By Amoako Kwame
The Ministry of Finance is defending the rollout of the Publican AI system for import clearance, asserting its necessity despite rising opposition from industry stakeholders,most notably members of the Institute of Freight Forwarders.
Government is rolling out this AI-driven system as a cornerstone of its strategy to digitize customs, streamline port operations, and secure more reliable revenue streams from imports.
The implementation has triggered significant resistance from industry stakeholders, as freight forwarders raise doubts about the adequacy of prior consultations and the practical impact the system will have on their daily business.
During his appearance on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, April 9, Victor Kofi Baidoo, the Ministry of Finance’s Head of Revenue Assurance, clarified that the rollout of Publican AI was a collaborative effort rather than a one-sided government decision.
“We met the importers and freight forwarders on the deployment. We invited all the trade union associations, and we met them at the Oak Plaza Hotel. The Deputy Finance Minister officially informed and invited them. I did a presentation to show them what the Publican AI looks like and how it will interrogate and present information to them.”
To solidify this policy, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) issued an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to all ports and stations on March 10. Under the directive titled “Directive on the Use of the Publican AI System for Imports Clearance Assessment,” the system is now a compulsory requirement for all import clearance evaluations.
This directive formally embeds the Publican AI system into the core of Ghana’s customs operations. It mandates that vital stages of the import process—including cargo inspection, valuation, and final assessment—must now be synchronized with the system’s data-driven findings to determine the correct duties and taxes
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