VIDEO: Former President Mahama criticizes 'excessive import levies and fees at ports'

Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed astonishment over the number of levies and fees applied to goods cleared at Ghanaian ports.

Speaking to members of the Ghana Union Traders Association (GUTA), Mr. Mahama highlighted the significant financial burden faced by importers, using the example of a 2023 Lexus vehicle to illustrate his point.

During his address, Mahama detailed the various charges imposed on importers, including a 20% import duty, import Value Added Tax (VAT), processing fees, and others.

Importers also have to navigate network charges and associated VAT, a COVID charge, as well as fees from entities such as the Ghana Shippers Authority and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI).

Mahama mentioned the staggering array of charges faced by importers, listing them out, including import duties, VAT, processing fees, ECOWAS Levy, Vehicle Examination Fee, network charges, network charges VAT, network charged COVID, Ghana Shippers Authority fees, Import NHIL, network charge NHIL, GHS disinfection fee, MOTI import declaration fee, Special Import Levy, Ghana Export-Import Bank Levy, Ghana Education Trust Fund, Ghana Education Network charge, African Union Import Levy, COVID Health Recovery Levy, Certification fees, and IRS charges.

“A person imported a car and I am just looking at the charges, this is a 2023 Lexus, these are the charges; 20% import duties, import Value Added Tax (VAT), processing fee, ECOWAS Levy, Vehicle Examination Fee, network charges, network charges VAT, network charged COVID. Oh! I am shocked,” he stated.

“… Then Ghana Shippers Authority, Import NHIL, network charge NHIL, then GHS disinfection fee. MOTI import declaration fee, Special Import Levy, Ghana Export-Import Bank Levy. Ghana Education Trust Fund, Ghana Education Network charge, African Union Import Levy. Then COVID Health Recovery Levy, there is Certification and then IRS,” former President Mahama said.

Watch the video below;