Ashanti car dealers angry over high import duties

THE EXECUTIVE Car Dealers Association in Ashanti Region, have complained bitterly about what they termed as “exorbitant import duties on cars at the port”.

The Chairman of the irate group, Prince Kumi aka ‘Maxi the Car Dealer’, lamented that their businesses are on the brink of collapsing due to the ‘
killer’ duty rates.

According to him, importers and car dealers have continuously complained bitterly about how policies of the government are destroying their businesses but to no avail.

Maxi the Car Dealer said car dealers in the country also contribute to the growth of the economy therefore government should listen to their pleas and act well.

“The killer duties on imported vehicles at the ports have virtually collapsed our businesses and we are appealing to the government to reduce the killer duty rates.

“The killer duty rates aside killing our businesses, is also causing losses for the state as now people are turning to Togo to import their cars, denying the state taxes”.

Maxi the Car Dealer was speaking during the official launching of the Executive Car Dealers Association in Ashanti Region in Kumasi on Saturday evening.

According to him, virtually all the policies of the government seemed to be having negative effects on their group so something should be done about it.

“How do you charge duty on imported cars at the port with a US Dollar rate even though in Ghana we use Cedis to do business?”, he asked with anger on his face.

On his part, New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer hopeful, Kennedy Agyapong, who was at the function, charged government to come to the aid of the car dealers.

According to him, it was true that the exorbitant import duty at the port was killing businesses of car dealers in the country so the government should act appropriately.

COP (Rtd) Kofi Boakye, in his succinct remarks, advised members of the association to rally behind their leader, Maxi the Car Dealer, to move the group forward.