Government on course to digitise ports, as Paperless system remains a success.
The implementation of the Phase-2 of the Paperless Port Policy according to government, has resulted in major gentrification in trade transactions and operations at the country’s ports, to the admiration of importers and other stakeholders.
The policy which is in line with government’s plans to transforms the country’s port into “Small port”- ensuring less human contacts or errors relating to all port transactions or businesses operations. The government through the Economy Management Team(EMT) chaired by the Vice President Dr. Bawumia are in course of strengthening the Ghana’s economic competitiveness and the Port Policy is one of the many.



This initiative has also seen annulment of both the importer registration process and importer registration fees. Also, there have been a reduction in the cost of doing business by 75 per cent- the cost of doing business which used to cost importers GH¢1,280 has now be reduced to GH¢320.
As part of the initiative, Joint Examination Process has been introduced to exorcize multiple examination of containers and payment, while there have also been an automation in Certificate of Origin for Exports.
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Agencies concerned with regulatory works for physical examination reduced from 16 to 3; and there was a reduction of the benchmark value for automobiles by 30 percent – and that of all other goods reduced by 50 percent effective April 4, 2019.
The Vice-President in his recent speech explained that the paperless port reforms will reduce the time and cost of doing business at the ports, and increase government’s revenue as container volumes through the ports increase.
The integrated risk management system has reduced physical inspections of goods at the ports by 50 percent, with an end target of 10%.
The Policy
The paperless system policy was introduced by the government to address the difficulties at the country’s port.
The system, being implemented by West Blue Consulting, in partnership with other companies, has sealed revenue leakages at the port. Vice-President Mahamadu Bawumia recently explained that the paperless port reforms will reduce the time and cost of doing business at the ports, and increase government’s revenue as container volumes through the ports increase. He added that the pace of digitisation that is currently underway will make Ghana one of the most digitised economies in Africa over the next few years.