The exercise which included key supply chain players as Meridian Port Services (MPS) Limited, Ghana Shippers Authority GSA, Shipping Lines, National Security, Narcotics Control Board, Food and Drugs Authority, Bank of Ghana, Ghana Standard Authority, Free Zones Authority and all stakeholders at the ports of Tema is aimed at testing the ICUMS and its ability to aid the free flow of both import and export. 

Also part of the exercise was to test the response time in dealing with a simulated incident when multiple government entities are involved and expected to react immediately and adequately to a request based on a scenario involving the grounding of a vessel to check if it has in it any contraband goods, as well as if there is an oil spill that could have environmental repercussions on the port’s marine wildlife and general operations.

The success of the simulation was seen in the readiness of the ICUMS for public use at the Sea Port of Tema and Kotoka International Airport KIA.

After the exercise the Acting Commissioner-General of the GRA Amisshadai Owusu-Amoah, assured the public of the Authority’s determination to ensure the project’s smooth take-off.

“I must say with what I have seen today, everything is going as planned. The simulation has been successful and it gives us the confidence with regards to the rollout date. When the ICUMS is fully deployed at the Tema Port, the country will see an increase in revenue over time with many of the current loopholes blocked.

He also added that with the ICUMS, the import and export community were going to get a one-stop service with a single-window deployed for customs clearance.

On his part, the Managing Director of Ghana Link Network Services Limited, Nabali Bawa, said beyond providing a single system for customs clearance, the ICUMS was going to see a reduction in the turnaround time through the Clearance Management System (CMS).

He added that there was also going to be a real-time cargo tracking management through the cargo management system.

In attendance to observe the simulation exercise was the Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Marfo, Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen and his Deputy Carlos Ahenkorah, Deputy Minister of Finance Kwaku Kwarteng and other government officials.

Currently, training and registration for users are on-going regarding the ICUMS system which covers freight forwarders, shipping lines, government agencies, GRA Customs officials and all other individuals who will be using the system.

The ICUMS system is expected to be deployed at the end of the month of May at the Tema Port and the KIA.

Ghana Link Network Services is the company spearheading the deployment of the Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS), an end-to-end single window.  

ICUMS, which is the name of the Ghana version of Universal Pass (UNIPASS), is built by Korea Customs and is a new all-in-one customs management solution owned by the government.