The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG), Sampson Asaki Awingobit has explained that the reversal of the benchmarks on 43 categories of items could worsen the plight of ordinary Ghanaians.
Mr. Awingobit, speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East explained that the additional costs of importation will be passed on by the importer to the final consumer. He said Ghanaians should be prepared to pay more for the prices of products they depend on that are imported.
“In the previous year, a duty that was supposed to be 42 thousand GHC, because of this reversal, it moved the person from 42 thousand GHC to 77 thousand GHC. Look at the margin. If this is frozen food and this person is selling a carton of frozen chicken for 120, do you think he can still sell it for that price? It will have to quadruple,” he explained.
The Executive Director for IEAG said government’s argument that the reversal of the benchmark values will allow for the growth of the local manufacturing industry is incorrect as government has not been able to make any impactful changes within the sector.
“Has the government been able to, within this short period, change the economic status of Ghanaians? Has the government been able to make us powerful so that our purchasing power will change? I do not think that has been done. I strongly believe that this is not the right time. This is the first quarter of the year and Ghanaians have just come out from the festive period and are to pay fees for their children, buy items for children who are going to universities,” he argued.
He said due to strong agitations, the reversal of the benchmarks which was supposed to take effect from January 4, 2022 was suspended for further consultation. Mr. Asaki Awingobit called on government to continue to dialogue with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that an agreeable decision is reached.
A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
