 1994 the TDC released Klangon lands to the Stool while portions of the Adjei Kojo land were released in 1998.
Nii Keteke said it was pathetic to find green belts being developed into structures without approval while places earmarked for roads and wildlife were all being developed.
He stated that the Stool wanted to see a disciplined land allocation and therefore were not happy that unauthorised development was springing up in those new settlements.
Nii Keteke criticised the TDC Task Force for being involved in some alleged corrupt practices and conniving with some developers to enter the Tema Stool land without authority.
He explained that as a result of some of these corrupt practices, Ashaiman had also become a slum and therefore the stool would want to defend the new settlement to ensure that is was well planned.
Nii Keteke said the chiefs and people of the affected areas had plans to protest to the sector minister if the TDC management did not take action against the Task Force personnel.
The chiefs commended the newly created Ashaiman Municipal Assembly for its proposed plans to pull down unauthorised structures to make way for roads and culverts. They said the lawlessness in development must be controlled now else new settlements would also become slums in the very near future.
Nii Keteke said their concentration was on Klangon and Adjei-Kojo because they were the new ones coming up and they would need to be protected.
He also appealed to the security agencies to check the activities of land guards and their agents who had taken entrenched positions and created problems all over the new developing sites.
He said because monies had changed hands to allow people to build on unauthorised lands, it was difficult for town planners to do the right things and called for immediate action to stop new developments to avoid a situation where developed houses would have to be pulled down in future.
Officials of the Tema Development Corporation who were contacted for comments declined to talk to the Daily Graphic.
Meanwhile the Tema Municipal Assembly has expressed concern about the springing up of unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
The Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Asante, said the Assembly would soon start a demolishing exercise to clear all unauthorised structures from the metropolis.
The council has also called on the management of TDC to sanction its task force, which has allegedly connived with desperate and innocent developers to flout building regulations.
It claimed that the TDC Task Force, which has the statutory obligation to check unauthorised siting of structures and illegal allocation of land, was not functioning as expected and was directly or indirectly involved in the creation of the mess and therefore lacked the courage to confront it.
Members of the council said they were not happy because they were mostly blamed for land allocations, alleging that land guards were making it dangerous for landowners in some areas to enter their own land.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Tema on issues bordering on unauthorised allocation of land and estate development in the Tema Traditional area, the Spokesman of the Council Nii Anum Keteke, the Chief of Klangon, said Tema had its stool lands spreading through Klangon to Adjei Kojo among others with those areas becoming new settlements.
He said they were all part of the government’s acquisition areas but in 1994 the TDC released Klangon lands to the Stool while portions of the Adjei Kojo land were released in 1998.
Nii Keteke said it was pathetic to find green belts being developed into structures without approval while places earmarked for roads and wildlife were all being developed.
He stated that the Stool wanted to see a disciplined land allocation and therefore were not happy that unauthorised development was springing up in those new settlements.
Nii Keteke criticised the TDC Task Force for being involved in some alleged corrupt practices and conniving with some developers to enter the Tema Stool land without authority.
He explained that as a result of some of these corrupt practices, Ashaiman had also become a slum and therefore the stool would want to defend the new settlement to ensure that is was well planned.
Nii Keteke said the chiefs and people of the affected areas had plans to protest to the sector minister if the TDC management did not take action against the Task Force personnel.
The chiefs commended the newly created Ashaiman Municipal Assembly for its proposed plans to pull down unauthorised structures to make way for roads and culverts. They said the lawlessness in development must be controlled now else new settlements would also become slums in the very near future.
Nii Keteke said their concentration was on Klangon and Adjei-Kojo because they were the new ones coming up and they would need to be protected.
He also appealed to the security agencies to check the activities of land guards and their agents who had taken entrenched positions and created problems all over the new developing sites.
He said because monies had changed hands to allow people to build on unauthorised lands, it was difficult for town planners to do the right things and called for immediate action to stop new developments to avoid a situation where developed houses would have to be pulled down in future.
Officials of the Tema Development Corporation who were contacted for comments declined to talk to the Daily Graphic.
Meanwhile the Tema Municipal Assembly has expressed concern about the springing up of unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
The Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Asante, said the Assembly would soon start a demolishing exercise to clear all unauthorised structures from the metropolis.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
FISHERMEN RECORD ENCOURAGING CATCH (MIRROR, PAGE 35)
From Rose Hayford Darko, Tema
Fisherman in Tema made some big catch, which they claimed was a good omen that things were going to change for the better after a long period of lean season in the industry.
They landed average-sized herrings and salmon among the species.
They are also hopeful that they will have a good fishing season.
Speaking to The Mirror, a Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, said every fisherman was able to make a catch of not less than 100 crates each.
He claimed that the sea was getting cooler for the fishes, and that will enable the fishermen to make a good catch.
Nii Kwei declined to comment on the pair trawling issue, but said the leadership of the fishermen was meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector.
Nii Kwei noted that they hoped that the catch, which they were making, would not be short-lived.
Some interviews conducted by The Mirror revealed that over the past four years, the season had delayed, but now there was some improvement in the sector.
It was revealed that it never lasted long, but prayed that the current season will drag on for sometime.
The respondents felt the big vessels that were hindering the work of the local fishermen had been withdrawn and refuted the allegation that they also used light at sea.
An interview with an elder at the fishing harbour, Nii Attah Anum Gbegbemi, also revealed that there were over 500 canoes at the beach.
He said in the past four years, they had not had any good catch, blaming that on the pair trawling and use of light by some fishermen.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen, because they had expertise in local fishing.
Fisherman in Tema made some big catch, which they claimed was a good omen that things were going to change for the better after a long period of lean season in the industry.
They landed average-sized herrings and salmon among the species.
They are also hopeful that they will have a good fishing season.
Speaking to The Mirror, a Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, said every fisherman was able to make a catch of not less than 100 crates each.
He claimed that the sea was getting cooler for the fishes, and that will enable the fishermen to make a good catch.
Nii Kwei declined to comment on the pair trawling issue, but said the leadership of the fishermen was meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector.
Nii Kwei noted that they hoped that the catch, which they were making, would not be short-lived.
Some interviews conducted by The Mirror revealed that over the past four years, the season had delayed, but now there was some improvement in the sector.
It was revealed that it never lasted long, but prayed that the current season will drag on for sometime.
The respondents felt the big vessels that were hindering the work of the local fishermen had been withdrawn and refuted the allegation that they also used light at sea.
An interview with an elder at the fishing harbour, Nii Attah Anum Gbegbemi, also revealed that there were over 500 canoes at the beach.
He said in the past four years, they had not had any good catch, blaming that on the pair trawling and use of light by some fishermen.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen, because they had expertise in local fishing.
EFFORTS TO ENHANCE REVENUE COLLECTION AT PORTS (PAGE 24)
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Revenue Agencies Governing Board and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service has trained 516 stakeholders in revenue collection and introduced them to a new major project to enhance revenue collection at the country’s ports.
The project will also enhance the ability of Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to securely assume its core functions of Classification and Valuation of goods, currently being performed by the Destination Inspection Companies.
It is providing CEPS with modern Information Technology tools that will allow the Service to perform its functions of valuation and classification in a systematic, efficient and transparent manner.
The tools include electronic verifying HS Codes, f.o.b., freight and insurance values. Addressing the closing session of the first batch of the trainees in Tema, the Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management Systems (GCMS), Madam Rebecca Schlechter, said the new innovative Information Technology solution, the Ghana Customs and Secure Document Management Systems (GCSDMS), had been integrated into the existing GCNet/GCMS. She said all umbrella organisations of clearing agencies and shipping companies acting as carriers made inputs.
Madam Schlechter disclosed that an additional 102 companies involved in customs practices had registered to have their staff trained between September 1 and 9.
Madam Schlechter noted that the user manuals would be fully automated to reduce the period of documentation, adding that previously it took more than two weeks to process but with the new system it would be instant, using the automated user manuals. She said the training would be continuous to ensure that new technologies would be constantly imparted to the stakeholders.
Madam Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
She said further that CEPS was also being provided with a building that could house about 70 officers in central Classification and Valuation unit in Accra.
Madam Schlechter noted that a series of User Manuals that provide easy-to-use guides for carriers/shipping agents, consolidators and declarants had been prepared and distributed to the associations representing key stakeholders.
She said the stakeholders were to review the manuals and provide the feedback, which would be incorporated into a final version of the manuals for distribution to the associations.
Madam Schlechter added that the project had service centres at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) and Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA).
The project will also enhance the ability of Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to securely assume its core functions of Classification and Valuation of goods, currently being performed by the Destination Inspection Companies.
It is providing CEPS with modern Information Technology tools that will allow the Service to perform its functions of valuation and classification in a systematic, efficient and transparent manner.
The tools include electronic verifying HS Codes, f.o.b., freight and insurance values. Addressing the closing session of the first batch of the trainees in Tema, the Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management Systems (GCMS), Madam Rebecca Schlechter, said the new innovative Information Technology solution, the Ghana Customs and Secure Document Management Systems (GCSDMS), had been integrated into the existing GCNet/GCMS. She said all umbrella organisations of clearing agencies and shipping companies acting as carriers made inputs.
Madam Schlechter disclosed that an additional 102 companies involved in customs practices had registered to have their staff trained between September 1 and 9.
Madam Schlechter noted that the user manuals would be fully automated to reduce the period of documentation, adding that previously it took more than two weeks to process but with the new system it would be instant, using the automated user manuals. She said the training would be continuous to ensure that new technologies would be constantly imparted to the stakeholders.
Madam Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
She said further that CEPS was also being provided with a building that could house about 70 officers in central Classification and Valuation unit in Accra.
Madam Schlechter noted that a series of User Manuals that provide easy-to-use guides for carriers/shipping agents, consolidators and declarants had been prepared and distributed to the associations representing key stakeholders.
She said the stakeholders were to review the manuals and provide the feedback, which would be incorporated into a final version of the manuals for distribution to the associations.
Madam Schlechter added that the project had service centres at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) and Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA).
DISTRICT POLICE HEADQUARTERS FOR KPONE (PAGE 18)
The The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 has cut the sod for work to start on the first phase of a Kpone District Police Headquarters project.
The Kpone Traditional Council is co-sponsoring the project, which is situated on a one-acre land donated by the council .
It is expected to comprise the District Commander’s Office, Criminal Investigations Department, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, general office and is estimated at GH¢100,000.
The second phase of the project will be a bungalow for the District Commander, police personnel and the Dovvsu department. The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 said Kpone Central with its environs was expanding very fast because of its proximity to the Tema township.
He said as a result all manner of people were attracted to the place, which called for a strong police presence in the area.
Nii Otu appealed to all companies and industries on the stool land to help in whatever way they could to enable the project to be completed early.
The Director-General of Technical Services at the Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Duku Arthur, who deputised for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, expressed the appreciation of the Police Administration to the Kpone Traditional Council for providing the assistance after the elevation of the Kpone Police Station to a District Command a few months ago.
He said their swift response to the request for land attested to the readiness of the people to help the police combat crime.
COP Arthur said providing adequate office and residential accommodation were the main challenges confronting the police administration nationwide.
He said this had greatly affected recruitment prompting several appeals to civil society, corporate and professional bodies for assistance.
COP Arthur, however, expressed disappointment at the response to the appeals, saying “unfortunately not so encouraging”.
He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders including the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to assist the service to provide comfortable places of abode for the police personnel.
COP Arthur said the population of the Kpone Traditional Area had seen an increase due to the influx of business activities and, therefore, needed more police personnel to effectively control the increasing criminal activities.
He called on other stakeholders to emulate the laudable initiative of the Kpone Traditional Council to expand the existing police barracks to enable the Police Administration to post more men to the area.
COP Arthur on behalf of the IGP conveyed the gratitude of the Police Administration to the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area for their decision to construct a suitable district headquarters building for the Ghana Police Service.
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the new district had jurisdiction over most of the locations where the strategic facilities including the Bulk Oil Storage Tanks , Free Zone Enclave and the Power Plants as well as many business concerns, were located.
He made a passionate appeal to all citizens not to dispense instant justice to suspected criminals but to hand them over to the police for thorough investigations and the necessary action.
The Kpone Traditional Council is co-sponsoring the project, which is situated on a one-acre land donated by the council .
It is expected to comprise the District Commander’s Office, Criminal Investigations Department, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, general office and is estimated at GH¢100,000.
The second phase of the project will be a bungalow for the District Commander, police personnel and the Dovvsu department. The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 said Kpone Central with its environs was expanding very fast because of its proximity to the Tema township.
He said as a result all manner of people were attracted to the place, which called for a strong police presence in the area.
Nii Otu appealed to all companies and industries on the stool land to help in whatever way they could to enable the project to be completed early.
The Director-General of Technical Services at the Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Duku Arthur, who deputised for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, expressed the appreciation of the Police Administration to the Kpone Traditional Council for providing the assistance after the elevation of the Kpone Police Station to a District Command a few months ago.
He said their swift response to the request for land attested to the readiness of the people to help the police combat crime.
COP Arthur said providing adequate office and residential accommodation were the main challenges confronting the police administration nationwide.
He said this had greatly affected recruitment prompting several appeals to civil society, corporate and professional bodies for assistance.
COP Arthur, however, expressed disappointment at the response to the appeals, saying “unfortunately not so encouraging”.
He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders including the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to assist the service to provide comfortable places of abode for the police personnel.
COP Arthur said the population of the Kpone Traditional Area had seen an increase due to the influx of business activities and, therefore, needed more police personnel to effectively control the increasing criminal activities.
He called on other stakeholders to emulate the laudable initiative of the Kpone Traditional Council to expand the existing police barracks to enable the Police Administration to post more men to the area.
COP Arthur on behalf of the IGP conveyed the gratitude of the Police Administration to the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area for their decision to construct a suitable district headquarters building for the Ghana Police Service.
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the new district had jurisdiction over most of the locations where the strategic facilities including the Bulk Oil Storage Tanks , Free Zone Enclave and the Power Plants as well as many business concerns, were located.
He made a passionate appeal to all citizens not to dispense instant justice to suspected criminals but to hand them over to the police for thorough investigations and the necessary action.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
BORDER REVENUE COLLECTION TO BE AUTOMATED (PAGE 28)
A Chief Inspector of taxes at the headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service, Mr Boakye Yiadom, has said that the present system of revenue collection on the borders , ports and entry points in the country is to be automated to remove all forms of malpractices associated with it.
Under the new system, issuance of Income Tax receipts will no more be operational at the port and the banks will issue their receipts on line in place of the present IRS140B system.
Mr Yiadom was addressing representatives of importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies at a forum in Tema on Monday to introduce to them a new system of operation and the integration of one-per cent withholding tax payment at the ports, borders and entry points and channelling it into the GCNet collection system.
He noted that abuses identified in the old system due to high level of manipulation included clearance of goods with fake tax clearance certificates, forged documents and fake tax receipts.
Mr Yiadom explained that the service introduced an administrative directive in 2001 allowing first time importers to pay one per cent on value of goods as tax to correct the situation but it could not eliminate the fraudulent activities at the revenue collecting points.
He said the Service had, as a result, decided to get hooked to the GCNet and the Ghana Customs Monitoring System (GCMS) at all entry points, where the GCNet/GCMS systems operated, in order to run on a system without any human limitations.
Mr Yiadom said the IRS expected to increase further its revenue collection and also enhance its operations by removing human delays and winding processing of clearance documents.
He said under the new system, IRS and CEPS would be partners in removing fraud and facilitate trade, noting that there were many cases of fraud and forgery of tax documents pending at the courts.
Mr Yiadom said the seriousness of the situation had necessitated the introduction of the new system by the service to curb those fraudulent incidents.
Mr Yiadom advised importers to pay up their tax obligations to enable them to be in good standing with the IRS to qualify to be fed into the GCNet system and be updated periodically.
He announced that those who qualified would be exempted from payment of one per cent on the value of goods imported.
Mr Yiadom explained that the criteria used to determine a taxpayer in good standing with the service included being registered with the Service, and regular filing of personal or company tax returns.
He was of the view that for any port to attract vessels and imports in significant quantities, the turnaround time of that port must be low and the Internal Revenue Service was therefore making all efforts to remove all delays at the entry points.
Mr Patrick Danso of the Management of Information Technology Unit of the Internal Revenue Service cautioned importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies to always demand their tax assessments for the year and not wait for them to be sent to them.
This, he felt, would quicken the pace of processes to enable them to know their status.
Many of the freight forwarders and the importers complained about high tax assessment.
The Councillor of the Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders, Mr Carlors Ahenkorah, called on the IRS to categorise the clearing and shipping agents and asses them on their merit.
Mr Ahenkorah urged the IRS to include the GIFF in their future plans to enable them to give inputs that would help in making well informed decisions, because they were the people who worked there directly at the points and knew the problems.
Under the new system, issuance of Income Tax receipts will no more be operational at the port and the banks will issue their receipts on line in place of the present IRS140B system.
Mr Yiadom was addressing representatives of importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies at a forum in Tema on Monday to introduce to them a new system of operation and the integration of one-per cent withholding tax payment at the ports, borders and entry points and channelling it into the GCNet collection system.
He noted that abuses identified in the old system due to high level of manipulation included clearance of goods with fake tax clearance certificates, forged documents and fake tax receipts.
Mr Yiadom explained that the service introduced an administrative directive in 2001 allowing first time importers to pay one per cent on value of goods as tax to correct the situation but it could not eliminate the fraudulent activities at the revenue collecting points.
He said the Service had, as a result, decided to get hooked to the GCNet and the Ghana Customs Monitoring System (GCMS) at all entry points, where the GCNet/GCMS systems operated, in order to run on a system without any human limitations.
Mr Yiadom said the IRS expected to increase further its revenue collection and also enhance its operations by removing human delays and winding processing of clearance documents.
He said under the new system, IRS and CEPS would be partners in removing fraud and facilitate trade, noting that there were many cases of fraud and forgery of tax documents pending at the courts.
Mr Yiadom said the seriousness of the situation had necessitated the introduction of the new system by the service to curb those fraudulent incidents.
Mr Yiadom advised importers to pay up their tax obligations to enable them to be in good standing with the IRS to qualify to be fed into the GCNet system and be updated periodically.
He announced that those who qualified would be exempted from payment of one per cent on the value of goods imported.
Mr Yiadom explained that the criteria used to determine a taxpayer in good standing with the service included being registered with the Service, and regular filing of personal or company tax returns.
He was of the view that for any port to attract vessels and imports in significant quantities, the turnaround time of that port must be low and the Internal Revenue Service was therefore making all efforts to remove all delays at the entry points.
Mr Patrick Danso of the Management of Information Technology Unit of the Internal Revenue Service cautioned importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies to always demand their tax assessments for the year and not wait for them to be sent to them.
This, he felt, would quicken the pace of processes to enable them to know their status.
Many of the freight forwarders and the importers complained about high tax assessment.
The Councillor of the Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders, Mr Carlors Ahenkorah, called on the IRS to categorise the clearing and shipping agents and asses them on their merit.
Mr Ahenkorah urged the IRS to include the GIFF in their future plans to enable them to give inputs that would help in making well informed decisions, because they were the people who worked there directly at the points and knew the problems.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
GOOD CATCH FOR TEMA FISHERMEN (SPREAD)
Fishermen in Tema yesterday made some modest gains at sea and described the situation as encouraging signs that things were changing for the better after a long period of poor harvest.
They landed average size herrings and salmon, among other species and wished that it continued to enable them to have a good season.
Fish mongers were busy bargaining for the fish while the fishermen dragged away their net for drying, when the Daily Graphic visited the canoe beach at the Tema Fishing Harbour.
The Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, told the news team that each canoe had at least 100 crates of fish.
He, however, declined to comment on whether their gains had anything to do with a reduction in the practice of pair trawling by bigger vessels. He, however, said the leadership of the fishermen were meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector. He noted that the fishermen had already had series of meetings with the ministry and expressed the hope that the response would yield positive results for the sector.
Interviews conducted by the Daily Graphic revealed that over the past four years, the fishing season had been lean and then with occasional good harvest that lasted for only a short while.
Those interviewed felt the big vessels were withdrawing from their activities, which hindered the work of the local fishermen, and refuted the allegation that they used light at sea.
The fishmongers rushed for the fish and were optimistic that the cost of fish would come down, if the season continued as it did yesterday. In an earlier chat with an elder at the fishing harbour, Attah Anum Gbegbemi, he said there were more than 500 canoes at the beach.
He said they had for the past four years not had any constant catch at the canoe beach and blamed it on pair trawling and use of light in fishing.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen because they had the expertise in local fishing.
For the first time in a long while, plastic crates were found filled with fish for sale to the fishmongers.
They landed average size herrings and salmon, among other species and wished that it continued to enable them to have a good season.
Fish mongers were busy bargaining for the fish while the fishermen dragged away their net for drying, when the Daily Graphic visited the canoe beach at the Tema Fishing Harbour.
The Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, told the news team that each canoe had at least 100 crates of fish.
He, however, declined to comment on whether their gains had anything to do with a reduction in the practice of pair trawling by bigger vessels. He, however, said the leadership of the fishermen were meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector. He noted that the fishermen had already had series of meetings with the ministry and expressed the hope that the response would yield positive results for the sector.
Interviews conducted by the Daily Graphic revealed that over the past four years, the fishing season had been lean and then with occasional good harvest that lasted for only a short while.
Those interviewed felt the big vessels were withdrawing from their activities, which hindered the work of the local fishermen, and refuted the allegation that they used light at sea.
The fishmongers rushed for the fish and were optimistic that the cost of fish would come down, if the season continued as it did yesterday. In an earlier chat with an elder at the fishing harbour, Attah Anum Gbegbemi, he said there were more than 500 canoes at the beach.
He said they had for the past four years not had any constant catch at the canoe beach and blamed it on pair trawling and use of light in fishing.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen because they had the expertise in local fishing.
For the first time in a long while, plastic crates were found filled with fish for sale to the fishmongers.
Monday, September 1, 2008
FIRE AT TEMA FISHING HARBOUR (PAGE 3)
FIRE destroyed 36 stalls and their wares at the Tema Fishing Harbour European Market last Saturday.
Property destroyed included fishing nets and accessories, personal belongings and alcoholic beverages with cost running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
Also destroyed completely were the offices of Edwill Daily Savings (Susu) Enterprise, a susu savings company that serves the fishing community in Tema.
Some people were said to have suffered electric shocks during the accident while one victim was said to have collapsed but was later revived.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene, people were desperately searching through the debris to recover what was left of their items.
The European Market situated across the street near Pioneer Food Cannery is a shed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority provided many years back for the sale of fish to consumers which now houses fuel depots, lorry parks, chop bars, drinking bars and garages.
According to the Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in Tema, Mr Prince Billy Anaglate, at about 1.00 a.m. on Saturday, a distress call announcing the fire outbreak was made to the fire station.
He said when the team of firemen arrived at the scene, the fire was very intense and, therefore, the Electricity Company of Ghana was contacted to turn off power serving the area.
Mr Anaglate said the National Fire Service was assisted by the Ports and Harbours Authority Fire Service and said it took the firemen two hours to bring the fire under control.
Mr Anaglate said the real cause of the fire was under investigation but said a lit mosquito coil was suspected to have contributed to the fire.
Property destroyed included fishing nets and accessories, personal belongings and alcoholic beverages with cost running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
Also destroyed completely were the offices of Edwill Daily Savings (Susu) Enterprise, a susu savings company that serves the fishing community in Tema.
Some people were said to have suffered electric shocks during the accident while one victim was said to have collapsed but was later revived.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene, people were desperately searching through the debris to recover what was left of their items.
The European Market situated across the street near Pioneer Food Cannery is a shed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority provided many years back for the sale of fish to consumers which now houses fuel depots, lorry parks, chop bars, drinking bars and garages.
According to the Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in Tema, Mr Prince Billy Anaglate, at about 1.00 a.m. on Saturday, a distress call announcing the fire outbreak was made to the fire station.
He said when the team of firemen arrived at the scene, the fire was very intense and, therefore, the Electricity Company of Ghana was contacted to turn off power serving the area.
Mr Anaglate said the National Fire Service was assisted by the Ports and Harbours Authority Fire Service and said it took the firemen two hours to bring the fire under control.
Mr Anaglate said the real cause of the fire was under investigation but said a lit mosquito coil was suspected to have contributed to the fire.
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