TAGG refutes claims of port system 'capture'
The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has refuted claims that the country's Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) has been captured by private interests.
This comes after a press conference held by the New Voter Forum on Tuesday, alleged that Ghana's ports had fallen under private control through questionable arrangements.
However, in a statement issued and signed today by the President of TAGG, David Kwadwo Amoateng, said understanding port operations required more than populism.
He explained that trade facilitation, port digitisation, and customs management were not platforms for political theatre, but critical enablers of Ghana's economy.
"ICUMS, as we know it, was not imposed in secrecy or haste. It was implemented after wide stakeholder engagement, with technical teams from the Ghana Revenue Authority, freight forwarders' associations, clearing agents, and various regulatory bodies involved," the statement said.
TAGG questioned where the New Voter Forum was during those consultations and on what basis they now claim to speak for traders, when their understanding of the systems is shallow.
Impact
The statement said no system was perfect, but insisted ICUMS has brought undeniable benefits including reduced clearing times at the ports, saving traders money and time.
It said other benefits included a unified one-stop system for documentation and payments, minimising human contact and corruption, real-time valuation tools that reduce under-invoicing and overcharging, enhanced revenue collection for national development, and a data warehouse for analysis and reporting for all stakeholders.
"We, the actual users of the system, can testify to these improvements. Our members can now clear goods more predictably, with reduced backdoor payments and more accountability," the statement said.
On system downtime, TAGG said it was dishonest to claim that occasional technical glitches equal system failure, adding that major IT systems in banks, telecoms, and e-commerce platforms also experienced temporary downtimes.
“The important question is whether there is a system in place to restore service and improve resilience. And the answer in this case is yes. Ghana Link and the Ghana Revenue Authority respond swiftly when issues arise,” it said.
The statement cautioned the public against propaganda disguised as activism, stating that port modernisation is the future, not the enemy.
“The truth is this: If ICUMS were dismantled today, it would be traders and small business owners who would suffer most. We would return to the days of inefficiency, paper trails, delays, and bribery,” it added.
The group called for constructive dialogue rather than sensational press conferences from anyone wishing to contribute to port reforms.