Second phase of ICUMS implementation to take place in March 2022 – GRA

ICUMS moves ahead despite earlier issues

ICUMS generates GH¢18.1 billion in revenue between June 2020 and April 2021

Second phase of ICUMS roll out to include new modules – GRA

The Ghana Revenue Authority has said it intends to move ahead with implementation of the second phase for the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) at the ports by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

According to the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Suspense Regimes at the Customs Division of the Authority, Emmanuel Ohene said the move is geared towards raking in significant revenue for the county.

In an interaction with Citi Business News, the Deputy Commissioner detailed that the second phase of the ICUMS rollout will include a number of new modules at the ports.

“The second phase includes the advanced passenger information system which will be a tool for risk management for all the various stakeholders of interest such as the airports. We will profile the passengers and their cargo and determine the kind of treatment they should be subjected by based on their risk levels. We also have the auction module which has been completed and is in the test stage now. When deployed, all our auction processes will be automated,” Emmanuel Ohene is quoted by Citi Business News.

He continued, “Again, we have the electronic wallet which is also at a very near stage of completion where refunds that are due importers will be credited to the electronic wallet which they could use for payment of taxes at a future date. Most of the modules have completed production and are in the test stages. Some we are expecting to deploy by the end of this month and for others, latest by the end of the first quarter [March 2022].”

As part of efforts to boost trade facilitation at the ports and increase revenue, government in March 2020 deployed a single-window project dubbed; The Integrated Customs Management System.

The deployment of ICUMS at the ports which is being facilitated and operated by the Customs Division of the GRA is said to have generated GH¢18.1 billion in revenue for government between June 2020 and April 2022.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, has set a tax target of GH¢80.3 billion for the 2022 revenue collection year, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The Authority plans to achieve this target by leveraging on digitization at the ports and implementing a number of tax regimes across key sectors of the economy.