GHPA boss, West Blue boss discuss trade facilitation issues

The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Paul Ansah and the CEO of West Blue Consulting, Mark Addo have discussed trade facilitation issues in a bid to inject efficiency into the clearance chain.

Paul Ansah’s working visit to the offices of West Blue consulting, the technical service providers for the customs division, GRA in the implementation of the Ghana national single window, followed an earlier visit by West Blue officials to GPHA to introduce the new CEO, Mark Addo to the Director General.

Paul Ansah was taken through the upgraded Joint Inspection Management Information System (JIMIS) platform expected to be rolled out soon.

The updated JIMIS has a risk and an intelligent based system which guides customs officers or field officers with information in respect to agencies going to inspect containers or goods.

The system has also been upgraded to send alerts to Customs and other regulatory agencies in real time via sms.
The Director General of GPHA, Paul Asare Ansah said an integrated harmonized Standard Operating Procedure has to be adopted for all regulatory agencies to comply with.

He said there should be no room for late inspection as the upgraded JIMIS will expose all agencies causing inefficiencies in the system.

“Customs must take ownership and develop the SOPs together with the other agencies so that if we talk about real time access to that information and invitation for the joint examination, it will be real time for that matter,” he said.

He stressed the need for the country to focus on the export processes to bring about competiveness and to reduce the time and cost of doing business in Ghana.
“We should not give room for 2 or 3 to do the joint examination and then the others would lay ambush at the gate. Let’s develop the system in such a way that, we will not give room for late examination. Everybody must be there,” he added.

GPHA, according to him is working on forming a stakeholder coalition to draw up a 5 year strategic action plan so as to grow the export trade.
The CEO of West Blue Consulting, Mark Addo said his outfit is working with all stakeholders and regulatory agencies to shorten the steps and procedures for clearing goods at the Ports.

His outfit, according to him is also studying the customs processes to achieve a holistic value chain approach with regards to the clearing of goods
Mark Addo said the export trade would be looked at to ensure proper revenue is generated for the country.

“That would be the true engine of growth for this country. That is where, if you are a country, we are really going to be less dependent financially that is through export. We have to absolutely work hard to streamline processes so that people can export and find ways of supporting them,” he said.