The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has raised serious concerns about Parliament’s recent approval of an agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and TRUEDARE Investments Limited for the introduction of a digital customs tracking and artificial intelligence (AI) audit system.

TAGG stated that the deal, which is intended to supplement the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), requires urgent public scrutiny in the interest of transparency, value for money, and its potential long-term impact on traders and consumers.

According to reports from the Finance Committee of Parliament and various media outlets, the agreement aims to introduce a digital inspection system for tracking imported cargo containers, strengthen documentation and monitoring processes, and improve revenue mobilisation.

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Government sources have maintained that the system will operate at no additional cost to the state, a claim TAGG says should be carefully examined given the scale and sensitivity of customs operations.

TAGG notes that ICUMS, operational since 2020, was designed as a comprehensive, end-to-end electronic customs platform. The system already incorporates risk assessment, cargo tracking, post-clearance audits, and data analytics aimed at reducing costs, limiting human discretion, and curbing revenue leakages.

In the group’s view, any assertion that ICUMS has fundamental gaps requiring a parallel system must be supported by publicly available technical assessments.

TAGG argues that without full disclosure of the analyses that informed the new agreement, stakeholders are left with unanswered questions.

The group insists that transparency is especially critical where customs reforms can directly influence the cost of imports, the ease of doing business, and ultimately the prices paid by consumers across the country.

As part of its inquiry, TAGG reviewed official corporate records of TRUEDARE Investments Limited in Cyprus. The group reports that the company was incorporated on 28 December 2024 and lists its business activities as general trade, with no clear indication of specialisation in customs technology, artificial intelligence, or digital inspection systems.

TAGG further noted that the company’s issued share capital stands at €1,545, with ownership attributed to two individual shareholders resident in the European Union and one former corporate shareholder.

According to the records reviewed, there is no evidence of significant assets or encumbrances that would typically be associated with a firm undertaking a large-scale national digital infrastructure project.

These findings, TAGG said, raise questions about the technical capacity, financial strength, and overall suitability of TRUEDARE Investments Limited to deliver a system that could significantly influence Ghana’s customs administration and revenue collection framework.

In light of these concerns, TAGG is calling on Parliament, the Ministry of Finance, and the GRA to make public the full agreement, procurement process, and technical justifications underpinning the deal.

The group maintains that customs reforms must be driven by the public interest and subjected to the highest standards of accountability, given their direct impact on traders, consumers, and the broader economy.

SP/JE

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