GCNet denies contributing to excessive delays at the ports

The Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet) has dismissed reports of technical breakdown in its systems which lead to delays at the ports. According to the company, it has the necessary mechanisms in place to manage possible distortions to the operations at the ports.

The Terminal Supervisor at the GPHA, Emmanuel Ashaley Neequaye earlier bemoaned how the intermittent breakdown in GCNet’s systems contribute to the excessive delays at the country’s ports as the move could cause the operations to halt for about four hours in some instances.

But reacting to the assertions, the Chief Technical Officer of GCNet, Matthew Soputamit explained to Citi Business News no such occurrence could have been true following the fortified systems.

“We offer a technical service and there can be technical hitches at certain times but it is how we react to those technical hitches that happen. Within all those systems, we have dual links; tidal and radio links where in the event that one is not functioning, we switch to the other,” he stated.

GCNet has also been cited as duplicating roles in the execution of its mandate in the clearance of goods at the ports.

Despite the almost two years assumption of the Destination Inspection role by West Blue Consulting, the seeming overlap of functions is said to be impeding efficient transactions at the ports.

But GCNet insists, it cannot be blamed for the development. In Mr. Soputamit’s view, there is the need for authorities to meet the two institutions to identify the grey areas and exhaustively address all concerns.

“It is a perception that has to be corrected and because there has not been a clear line, at times West Blue tries to do some of things we have been mandated to do”

“But our mandate involves declaration and manifest submission, controller movement within the ports, among others while West Blue is mandated to undertake the CCVR work. But the payments and every other work is carried out on our platform,” he told Citi Business News.