A member of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), Mr. Patrice Napolie Afotey-Anang has disclosed that the inability of most stakeholders to adapt to the new system is the major challenge as ICUMS is doing well since its implementation.
He stated that though they projected hitches at the beginning of the implementation of the new platform, most players had issues with using the system because they were not adaptive and were equally sceptical about its functionality.
He, however, assured that the technical team, in partnership with the operators, had outlined a continuous engagement programme following the hitches to get the importers and agents to understand the various clearance models of the ICUMS.
Since the deployment of ICUMS popularly known as UNIPASS on April 1, the Takoradi port has recorded about 1,116 Bills of Entry (BOEs).
According to Mr. Afotey-Anang, the processing of import declarations has progressed much more within six weeks since the commencement of operations.
He further appreciated the simplicity of the system compared to the Ghana Community Network (GCNet) platform and the system of West Blue. He indicated that importers and agents are able to do all activities on one platform as against the past where they entered some documentations on GCNet platform, and others in the system of West Blue.
A BOE is a declaration by an importer or exporter of the exact nature, quantity and value of goods that have or are being shipped to a particular port.
Mr Afotey-Anang expressed enthusiasm at how far the system had come and is hopeful about a brighter future for ICUMS.
“This is encouraging, looking at the initial challenges the system faced,” Mr Afotey-Anang said.
The Takoradi port which is the second largest port and controls about 35 percent of the country’s cash inflow from import and export, adds to the growth being recorded at the Tema Port, raising hopes in the efficacy of the new system after the initial hiccup.
Continuous training
Mr Afotey-Anang stated that the inability of stakeholders to adapt to the new system has caused the Tema Port to still operate with the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS) which is operated by the GCNet. Due to this, most officers detailed to work on valuation of declarations which were ordinarily filed through the ICUMS, instead reverted to the use of the GCMS, which they were more conversant with, leaving documentations on importers in Takoradi unattended to.
Work in progress
The Commissioner of Customs, Col Kwadwo Damoah (rtd), explained that their attention was drawn to the system’s failure to automatically select examination officers, and “we have raised that, including other pertinent challenges that have been experienced, to the Korean developers, and it has received the needed attention”.
Col Damoah said Customs was temporarily setting up a team of officers who had a better understanding of the ICUMS to attend to the needs of the importers in Takoradi.
The Vice-Chairman and Secretary of the Takoradi Branch of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Mr Derrick Agbodjan and Nana Konadu Boakye respectively, also stated separately in an interview that, they did not expect the system to be faultless instantaneously, but stressed that operators would continue to engage and train importers.
