GRA sensitizes media on UNIPASS

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has organized a sensitization programme for journalists in Tema on the intended introduction of a new cross-border trade system, UNIPASS.

The programme formed part of a training package for stakeholders on the trade system.

Mr Felix Mate-Kodjo, Deputy Commissioner of Custom, Policy and Planning, in a welcoming address, said the GRA recognized the important role of stakeholders especially the media in Custom’s quest to maximize revenue collection and facilitate trade.

The Deputy Commissioner added that the media played a. crucial role in getting the people well informed about the new system therefore the need to properly equip them with the needed information.

He said the GRA in conjunction with its external private sector partners had embraced the concept of the new Customs Management system at Ghana’s ports and frontiers indicating that it was aimed at providing an end-to-end supply chain solution that incorporate and consolidates existing systems currently in operation.

“As part of this initiative, Korea Customs was contracted by Ghana Link Network Services to introduce UNIPASS, a product of Korea Customs Business wing, termed CUPIA that has developed a time-tested Customs Business Solution, termed the UNIPASS, or One system, ”he said.

Mr Emmanuel Ohene, Assistant Commissioner, giving an overview of the new system, stated that a state-of-the-art data centre backed with fast internet link had been established at the Ministry of Finance to manage both legacy data and new date to be acquired by the UNIPASS which would consolidate all data that were currently spread over various service providers without proper linkages for utilization as an integrated whole.

Mr Ohene added that in consultation with key stakeholders, the Customs Division, Ghana Link and partners CUPIA had developed various modules to suit Ghana’s trade environment.



Mr Smile Agbemenu, Senior Revenue Officer, giving the features of the system, said it was made up of six modules namely clearance management, portal, cargo management, information management, single window and administration management.

He explained that clearance management would take care of all documentations on trade be it import, export, transit or warehousing, while the portal was the gateway to the system for both internal and external users.

The Cargo management module would take care of the handling of the physical cargo, collection of data at the various processes, he indicated would be under the information management module while the single window would serve as a platform for agents and external users to acquire permit from the regulatory Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).