The National Welfare Officer of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA), Mr. Benjamin Yeboah has said that Ghanaian businesses should expect an increase in the prices of goods and commodities as tariffs at the port have been increased.
He was speaking in a phone interview with Happy FM’s Kwame Afrifa Mensah on the “Epa Hoa Daben” show.
“The increase in tariffs at the ports will affect business in Ghana. This is because as importers, we are not Father Christmas. Immediately you put out any increment, we will pass it on to the consumer. That is our worry because we wonder if the final consumer is ready to take up any increment”, he said.
According to him, the traders’ union is already overburdened with many levies and as such the new tariff to be introduced will be a huge blow. He thus called on government to address the situation before it gets out of hand.
The Meridian Port Services, operators of the new Terminal 3 at the Tema Port, made a proposal to the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority earlier this year for an upward adjustment of tariffs on container handling due to what it considers to be a fulfilment of an agreement in a contract with GPHA.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah