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ICUMS records 1,452 transactions at land borders
Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS), says it has registered 1,452 transactions at the land frontiers since it was deployed.
Out of this, 408 were direct imports into home use, 900 Temporary Vehicle Imports, 34 Warehouse, 20 Transit and 9 Free Zones.
Responding to the concerns of some stakeholders, Mr Emmanuel Ohene, Assistant Commissioner of Customs who is the sector commander of Accra said payment was no longer made on the Bill of Entry (BoE) but rather a Bill of Tax is generated for the payment.
“Whereas previously, a post-entry is required to update change in exchange rate, ICUMS does that automatically and generates a new Bill of Tax. This is a more effective way of managing changes in exchange rate rather than the post-entry as was the case in the old system,” he stated.
According to him, the one per cent inspection fee in the case of General Goods & New Vehicles as well as one per cent Examination Fee in the case of Used Motor Vehicles are administrative fees and not related to a service provider.
“So long as a BOE goes through Classification and Valuation process, the payment of this fee is required,” he stressed.
Mr Ohene explained that the tax base for the calculation of ad-valorem taxes in Ghana had not changed and is duly enforced in the ICUMS.
He noted that the upfront relief on the payment of the one per cent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Tax Deposit is not permanent and subject to periodic review.
“All taxpayers who require an upfront relief of this tax from GRA after approval are updated into ICUMS as and when the approval is done, otherwise you are required to pay,” he added.
He said every transaction done in ICUMS including Import Assessment Tax (TVI) is issued with their required certificate.
For the avoidance of doubt, a TVI certificate is generated and given to the driver, which is verifiable, he stated.
Mr Ohene explained that ICUMS had clear isolation of data and data privacy which was strictly enforced saying, “Transactions of one entity cannot be accessed by another agency”.
In addition, he said there is clear control of work, such that even users in the same company are not able to see one other’s work unless assigned supervisor role.
According to him, the administrators of a company could create, assign roles, suspend, revoke and delete a user.
He said the establishment of an ultra-modern call centre and Customer Support Desks at strategic locations was normal in such a transition process.
“Since November last year, training sessions have been organised for all stakeholders before the system went live,” he said.
“More so, as training is a continuous process, it is still ongoing and being run in collaboration with Freight Forwarders Associations to date,” Mr Ohene said.
BY TIMES REPORTER
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
