The Ghana Community Network Service Limited (GCNet) says it is preparing to shut down its system at the Tema Port on Monday June 1, 2020 to pave way for the implementation of the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS).
A source at the company said the move was to give way for UNIPASS, now ICUMS to take over single window operations at the port.
The Acting Commissioner General of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah in a letter to the existing vendors and the various port stakeholders, instructed that from Monday June 1, 2020, all transactions without exception in respect of import/export shall only be processed from ICUMS.
The source said the shutdown was to comply with the government’s directive in order to allow UNIPASS/ICUM to take over single window operations at the various ports in this country, including Tema and KIA.
It would be recalled that the GRA in collaboration with the Ghana Link Network Services Limited and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) had successfully conducted a simulation exercise for the new ICUMS.
The exercise which included the Meridian Port Services (MPS) Limited, Ghana Shippers Authority, Shipping Lines, National Security, Narcotics Control Board, Food and Drugs Authority, Bank of Ghana( BoG), Ghana Standard Authority, Free Zones Authority and all other stakeholders at the Port of Tema aimed at testing the ICUMS ability to aid the free flow of both import and export.
It was also to test the response time in dealing with the simulated incident when multiple government entities are involved in to react immediately upon request, based on a scenario involving the grounding of a vessel due to an oil spill that could have environmental repercussions on the ports marine wildlife.
The Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Marfo who was part of the delegation of government officials to observe the simulation and stressed test expressed his satisfaction of progress of work so far in the implementation of the project but also charged the Ghana Revenue Authority GRA to ensure that the ICUMS has a smooth take-off.
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