UNIPASS is a ‘pension fund created for Akufo-Addo and his family’ – Isaac Adongo alleges

Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, is accusing the Akufo-Addo-led administration of deliberately deploying a weak Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMs) to enable him and his cohorts of family and friends ‘steal from the country’s ports.’

According to him, the controversy surrounding the implementation of the new single window system UNI-PASS, has created a mess at the country’s ports despite audit reports indicating the existing West Blue and GCNet systems were much efficient.

Speaking at a media engagement on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Mr Adongo said; “All audits of the existing system that is operating has proven that its very compliant, end-to-end, integrated and the most efficient in the history of our country and so it’s very puzzling that all of a sudden, a new system is being thrown at us”

“…At a time that we are all clear that a new system is more expensive than the current one operating, this development is quite frustrating and I want to state that the only motive behind introducing a system that is inefficient, stand-alone and essentially manual to replace a robust international recognized ISO certified system can only be born out of a desire to desperately steal our monies from the ports to enrich the pockets of this corrupt old man called Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his aging family who are seriously looking for a pension fund out of this transaction,” Isaac Adongo alleged.

He lamented that he cannot see why Akufo-Addo led administration will do away with an already efficient system to introduce what he calls ‘a mess’ [UNIPASS/ICUMS] which is rather creating delays and bottlenecks at the country's ports.

Meanwhile, the new single window system UNI-PASS was introduced by government to replace the single window platform– Ghana Customs Management System (GCMS)– from GCNet and West Blue Consult, at the country ports.



Following that, many Freight Forwarders at the ports have been agitated over their inability to pass declaration to get their goods out of the port following the implementation of the UNI-PASS/ICUMS system.

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) started implementing the UNI-PASS system on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 but later restored back to GCNet amidst challenges with the UNI-PASS system.

Presently, the GCNet and West Blue systems have been halted to allow UNI-PASS/ICUMS to take over.



Management of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), who are in charge of the operations at the country ports have debunked reports it had reverted to the pre-2002 manual system as suggested by think tank IMANI, noting that “all transactions from June 1, 2020 have been processed through ICUMS.”