By Awuku Mawulawoe Yaayaa
Sampson Asaki Awingobite, President of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, has expressed concerns about the high cost of the Veterinary Services’ Verification Fee. The fee is meant to ensure the right quantity and quality of frozen animal products imported to prevent the spread of diseases.
Prior to now, Importers paid two thousand Ghana Cedis to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for product inspection.
Currently, the Veterinary Services Department has introduced a charge of four thousand Ghana cedis per container for frozen animal products. Basic services, such as product inspection, cost two hundred cedis, while laboratory tests cost five hundred Ghana cedis to approve the use of imported frozen animal products.
Importers are unhappy with the high levy imposed by the Veterinary Services Department, stating ”it is excessive and should be reduced to facilitate the importation of frozen products”.