Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN)
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has postponed the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN) to October 15, 2018.
The leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) planned to direct its members to close their shops across country during a press conference yesterday in Accra.
But President Akufo-Addo met them at the Jubilee House a day earlier to deliberate on the issues.
It would be recalled that from Monday to Wednesday, freight forwarders embarked on a strike action at the country’s ports in protest against what they termed government’s unilateral decision to impose additional duties in the form of Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN) on importers effective September 1, this year.
The traders argued that the introduction of CTN would have amounted to double taxation which would have negatively affected their businesses.
Dr Joseph Obeng, President of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) said: “I am humbled by the timely intervention of President Akufo-Addo and his deep sense of maturity exhibited at the meeting with us on this matter. We believe this will culminate into a mutual discussion and concrete arrangement on the right things to do over the next six weeks.”
The unsigned public notice issued by the GRA on Thursday to announce the postponement of the CTN implementation noted: “Following consultations between Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and key stakeholders, the Commissioner-General wishes to inform the trading public, importers, freight forwarders, shipping lines and other stakeholders that the effective date for the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Notes has been rescheduled to 15th October 2018.”
The postponement of the implementation date, it explained, was to allow more consultation and sensitization of all stakeholders with the view to building and deepening understanding and consensus and address all concerns raised by the trading community before the new date of the implementation of the CTN.
The Commissioner-General also announced that there would be no fees or charges applicable to importers or shippers in Ghana or elsewhere and that any fees charged to any importer so far in association with the implementation of the CTN would be reimbursed by the Ghana Revenue Authority.
The Authority also informed all shippers abroad that henceforth the “No CTN, No Load” policy had been rescheduled until October 15th.
Organisations, which took part in the strike action, included GUTA, Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG), Association of Customs House Agents Ghana, Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana and the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, among others.
By Samuel Boadi