The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has called on the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to strengthen its digital services and payment platforms to prevent disruptions to port operations and reduce losses for businesses. Editorial Ethics & Independence
The association said recent outages on government digital platforms, particularly the Ghana.gov platform used at the ports, had created delays for importers, exporters and other businesses that depend on digital systems to complete customs and port-related transactions.
Speaking at a press conference, Executive Director of the IEAG, Samson Asaki Awingobit, said the platform was reportedly unavailable for about a week before services were restored.
According to him, the disruption affected businesses that rely on the platform to make payments and complete other transactions required to clear goods through Ghana’s ports.
The prolonged outage, he said, demonstrated the need for authorities to treat the reliability of digital infrastructure as a critical component of trade facilitation rather than simply as a technological concern.When digital platforms used for customs and port operations become unavailable, businesses can face delays in processing documents, making payments and clearing consignments.
Such interruptions can also increase costs for companies through additional storage, demurrage and other charges when goods remain at the port longer than expected.
Mr Awingobit therefore urged the GRA to invest in stronger system resilience, regular maintenance and adequate technical support to reduce the frequency and duration of future disruptions. Newscard
He also called for effective contingency arrangements that would allow critical port transactions to continue when the main digital platforms experience technical difficulties.
For the IEAG, the issue is becoming increasingly important as Ghana continues to introduce technology-driven systems into customs administration and trade facilitation. Editorial Standards
Digitalisation has the potential to make port processes faster and more transparent by reducing paperwork, improving information sharing and allowing businesses to complete transactions remotely. However, the benefits can only be realised when the systems supporting.