West Blue trains stakeholders on paperless port

In line with the government’s directive to remove customs barriers within the country and ensure a paperless port by September 1, 2017, West Blue Consulting has successfully organized a two-day workshop for stakeholders in the import and export sector.

The workshop which was organized in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) was to prepare participants for the upcoming pilot run of the Paperless Trade in Ghana, encourage discussions and sharing of perspectives.

The participants took part in practical information sessions and discussions, and tried their hands on the identified systems.

The stakeholders who took part in the training were, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Food and Drug Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority-Customs Division, Consolidated shipping agencies, freight forwarders, Minerals Commission, National Communications Authority, Energy Commission, Narcotics Control Board and Forestry Commission among other many others.

Lamptey Abel, Project Manager of West Blue Consulting in his remarks said the objective of the workshop was to prepare the selected agencies for the upcoming pilot run of the paperless trade in Ghana and share lessons learnt and experiences to further enhance and achieve the Go-Live goal for the paperless system in Ghana.

Touching on the readiness of the paperless system, the project manager assured everyone that West Blue Consulting was all ready to achieve the president’s mandate for going paperless and ensuring that customs clearance in 48 hours is feasible.

West Blue consulting, the organization which brought about a positive change in the port system by introducing the Pre-Arrival Assessment Reporting System which provides compliant agencies the ability to have the Customs Classification and Valuation Reporting (CCVR) in less than 48 hours has been able to meet up with that mandate.

According to the Vice president, Dr. Bawumia Ghana’s port operations have not lived up to international standards, hence the need the for the introduction of the paperless port.

He assured all that the Nana Akufo-Addo government is determined to change how business is done at the ports so they continually serve the country well.