The Importers and Exporters Association is advocating reforms to the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) rather than its outright abolition, emphasising its role in boosting customs revenue and trade efficiency.
Despite concerns over implementing the Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) within ICUMS, the association maintains that the system remains essential for revenue collection. In 2024, ICUMS contributed to an increase in customs revenue, rising to GH¢44.3 billion from GH¢30.6 billion in 2023.
Addressing a press conference, the Executive Secretary of the group, Samson Asaki Awingobit, urged stakeholders to collaborate in refining the system.
Advertisement
He emphasised that the challenges associated with the UCR stemmed from policy-related issues rather than flaws within ICUMS itself.
“It is crucial to emphasise that the concerns surrounding the UCR implementation are not specific to ICUMS but are instead matters of government policy.
As such, addressing these challenges requires a broader policy dialogue at the governmental level,” he said.
ICUMS was introduced and implemented in June 2020, as Ghana’s trade to a single window system.
It was a more efficient system to help resolve the rising cost in port transactions, delayed clearance of goods and a huge leakage in revenue mobilisation.
Also, it was to end the use of multiple online platforms in assessing valuation, classification, risk management and payment, which were jointly managed by the Ghana Community Network Services (GCNet) Ltd and West Blue Consulting at the time.
Mr Awingobit said ICUMS should be seen as a work in progress and supported to become efficient.
“The journey towards a fully integrated and efficient customs management system is a marathon, not a sprint.
ICUMS has already brought us closer to the finish line, and we must not abandon it midway.
Let us remember that every great system evolves, and ICUMS is no exception.
“We appeal to the hearts and minds of all Ghanaians to see ICUMS as a work in progress—a system that is evolving to meet the demands of a dynamic global trade environment,” the Executive Secretary stressed.
Mr Awingobit further emphasised the need to help Ghana Link fix the problems rather than discarding the system, which had shown immense potential for revenue collection.
No comments:
Post a Comment