The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Paul Ansah has made a startling revelation that the country is operating a double window at the country’s ports contrary to the planned single window platform.
According to him, the dual mandate being carried out by the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet) and the West Blue Consulting, has led to the duplication of functions.
The Director General also argues that the development has contributed to the excessive delays at the ports over the numerous procedures of conducting business at the country’s ports.
Mr. Paul Ansah who was speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show also stressed the need to synchronize all of such duplications and reduce the turnaround time for business registrations.
“We are supposed to have a single window and we are having two organizations providing single window services; the GCNet and the WestBlue. So in effect we do not have a single window but double window. So that double window must really be synchronized into one single window and then we can say we are making progress,” he asserted.
The past NDC government collapsed the operations of the Destination Inspection Companies (DICs) which were responsible for Import Classification and Valuation at the country’s ports.
The work of the DICs was replaced with West Blue Consulting.
Developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the Single Window Concept is aimed at harmonizing and standardizing international trade procedures to enhance trade among governments.
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has in recent times complained about the excessive delays at the ports.
In his view, the long procedures have also served as grounds for corruption.
He has since argued for the status quo to change to reduce the turnaround time for businesses to make Ghana competitive.
Mr. Paul Ansah also believes that if the dual roles carried out by the two institutions are completely merged, the ports should stand as one of the best performing across the sub-region.
“So the service providers’ way of doing things; that is where it begins if we get it right…At the end of the day they are supposed to have one system or platform upon which all transactions emanate but to have one window for one purpose and another for another purpose, just doesn’t add up,” he explained.
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana