All import and export transactions to go through ICUMS-UNIPASS effective June 1 – GRA

The Ghana Revenue Authority has announced that, all new transactions in respect of import and export would be processed only through its new Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS), effective June 1, 2020.

The ICUMS otherwise known as Uni-Pass, which is set for a nationwide deployment at all the frontier stations and ports of entry effective Tuesday, April 28, and replaces the systems operated by West Blue Consulting and the Ghana Community Service Network Limited (GCNet), is an upgraded electronic clearing platform that operates as a single entity to provide an end-to-end customs administration.

An official statement issued by the GRA, and signed by the Ag. Commissioner-General of the GRA, Mr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, however asked that all existing transactions that began processing prior to May 31, 2020 that have not been completed in the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS) shall be reprocessed through the new Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS).

“This affects transactions that have been paid before or after duty,” the statement noted.

It further noted that currently, all transactions in respect of import or export manifest can be processed through either the Integrated Customs Management Systems or Ghana Customs Management System for the Tema Port as well as all other entry points.

Full deployment of the new customs administration, ICUMS, brought to an end a process which started in phases on March 1, this year, at selected customs frontier stations and was followed by the deployment of the second phase at the Takoradi Port on April 1, 2020.

The third and final phase, which started at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), the Tema Port and the Petroleum Sector on April 20, 2020, will bring the entire process to a close on Tuesday.

There will also be a clean-up of the other frontier stations where deployment had not been done yet, to bring the entire process to full fruition.

The UNIPASS/ICUMS system

The UNIPASS/ICUMS is a new port clearing system that processes documents and payments through one window: a departure from the previous system where valuation and classification and risk management and payment were handled by different entities.

CUPIA Korea, which is assisting the Customs Division to implement the UNIPASS system, has described it as an enhanced single window system for trade facilitation.

The company replaces the existing service providers, the Ghana Community Network Services (GCNet), which has operated for nearly 17 years, and West Blue Consulting which has also operated for five years. UNIPASS is expected to address key challenges at the ports.

Rejection of UNI-PASS

Following the introduction of the system, there has been strong opposition from various stakeholders within the logistics space and other civil society organisations on the need to stick with the existing single window in order not to severely disrupt trade and revenue flows.

Policy think-tank, IMANI Africa, earlier this month petitioned government to temporarily suspend the operations of UNI-PASS and allow GCNET and West Blue to operate for the remainder of the year to rake in revenue in excess of GHS10 billion for the country considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade activities.

Also the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders questioned the efficacy of system hours to the officiall outdooring of the system at the country’s ports.

Critics of the UNIPASS have also cited the presumed distortions that the new system will bring to the shipping community, especially at a time that the ports’ stakeholders were getting conversant with the Westblue Consulting and GCNet systems, coupled with the impressive gains of the paperless port reforms.