OTAL - Ghana

Procedures for Destination Inspection of Imports
Issued by Dan Abodakpi (MP) Minister - 7/2/00

i) It is hereby notified for the information of all importers, commercial banks, Clearing, Forwarding and all Shipping Agents that the following procedures for Destination Inspection of Imports will apply with effect from Saturday 1st April 2000.
ii) Importers should notify their overseas suppliers of the provisions of this notice.
iii) The Government of Ghana having abolished the pre-shipment inspection (PSI) with effect from 31st March, 2000 has instituted a Destination Inspection Scheme involving Computerised Risk Management and Container x-ray Scanning System among other measures.

iv) The Government has engaged the services of the following Inspection Agencies - please click here for the list.

1. All imports, irrespective of their mode of financing, shall be subject to Destination Inspection by the accredited Inspection Agencies unless specifically exempted by the Minister of Trade and Industry or fall within the exemption list below:
a Personal; household or removal articles including a motor vehicle
b Supplies for diplomatic missions and United Nations organisations not involving the provision of foreign exchange from Ghana
c Gold, precious stones, objects of art, explosives and pyrotechnic products, arms, ammunition, weapons, implements of war imported by the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service, live animals, trade samples, foodstuffs from neighboring African countries, fresh or frozen fish caught in Ghanaian waters by Ghanaian owned vessels
d Scrap metals
e Goods imported by parcel post not exceeding $2000
f Crude oil

2. All orders covered by Import Declaration Forms (IDFs) submitted to GSBV, Cotecna, SGS. ITS on or before 31st March, 2000 will be subject to Pre- Shipment Inspection (PSI) provided they are shipped before 30th June, 2000.
3. From the 1st April 2000, PSI companies will not accept IDF's from importers/agents.
4. All Import Declaration Forms for submission to GSBV and GSL as from 1st April 2000 will be processed through the Destination Inspection Scheme.
5. Importers shall pay to the Government an inspection fee of 1% of the total dutiable CIF value of the goods to be imported at the same time that duties are being paid.
6. From 1st April, 2000 all IDF's for shipments by sea will be submitted to GSL and will be subject to the destination inspection scheme.
7. From 1st April, 2000 all IDFs for shipments by air and through land borders shall be submitted to GSBV and will be subject to the Destination Inspection Scheme.
8. From 1st April, 2000 all imports will require a Final Customs Valuation report (FCVR). GSL and GSBV will be responsible for issuing FCVRs for all IDFs dated 1st April 2000 onwards.
9. All CRFs issued under the current PSI scheme will remain valid until 30th June, 2000. From 1st July, 2000 goods arriving at the port and accompanied by a CRF will be subject to the new customs procedures and therefore will require a new IDF to be filled with GSL for sea imports and GSBV for air and land imports.
10. Importers will not be permitted to clear through customs any goods which are subject to destination inspection without a corresponding FCVR.
11. Commercial Banks and authorized dealers are hereby advised that documents required for the payment of imports under documentary Bills for collection shall include Final Customs Valuation Report (FCVR). Commercial Banks and authorised dealers should notify their correspondent banks abroad that FCVR issued by an Inspection Agency not accredited to conduct Destination Inspection in Ghana will not be accepted.
12. Importers are advised to inform sellers/exporters of the labelling requirements of Ghana
13. Importers are further advised that where goods inspected by the accredited Inspection Agency do not conform to the specifications on the inspection order, the labelling requirements of Ghana and with Ghana Standards or International Standards, where Ghana Standards do not exist, shall be re-exported at the expense of the importer/exporter.
14. Contracts between Importers and Sellers must give effect to the provisions of this Notice and the following Rules of procedure relating to Destination Inspection which form an integral part of this Notice.

15. Importers must submit for each inspection an Inspection Order in the form of a fully completed original copy of the Import Declaration Form (IDF) together with two copies of the supporting proforma Invoice and any other relevant documents.
16. Import Declaration Forms will continue to be available on sale at the following locations;
A. Ministry of Trade and Industry Head Office, Accra
B. All Ministry of Trade and Industry regional Offices
C. Entry Points - Afloa, Bawku, Elubo, Gonokrom, Honuta, Kotoka International Airport, Nyive, Paga, Shia and Tema
D. Head offices of the following banks:

17. The Inspection Order shall be submitted to the appropriate Inspection Agency's office twenty one days prior to the arrival of the goods in Ghana.
18. An Inspection Order which is incomplete or illegible shall be rejected.
19. The inspection order shall include the following information:

a Quantity of the goods
b Ghana standards, specifications as to the quality and packaging of the goods
c Full description of each item together with the corresponding Harmonised System Customs Code. If the space available on the IDF for the description of goods is insufficient, Importers will be required to submit the necessary details by annexing the specification, contract or other suitable documents
d The unit and extended prices, freight and ancillary charges together together with the FOB and CFR/CIF totals
e Country of supply
f Details of the mode of transportation (ie air, sea, road, railroad)
g Name and telephone/fax numbers of the person to be contacted to arrange Destination Inspection

20. The importer shall provide the Inspection Agency with a copy of the final Invoice, Purchase Order, Price Lists, Packaging Lists, the Contract between the Seller and Importer or any other document relevant to the transaction which the Inspection Agency may deem necessary for the inspection ten days prior to the arrival of the goods in Ghana.
21. Imports will be subject to 'X' Ray Scanning and Computerised Risk Management System both at the sea and air ports as well as the land borders.
22. The following goods will be subject to physical/laboratory examination on arrival by GSBV.

a Food items
b Alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages
c Pharmaceuticals
d Chemicals
e Second-hand goods
f Electrical appliances and accessories - electric cables and cords, switches, socket and plugs, electric pressing irons and kettles, incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes and dry cell batteries
g Pyrotechnic products
h Arms and ammunition and explosives imported by individuals and organisations other than the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service

23. IDFs covering goods mentioned in Para 22 above are to be submitted to GSL when imported by sea.
24. The Inspection Agency shall pursuant to the inspection, issue one of the following reports of Findings:
A. Final Customs Valuation Report (FCVR) if the inspection yields a satisfactory result
B. A Gateway Lock (GWL) if the inspection reveals discrepancies which cannot be rectified by the importer
25. The Importer must present his original copy of the FCVR to the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at the time of clearing the goods.
26. The Importer shall pay CEPS at the time of clearance the inspection fee specified in Para 5.
27. Further information or clarification may be obtained from the Chief Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry, PO Box M 47, Accra (Tel: 660695)

The information given in this document has been given in good faith and believed to be correct at the time of writing. Please verify these facts with other relevant sources before using this as the basis of any action taken as we regret we cannot accept liability for an consequences due to inaccuracies in this information.

"THE CARRIER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISSING OR INCORRECT IDR/CRI NUMBERS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY REMAINS WITH THE MERCHANT. ANY FINES/ PENALTIES LEVIED AGAINST THE CARRIER ARE FOR THE MERCHANT'S ACCOUNT."