The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to suspend the newly introduced Ghana Easy Pass Programme, warning that the import verification system will increase the cost of doing business and ultimately drive up consumer prices.
In a statement issued on Monday, the association criticised the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) for making pre-export conformity assessment mandatory for goods entering the country, describing the measure as an unnecessary regulatory burden on businesses already facing significant operational challenges.
According to FABAG, the new programme duplicates the work of existing state institutions responsible for inspecting imported goods and ensuring compliance with national standards.
The association argued that agencies such as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) already possess the legal mandate and technical capacity to inspect and test imported products.
It maintained that if these institutions are facing operational difficulties, government should invest in strengthening their capacity rather than introducing an additional layer of import verification.
“It is difficult to understand why government would seek to impose another layer of bureaucracy and cost on importers when existing regulatory institutions are already adequately mandated to ensure product safety and standards,” the association stated.
FABAG warned that importers would now be required to pay additional certification fees and complete conformity assessment procedures before goods are shipped from their countries of origin.
It said the new requirements are likely to increase compliance costs, delay shipments and raise the overall cost of importing goods into Ghana.
According to the association, the additional expenses will inevitably be passed on to consumers through higher retail prices, at a time when households are already facing rising living costs.
FABAG noted that businesses are still recovering from previous regulatory reforms while continuing to contend with high electricity tariffs, elevated lending rates, exchange rate volatility and increasing transportation costs.
“The private sector cannot continue to absorb an endless stream of new costs without serious consequences for investment, employment and consumer prices,” the statement said.
The association also recalled that similar pre-export conformity assessment proposals had previously been rejected following extensive consultations between government and the private sector.
It therefore expressed surprise that the policy had been reintroduced without broader engagement with businesses likely to be affected.
FABAG has consequently appealed directly to President Mahama to intervene by directing the Ghana Standards Authority to suspend implementation of the Ghana Easy Pass Programme and reopen consultations with the business community.
According to the association, collaborative dialogue would help identify practical solutions that strengthen product quality and consumer protection without imposing additional financial burdens on importers and consumers.
FABAG maintained that creating a competitive business environment requires policies that facilitate trade, reduce unnecessary compliance costs and support private sector growth rather than introducing measures that could increase the cost of imported goods.
