The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has revealed that the application processes for exports under the African Continental Free Trade Area through the Integrated Customs Management System will begin on January 18, 2021.
The Assistant Commissioner of Customs in Charge of Tariff and Trade and also responsible for Free Trade Agreements including AfCFTA, Fechin Akoto, made this revelation during a discussion on Eye-on-Port on the implementation processes of AfCFTA trading in Ghana.
He also revealed that soon after, a portal with necessary information on the AfCFTA including the various tariff offers of the various states in particular product lines will be also published on the ICUMS platform.
The Assistant Commissioner, however, stated that Customs is currently assisting the exporters on the necessary processes, as well as all key information regarding trading under the AfCFTA.
He urged the trading public, to in the meantime visit the Customs Technical Services Bureau at the GRA Headquarters in Accra, to obtain answers to all enquiries concerning exports and imports under the AfCFTA.
“Meanwhile, we are establishing a desk purposely for the activities related to customs processes under the AfCFTA,” he added.
Fechin Akoto said while the AfCFTA Secretariat remains a key institution in all things AfCFTA related, when it comes to Customs Processes under the AfCFTA, it is better to visit the Customs itself.
“People are calling the AfCFTA Secretariat. Seriously this is not where to go. They should call on Customs. The Ministry of Trade will be publishing the necessary contact address to reach us in the newspapers,” he stated.
