The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, has reached a consensus with key trade associations to suspend ongoing industrial action over the rollout of the Publican AI system in customs operations.
At a multi-party consultative meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2026, stakeholders—including the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Association of Customs House Agents Ghana (ACHAG), Freight Forwarders Association of Ghana (FFAG), Association of Customs Brokers Ghana (CUBAG), Ship Owners and Agents Association of Ghana (SOAGG), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Trade Advocacy Group Ghana, and the Exporters and Importers Association—agreed on a series of measures to address concerns surrounding the system.
A key outcome of the meeting was the immediate suspension of industrial action previously declared by the trade groups.
The parties also agreed to establish a Joint Business Committee Forum, replacing the initially proposed Technical Committee, to provide a more focused platform for addressing operational issues. The Forum is expected to develop its Terms of Reference for adoption.
To improve efficiency, all appeals lodged by importers, freight forwarders, and other stakeholders will now be resolved within 48 hours. The GRA will also strengthen its Appeals Unit by increasing personnel to meet this target.
Clarifying concerns from stakeholders, the GRA noted that the Publican AI system has not yet been applied to vehicle import processes, with existing clearance procedures remaining in place until further notice.
A timeline will also be set to address outstanding implementation challenges, with progress reports to be presented at subsequent meetings.
Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, welcomed the outcome, describing it as a demonstration of the value of dialogue in driving reforms.
He acknowledged concerns raised by stakeholders regarding appeals timelines, valuation processes, and adjustment challenges, noting that the agreed measures provide clear and time-bound solutions.
Mr. Sarpong further reaffirmed the GRA’s mandate to protect national revenue, revealing that under-declared imports have cost the country over GH₵11 billion in the past five years.
He added that since the rollout of the Publican AI system, customs revenue has increased by 50%, with the majority of declarations being processed faster.
According to him, ensuring revenue mobilisation and facilitating legitimate trade are complementary goals, which the Authority remains committed to achieving through a fair, efficient, and responsive system.
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
— Anthony Kwasi Sarpong (@anthonyasarpong) April 17, 2026
On Thursday, 16 April 2026, @GhanaRevenue, in collaboration with @MoF_Ghana, convened a multi-party consultative meeting… pic.twitter.com/x5pUFiy9o7
