The newly deployed Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) has generated GHC490 million in its first 17 days of operation, the Ghana Revenue Authority has said.
The GRA says the country is not losing any revenue through the implementation of ICUMS at the ports.
This is despite the teething challenges that bedevilled the system in its first weeks of operation at the ports after taking over from West Blue and the Ghana Community Network (CGNet) customs management systems.
The Ghana Community Network’s (CGNet’s) average monthly revenue intake was GHC942 million monthly between January and May this year, when the old system deployed by GCNet was in use at the country’s entry points.
The Acting Commissioner General of the GRA, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, announced these figures at a media briefing in Accra to clear misconceptions that Ghana is losing revenue due to the deployment of ICUMS.
He was categorical that the state is not losing any revenue at entry points into the country, as ICUMS is working creditably.
“Looking at this trend, it is obvious that the authority will not be losing revenue as being highlighted by some sections of society,” he said.
“These numbers paint a very optimistic picture which speaks for itself. I wish to use this opportunity to assure the trading public that these are teething challenges which are associated with the introduction of every new system,” he said.
While admitting that there had been difficulties with the system, the Commissioner General said most of these problems were being fixed to allow for seamless operation.
He identified the failure of Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) to populate, co-loading and manifest matching the issue of customs Bills of Entry (BoEs) as some of the teething problems.
On the issue of TINs not populating at the front end of a declarant, he explained, “As we speak, TINs have been populated on ICUMS for easy retrieval.”
Owusu-Amoah said alternative arrangements have been made for importers still experiencing challenges with co-loading and manifest matching.
Favourable performance with BoEs
He also said that ICUMS has successfully processed about 53,000 bills of entry (BoEs) nationwide.
Of these, 16,000 BoEs have been submitted at the Tema Port, with over 12,000 relating to pre-manifest processes.
He added that about 11,000 BoEs have been processed successfully at the Tema Port. Another 5,000 BoEs are at various stages of processing at the Customs Technical Services Bureau (CTSB).
The system, he explained, processes on average 1,500 BoEs daily, a figure he says “compares favourably with what was being processed by the previous system”.
Delays
The Commissioner General also told the press that “about 4,000, that is 25% of the total submissions, delayed for reasons such as unanswered queries by declarants for the necessary supporting documents, manifest mismatch and to effect corrections”.
“These include MDA requirements [from ministries, departments and agencies] such as permits and fees. These queries, as at a week today, were at 40%, but have reduced to 25%.”
As part of measures instituted to ensure a smooth running of the system, Owusu-Amoah said a toll-free number (0800 900 113) has been established to address the concerns of the public.
“ICUMS,” he said, “has been deployed to process all transactions. Every aspect of the system is being utilised.”
He said the revenue outcomes could have been higher if the 25% of queries had been answered and the goods cleared.
On demurrage charges, the Commissioner General said the GRA and the ministry of trade were engaging relevant stakeholders to see what can be done for cases relating to initial challenges in the system.
Owusu-Amoah said the GRA would ensure that all challenges are dealt with as they arise.
“I have full confidence that all staff of the Customs Division will rise to the challenge to make ICUMS a success story and rake in the needed revenue for national development,” he said.
ICUMS is a system built by Universal Pass (UNIPASS). It is specially tailored to Ghana’s situation and provides an end-to-end supply chain solution which incorporates and consolidates the systems currently in operation.
