GUTA to resist common external tariffs, other taxes

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The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has threatened to hit the streets following the adoption and introduction of the Ecowas Common External Tariffs (CET).

According to GUTA, the new law is unfair. GUTA’s threat follows the implementation of the Common External Tariff, which took effect on Monday, February 1, 2016.

CET is to harmonize tariffs being charged in the ECOWAS sub-region.Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, President of GUTA, George Ofori, said government will render traders bankrupt with the implementation of CET, and said Parliament must revise the new tariff to save their businesses.

“We are paying all these taxes that have been mentioned, then you ask yourself; do we deserve an additional tax in the name of harmonization? Absolutely no!” he said.

Mr. Ofori further stated that government has no regard for the views and plight of stakeholders thus, the reason why they are insensitive to their pleas.

According to him, this new law is a horrific government policy and warned that any attempt to impose the tariffs on them will result in a stiff resistance from them.
Some members of the union in an interview with Citi News expressed their dissatisfaction on the new common external tariffs, adding that government will eventually cripple their businesses if nothing is done about it.

According to them, they currently incur more losses with less profit.

They criticized government for turning blind eye to foreigners who have invaded the local trading market and yet are not paying taxes.

“All these foreigners come to trade here for free. Then the government puts all the taxes on us. The taxes are too much. If they cannot deal with these foreigners, maybe we should take it upon ourselves to do that”.

The visibly angry traders called on government to reduce the tax increases and help save their businesses.

Source: Ghana/Citi FM