The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Elikem Kotoko, has defended the introduction of the Publican AI system by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), describing it as a critical intervention to curb revenue leakages and eliminate unfair practices in the freight clearing sector.
According to him, the system is designed to enhance transparency by accurately verifying the country of origin of imported goods and ensuring proper classification for duty assessment.
“The GRA is looking at two major things with the introduction of the Publican AI – authentication of the country of origin and proper classification of goods,” he explained.
He noted that while a majority of freight forwarders have adapted to the system without difficulty, resistance appears to be coming from a section of operators affected by tighter controls.
He revealed that about 70 percent of freight forwarders have had no challenges with the system, while the remaining 30 percent are experiencing difficulties, raising concerns about underlying practices within the sector.
Mr Kotoko suggested that some of the opposition to the system may be linked to attempts to bypass established procedures, including under-declaration and misrepresentation of goods to reduce duty payments.
“There are instances where agents manipulate processes to pay lower duties, creating unfair competition in the market,” he stated, adding that such practices disadvantage compliant businesses and deny the state much-needed revenue.
He further explained that the automation introduced by Publican AI significantly reduces human intervention, which has historically created room for errors and possible collusion within the clearing process.
Under the previous manual system, he said, processing could take up to two hours per transaction, but with the AI system, the same process can now be completed within minutes, improving efficiency and throughput at the ports.
Despite defending the system, Mr Kotoko acknowledged that some stakeholders may have genuine concerns and called for constructive engagement between the GRA and freight forwarders to address operational challenges.
He warned, however, that efforts to resist reforms aimed at sealing loopholes could undermine national revenue mobilisation and economic fairness. “That cannot be allowed because it denies the state what is due for development,” he stressed.
Mr Kotoko emphasised the need for collaboration between government and industry players, noting that prolonged disruptions such as strikes would negatively impact both the state and operators.
The introduction of Publican AI forms part of broader reforms by the GRA to strengthen revenue assurance systems, improve compliance, and promote fairness in Ghana’s trade and customs operations.
