Mohammed Awal in a group photograph with the GCNet team
“Ghana needs to be faster and swifter in her responses to global trade processes and keep its enviable track record of becoming a trade hub in the sub region and beyond. Government is therefore focused on its agenda to expedite action on policies to boost business growth, create jobs and bring in more revenue for development.”
Business Development Minister Mohammed Awal shared these sentiments when he received the General Manager of the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet), Alwin Hoegerle, at his office.
Explaining the rationale for the establishment of the Business Development Ministry, Mr Awal indicated that his critical priority is to ensure business growth by working with all stakeholders in the private sector space to create a network of relationships that would attract investments, unleash the potential of the entrepreneurial spirit in the Ghanaian private sector and improve Ghana’s ranking on the World Bank Doing Business Index
In response, Mr Hoegerle shared the GCNet’s experience of deploying innovative single window e-solutions in Ghana for the past 15 years, including the Customs Trade Net Single Window which integrates all industry players involved in trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation.
He disclosed that the deployment of other e-solutions, including the Ghana Integrated Cargo Clearance Systems (GICCS), e-MDA Portal, i- Transit, e- Tax, TRIPS and e-Registration portal have remarkably contributed to improvements in the processes of doing business in Ghana, thereby, impacting significantly on trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation.
The Product Development Manager of GCNet, Carl Sackey, in his contribution highlighted the added value of GCNet’s e-solutions such as the Letter of Commitment (LOC) module for the Bank of Ghana in the e-MDA portal which has significantly impacted on foreign exchange repatriation of exports proceeds, thereby, boosting government revenue streams. He announced some other deployments to government at no cost to the country.
Mr Hoegerle called on Mr Mohammed to brief him on matters of mutual benefit to the nation, the ministry and GCNet.
The interactions focused on how the two institutions could collaborate to help government realise its vision of expanding the revenue base and increasing collection to finance its development agenda.