Importers in Ethiopia express concerns about the escalating charges associated with high-rate rental containers, reporting that these costs increase daily.
Customs officials indicate that they will not resolve the issue this week and have yet to provide a viable solution. Importers must retrieve their goods, but this requires them to pay more than double the taxes they previously owed due to a newly issued directive that replaces the customs commission declaration.
The customs commission claims that they will address the situation within the current eight-day period. However, importers argue that no real change has occurred. Goods registered before the recent dollar increase remain unresolved, and importers continue to face difficulties in Ethiopia with their current operations. The daily accumulation of demerage fees for rental containers keeps rising.
On August 14, 2024, the customs commission made some amendments and verbally ordered the release of goods registered after July 29, 2024. However, some importers have not received the necessary customs release letters, causing issues with the release process.
During discussions, the commission acknowledged the potential negative consequences of delays and emphasized the need for a prompt resolution. Mr. Zerihun Assefa from the Directorate of Communication of the Customs Commission stated that they are actively working on the issue and anticipate providing an update soon.
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