George Blankson, GRA Boss
Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), as part of the Ghana National Single Window Project, has established electronic payment zones at some major ports in the country.
This is expected to facilitate payment for port charges and other services by exporters to the Authority.
Exporters in the past faced several challenges in transacting business with the GRA.
Albert Akurugu, Head of Information Technology at the Customs Division of the GRA, who was speaking to the media after the Nigerian Export Promotion Council paid a courtesy call on the GRA’s Technical Support Bureau in Accra, said the structures to house the e-zone facility are already in place at the Kotoka International Airport, Tema Port and the GRA headquarters.
He added that payment zones would be rolled out at Takoradi Port and other border posts.
“The creation of the E-Zone at the ports is to serve as a one-stop shop for all exporters. This forms part of measures under the GNSW project to synchronize operations at the port,” he stated.
The interaction with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council offered an opportunity for both countries to share their experiences.
The Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Olusegun Awolowo, who led the delegation, congratulated Ghana on the successes chalked despite the short implementation period of the GNSW project.
He noted that since inter African trade is relatively low, a proper collaboration and implementation of the single window project on the continent would boost trade volumes.
“Today it is easier to export and import from Europe, USA than to do same from neighbouring countries. A harmonized single window project on the continent would transform who we do business among ourselves.”
Commissioner-General of GRA George Blankson, on his part, advised the two countries to pay more attention to export of value added products to boost development.
By Cephas Larbi