The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has second the use of the Publican Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trade Solution at the country’s ports.
According to IEAG, the AI-powered valuation system
has generated more than US$300 million in additional customs revenue since its implementation at Ghana’s ports.
The Association mentioned that the new system had also contributed to a 17.5 per cent increase in assessed customs collections over values originally declared by importers.
Addressing a media conference in Accra, the Executive Secretary of the IEAG, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said the Association’s assessment was based on practical experiences of its members after several months of implementation.
He said approximately 366,000 import declarations had been analysed, with about 24 per cent triggering valuation risk indicators requiring further review.
According to the IEAG, assessed customs collections increased by approximately US$73.44 million in March alone, representing a 25.7 percent uplift.
The Association said the figures demonstrated that technology could significantly improve domestic revenue mobilisation without necessarily introducing new system.
Mr Awingobit said although the Association initially had concerns about stakeholder engagement, transparency, data integrity, system integration and operational readiness, extensive engagements with the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) addressed many of those concerns.
He said the IEAG subsequently supported the implementation of Publican AI because it was convinced that the objectives of the reform were in the national interest.
The Association said the system had helped reduce excessive human discretion in customs valuation and promoted greater consistency and predictability in the assessment of duties.
It, however, called for improvements in the appeals process, continuous calibration of the valuation database, regular stakeholder engagement and additional training for Customs officers, freight forwarders and clearing agents.
Importers cautioned against inflated charges
The IEAG also cautioned importers to independently verify duty assessments communicated to them by freight forwarders and clearing agents.
It said it had received complaints that some unscrupulous agents were allegedly exploiting misunderstandings surrounding the Publican AI system to quote exaggerated customs charges to unsuspecting importers.
The Association therefore urged importers to demand proper documentation and seek clarification whenever they were in doubt.
However, the IEAG seized the opportunity to express concern about persistent container congestion at the Tema Port, saying it was contributing significantly to vehicular and trade traffic within the port enclave and adjoining areas.
It called on the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to accelerate measures to address the problem.
The Association proposed that the GPHA consider not renewing selected leases, where appropriate, and use such spaces to develop ultra-modern container terminal facilities to augment existing facilities at the main port and Terminal Three.
It said additional capacity would improve cargo handling efficiency, reduce congestion and facilitate the smooth movement of goods and vehicles.
The Association further raised concerns over what it described as the apparent disregard by some shipping lines and their agents for the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) directive on the regulated Container Administrative Charge (CAC), also known as the local handling charge.
It said the current regulatory ceiling was GH¢720 per Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) for both import and export containers.
The IEAG warned that charges above the approved ceiling could increase the cost of doing business at the ports and undermine efforts to make Ghana’s ports more competitive.
It consequently appealed to the Minister for Transport to convene an urgent meeting involving the GSA, shipping lines, shipping agents, freight forwarders, importers, exporters and other relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter.
The IEAG further called on the GRA to strengthen its digital services and payment platforms following a recent breakdown of government digital services at the port, particularly the Ghana.gov platform.
The Association said the system was reportedly unavailable for about a week before it was restored, resulting in significant time and financial losses to businesses operating at the port.
It urged the GRA to invest in system resilience, maintenance, technical support and contingency arrangements to ensure uninterrupted port operations.
The Association commended the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the Bank of Ghana (BoG) for what it described as their significant contribution to economic and business stability.
It said GoldBod’s gold trading and related policies had helped strengthen Ghana’s foreign exchange position and improve the availability of foreign exchange for legitimate business activities.
The IEAG also praised the Bank of Ghana for its monetary policy interventions, foreign exchange market operations and measures aimed at strengthening the country’s external buffers.
The Association particularly welcomed the decline in the average lending rate from 30.3 per cent in December 2024 to 20.5 per cent in December 2025, saying lower borrowing costs would provide relief to businesses, including importers and exporters who require working capital.
The IEAG also commended Ghana Link for improvements in the operation of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) at the country’s ports.
The Association said there had been little or no major complaints regarding port-clearance challenges associated with the Ghana Link system since the beginning of the year.
It attributed the improvement to enhanced technical services and interventions undertaken by the company.
The Association also expressed full support for the Ghana Standards Authority’s planned implementation of the Pre-Shipment Inspection and Vehicle Age Verification (PVoC) programme for imported used vehicles, which is scheduled to take effect from October 1.
It said the programme would help prevent the importation of substandard and unsafe vehicles while improving compliance with Ghana’s safety and environmental requirements.
The IEAG further said the programme would improve the traceability of imported vehicles and help address concerns relating to stolen and accident-damaged vehicles. It urged its members to embrace the new system.
The IEAG said it remained committed to supporting policies and reforms that promote transparency, revenue mobilisation, trade facilitation and an efficient business environment.
It, however, stressed that the gains from Publican AI and other trade reforms must be complemented by efficient port infrastructure, reliable digital systems, enhanced security and effective stakeholder engagement.
The Association therefore urged the relevant authorities to urgently address container congestion, port security and digital service disruptions to make Ghana’s ports more competitive, secure and responsive to the needs of legitimate businesses.