Ghana Link Network Services Limited, operators of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) has denied assertions by the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) that the implementation of the system is fraught with some challenges.
The Public Relations Department of Ghana Link, in a statement, said “The assertions were factually inaccurate”. It explained that it has one of the best states of the art call centre systems, manned by qualified staff to handle all challenges or problems of users of the ICUMS.
“The ICUMS Call Centre staff attends to all Customer issues related to the system and can be reached on 030 275 0140. In addition, we provide client support services through the various Help Desks at the major Custom Offices across the country. The Help Desks are both walk-in and call-in offices.
“ICUMS personnel would always go the extra mile to assist any client who calls our Call Centre or a Help Desk or walks into a Help Desk Office for assistance.”
ICUMS
The company added that if the nature of the request was purely Customs related, clients were directed to reach out to the Ghana Revenue Authority’s -Customs toll-free number on 0800 900 113.
Response to Lack of Regular Training
Responding to the lack of regular training for stakeholders, the Operators expressed surprise, indicating that it just completed ICUMS training programme for declarants in both Tema and KIA for the second quarter of 2022.
Adding that training for Customs House Agents in Tema was held in June and that for Customs House Agents in KIA was held just a week ago, noting that another training was scheduled for August 4- 5 and August 30 for Aflao and Sunyani respectively.
The Company further explained that it is not true that stakeholders did not receive notification of changes in the system as they received information on all major system updates.
The statement added that the first information that greeted a user upon visiting as well as after logging into the ICUMS website, was s a pop-up explaining any anticipated system update.
Responding to the manual entering of permit Ghana Link stressed that the assertion was incorrect explaining that ICUMS auto determines and lists all the Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) such as the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Energy Commission, TIDD, EPA for which applications ought to be made once any of the mandated HS Codes provided by any of these Agencies have been chosen.
The IEAG in an assessment of the system’s two years implementation identified some challenges that needed improvement as the lack of regular training for stakeholders, customer-service issues, and the manual entering of permits for commodities among others.
ICUMS is Ghana’s first end-to-end single window e-customs solution system introduced by the Ghana Revenue Authority as part of the government’s paperless clearance system.
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