GRA upbeat about revenue growth
The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is upbeat about increased revenue generation after a successful implementation of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Reporting System (PAARS).
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The implementation of the PAARS has enabled the various stakeholders and clearing agents to get their clearing documents processed in less than 48 hours at the country’s various ports.
PAARS is a modernised system that has been developed by the Customs Division of GRA as part of the implementation of the National Single Window system to enhance revenue mobilisation, improve border security and customs clearance, overcome duplication across regulatory agencies and promote trade facilitation.
Ms Christiana Akoto-Bamfo, Sector Commander, Accra Collection, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs said “PAARS has helped fish out the bad eggs in their caucus, as the robust and fast system has put an end to corruption when clearing of goods comes in place”.
“Ghana Customs has proved critics wrong by successfully taking over its operations from the Destination and Inspection Companies (DICs) and maintained an upward integrity so far”, she said.
“Trade Facilitation for Ghana remains the heartbeat of its development, it is key to allow for the free flow of trade and overall, the results suggest that mostly Ghana economy will have great benefits from the successful implementation of trade facilitation thus the need to take concrete steps towards streamlining trade procedures”, she added.
Trade competitiveness
According to her, the efficient movement of goods is key to maintaining trade competitiveness, and enabling effective engagement of firms, in particular small and medium enterprises, with regional and global production networks.
She added that the implementation of paperless trade measures will be crucial to reducing trade costs and the continuous adoption of modern information and communication technologies will bring about a desirable end to hindrances of trade facilitation.
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She said the country also needed reforms and modernization in implementing the customs bonded warehousing regime.
Bonded warehousing
According to her, the custom bonded warehousing is a Customs regime by which imported goods were stored under Customs control in a government or private bonded warehouse, without payment of import duty and other taxes on goods at the entry point, until the goods are entered for home consumption.
The Sector Commander said unauthorised removal of goods from a custom bonded warehouse was unacceptable and warned that warehouse operators engaged in that act would be punished.
Ms Akoto-Bamfo said companies stood to benefit enormously from warehouse regime such as direct cost savings and holding of large stock of goods.
She said deferment of revenue payments represented a great loss of revenue to the state.
New module introduced
After successfully implementing the Pre-Arrival Assessment Reporting System (PAARS), the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has introduced a new module to be implementation at the various ports in the country.
The new module, called “Used Vehicle Valuation” is expected to increase transparency, save time and cost for stakeholders in the import and export business.
The Used Vehicle Valuation Module will be used by various stakeholders to obtain their Customs Clearance and Verification Report (CCVR) for their used vehicle importation into Ghana.
