A section of Tema Port
THE DEPLOYMENT of the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS) which was quite recently referred to as UNIPASS takes off today at the Tema Port.
This means ICUMS will now take over single window operations at the port as the Ghana Community Network Service Limited (GCNet), which had been operating a revenue-software for government at the country’s ports prior to this arrangement, disconnects its equipment at the port.
In a recent letter to existing vendors and other stakeholders at the port, Acting Commissioner General of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, instructed that from Monday June 1, 2020, all transactions regarding import/export should be processed only from ICUMS.
It would be recalled that government gave a directive empowering UNIPASS/ICUM to take over single window operations at the various ports in this country, including Tema and Kotoka International Airport.
This was after GRA, Ghana Link Network Services Limited and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) successfully organized a model exercise for the deployment of the new ICUMS.
It also brought on board a number of organizations including 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 other relevant stakeholders at the Tema Port to prove the efficacy of ICUMS to seamlessly facilitate import and export transactions.
Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Minister, who led a government delegation to witness the simulation exercise, charged the GRA to oversee its smooth deployment and take-off.
This was after he had expressed satisfaction at the progress of work in the implementation of the project.