GNAAPS warns of impending textbook price hike

With effect from September 2024, the prices of books from pre-schools to senior high schools are expected to see an astronomical increase, members of the Ghana National Association of Authors and Publishers (GNAAPS) have revealed.

In a press conference addressed by John Akwasi Amponsah, the GNAAPS national president, he stated that the current decision is due to the number of unbearable taxes imposed by the NPP government.

Mentioning some of the overburdened taxes by the government, he said industry players are levied a whopping amount of port duties and others such as the COVID-19 and AU levies, among others.

He said that the government's value-added tax (VAT) on books cleared by publishers is 27.5 percent, adding that these charges are making the situation unbearable for publishers.

He stated that the decision to increase the prices of textbooks is to prevent publishers from going out of business and also to ensure commitment to producing quality and globally competitive books for local and international consumption.

According to GNAAPS, the government keeps burdening them with taxes despite an earlier agreement that the importation of foreign printed books attracts no import duties or value-added tax.

"As indicated earlier, per the Florence Agreement in 1950, the importation of indigenously designed but foreign-printed books used to attract no import and value-added tax. The idea, according to the agreement, was to make quality and affordable books for all learners since education is a right.

"However, this, according to our documents at the port, is only in name. We have had to pay other charges at the port that are increasingly making the cost of books unbearable for parents to afford," the president read in a statement.

Announcing the new prices, he said the prices of books will range from GH₵50 to GH₵60 for preschool, GH₵60 to GH₵80 for primary school textbooks, and GH₵80 to GH₵180 for junior and senior high school books.

They also announced that the cash-and-carry system would be the mainstream policy regarding the sale of books at a 25% discount.

Again, credit in exceptional cases shall not extend beyond 40 days from the time of purchase and delivery at a discount of 10%.

GNAAPS members further disclosed that they do not wish for the books to become more expensive. However, these conditions only hold if the government considers the following:

First, review some of its charges that are increasing the cost of books, mentioning COVID-19 and AU levies as examples.

Secondly, withdraw the value-added tax (VAT) from books because it is making book clearing unbearable for publishers.

"We wish to stress that the failure of the government to immediately address the issues will force the association to consider reviewing our prices higher than these, as we will be compelled to share the cost of this VAT with consumers, though it will defeat the purpose of sharing the burden of tax with our clients," they said.