GRA orders mandatory use of Publican AI system for all import clearances

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced that the use of the Publican AI System has become mandatory for all import clearance and assessment processes, effective March 12, 2026.

The move aims to improve efficiency, transparency, and revenue assurance across Ghana’s ports and border posts.

According to a directive issued to all ports and stations, Customs Officers involved in the clearance, inspection, valuation, and assessment of imports are required to rely on the datasets, risk assessments, and decision outputs generated by the AI system as the primary basis for their decisions.

Officers are prohibited from finalising valuations without reference to the AI-provided values and may not complete any assessment based on figures lower than those generated by the system.

In cases where an officer’s valuation exceeds or equals the AI’s values, the officer’s assessment will apply.

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To manage disputes and appeals, the GRA has established a Publican AI System Secretariat as the central point for reviewing and resolving any challenges from importers or other stakeholders.

Collection-level officers are not allowed to entertain direct appeals against AI-generated decisions; all disputes must be formally submitted to the Secretariat with supporting documentation.

Heads of Collections have been tasked with ensuring that all officers under their command comply with the directive.

The GRA has warned that failure to use the Publican AI System as the primary decision-making tool could result in disciplinary action.

The introduction of the AI-driven system aligns with the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891) and related regulations and represents a major step toward modernising Ghana’s customs operations while safeguarding national revenue.