Otumfuo’s Counsel Instrumental in Securing Government Approval of ICUMS, Says Dr Nick Danso Adjei
Executive Chairman of Ghana Link Network Services Limited, Dr Nick Danso Adjei, has credited the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, with playing a pivotal role in helping him secure government approval for the deployment of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) at Ghana’s land and sea ports.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Otumfuo Millennium Excellence Awards held in honour of the Silver Jubilee of the Asantehene, Dr Danso Adjei disclosed that Otumfuo’s guidance and strategic counsel were instrumental in engaging government authorities to roll out the ICUMS platform – a trade facilitation tool that has since yielded billions of cedis in revenue for the state.
“Anytime I am going to do business, I go to Otumfuo whom I consider my grandfather for advice. I consulted him every step of the way in setting up the ICUMS,” Dr Danso Adjei stated.
Dr Danso Adjei, who was honoured with the Lifetime Africa Achievement Prize at the event, emphasised that the success of ICUMS underscores the value of homegrown African innovation and inclusive development.
“At Ghana Link Network Services Ltd, we have always believed that progress is best measured not by profits but by impact – by how many lives are improved, how many systems are reformed, and how many doors are opened for others,” he noted.
He called on Africa’s youth to embrace innovation as a local mission rather than a foreign ideal, stressing that the continent’s future will be shaped by African ingenuity rooted in local communities.
“Innovation does not begin in Silicon Valley but it begins in our classrooms, our markets, and our villages. The future is African,” he said.
Addressing business leaders and policymakers at the ceremony, Dr Danso Adjei advocated for a broader partnership between the private sector and government in the nation-building agenda, urging entrepreneurs to lead with integrity and accountability.
“To our distinguished Heads of State and international friends gathered here: Africa’s time is now. And our collective strength lies not just in minerals or markets but in our unity of purpose. The more we collaborate, the less we compete, and the faster we rise together,” he remarked.
The ICUMS platform, developed and managed by Ghana Link in collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and other state agencies, has been instrumental in streamlining trade processes, reducing revenue leakages, and improving efficiency at the ports.
