(3 Minutes Read)
Ghananian trade data specialist has urged the Government of Ghana to take immediate policy action to curb revenue leakages and operational inefficiencies at the country’s ports, stressing the urgent need for a modern, integrated trade data management system.
In a policy brief released by David O.G. Abbots, a supply chain systems expert, identified major gaps in Ghana’s trade and port data governance architecture. He explained that the current system depends heavily on post-arrival declarations, fragmented data held by multiple agencies, and foreign mirror statistics to monitor imports and exports—approaches he described as outdated and misaligned with contemporary global trade facilitation standards.
According to Abbots, these structural weaknesses have enabled practices such as under-invoicing, misclassification of goods, and undocumented cargo movements, leading to substantial losses in customs revenue and weakening national fiscal planning. He further noted that Ghana continues to rely on externally generated trade data, including partner-reported statistics and subscription-based international databases, to inform macroeconomic and budgetary decisions.
“No modern trading nation outsources the generation of its trade intelligence,” he stated, arguing that the absence of a unified national trade data system undermines revenue protection, national security, and access to international development finance. He added that many multilateral and development institutions—including UNCTAD, UNDP, UN Women, UNICEF, and climate finance bodies—now require verifiable trade, logistics, and supply chain data as a prerequisite for grants, concessional funding, and technical assistance.
To address these challenges, Abbots proposed the implementation of a Smart Port Note (SPN) system. This system would capture advance cargo information at the point of origin and establish a single national trade data layer accessible to all relevant public agencies. He explained that the SPN framework would allow for pre-arrival risk assessment, enhance customs efficiency, strengthen revenue assurance, and help Ghana meet donor data requirements related to Aid for Trade, climate finance, women’s economic empowerment, and child-focused supply chain programmes.
He emphasized that the proposal is consistent with the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement and the World Customs Organization’s SAFE Framework, thereby aligning Ghana with international best practices in trade and port data management. Ghana ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement on January 4, 2017, committing to streamlined and modernized customs procedures to ease cross-border trade.
“Implementing this system is not optional,” Mr. Abbots asserted. “It is an investment in economic sovereignty, national security, and the country’s ability to attract concessional finance.” He argued that nations that control their trade data position themselves for growth, while those that do not remain reactive and chronically underfunded.
His recommendations come amid ongoing discussions on port modernization and regulatory reforms in Ghana. The Ghana Shippers’ Authority Act, 2024, which elevated the Ghana Shippers’ Authority from an advocacy body to a regulatory institution, grants it powers to approve or reject charges proposed by shipping service providers and mandates it to protect shippers, regulate shipping practices, and enhance trade efficiency. Abbots clarified that advance cargo information systems operate before shipment at the port of origin, whereas customs clearance platforms such as the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) function after cargo arrives in Ghana. He stressed that these systems serve distinct but complementary roles, noting that leading ports worldwide depend on pre-shipment data to improve risk profiling, planning, and transparency.
He also observed that Ghana currently spends resources on foreign trade and economic data—including Bloomberg market information and European partner-reported statistics—to guide policy decisions. Without structured advance cargo data, he argued, digital and artificial intelligence tools cannot be effectively deployed, reinforcing the view that such systems are trade facilitation instruments rather than mere revenue collection tools.
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Drawing on international examples, Abbots pointed out that the United States operates the Automated Manifest System and the Importer Security Filing regime, commonly known as the “10+2” rule, while the European Union uses the Import Control System and Entry Summary Declarations. From a data perspective, he said, no serious economy functions without advance cargo visibility.
He concluded that Ghana’s trade future depends on intelligence rather than assumptions, noting that countries that align their ports with global data standards gain competitiveness rather than lose it. In his view, modern trade data systems represent foundational infrastructure for global commerce, supported by international frameworks that promote transparency, efficiency, and security.
