The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has indicated that import duties generated for government in June last month was pegged at GHc1.2 billion. According to the data which emerged from its Custom Division, the figures churned out represented accrued revenue since the introduction and usage of the controversial Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) into Ghana.
Comparatively, GRA indicated that prior to the usage of the new system, the National Single Window System operated by GCNet in partnership with West Blue Consulting, was making a monthly average amount of GHc940 million.
Per the new data, government’s firmness in using the new platform seems justified in spite of the brewing dissatisfaction and occasional technical glitches the ports faces, as they invariably affected transactions and fomented delays in customers clearing of goods.
Quite expectedly, government officials are excited about the revenue performance indicating that it has its sterling performance in the face of the hostile impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on trade volumes.
They also posited that, this further proves the recording of a much better revenue performance once the pandemic eases down.
As the pandemic grates on, public revenue collection has become even more essential for government as the coronavirus has impeded most of its activities, re-prioritizing needs to health and social interventions.
While revenue collection data for the sea ports, which are the biggest channels for importation and thus the biggest sources of import duties are not yet available, data for Kotoka International Airport and the land points of entry indicate sharply rising revenues.
For instance import duty revenues from KIA for June, at GHc55.4 million, was up 20 percent over the GHc46 million generated in June 2019, when trade activities were not inhibited by travel and trade restrictions.
Similarly, the data further suggested that utilization of ICUMS is gradually overcoming the major operational shortcomings that has bedeviled its preliminary commencement as revenues are rising sharply by the month.
For instance, revenue from the Aflao land border for June was GHc4, 718,082.8, up from just GHc791, 183.50 in March when ICUMS was going through an unsatisfactory pilot phase. Similarly revenue generated in June from the Elubo land border was GHc4, 038.105.31, up from GHc637, 462.78 in March. Even more instructively, whereas no significant revenue was generated from the Jamestown Customs office in March, it reached GHc9, 523,556 in June.
ICUMS challenges trouble clearing agents
The Ghana Freight Forwarders Association, on June 26, 2020 expressed their frustration over the ineffectiveness of the ICUMS system. Some freight forwarders at the Tema Port registered their displeasure with the implementation of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) which they blame for increased rent charges and demurrage.
According to them, their complaints against the ICUMS is directed at the absurd system with no political underpinnings.
Speaking on the issue, Mr. John Kweku Mensah, a council member of the Ghana Freight Forwarders Association said it was not fair that importers were being made to pay for the cost of an inefficient system which was ‘fraught with delays’.
