The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has acknowledged that its stakeholder engagement ahead of the rollout of the Publica AI customs valuation system may not have adequately reached individual traders, despite formal consultations with industry groups before the platform went live in March.

Assistant Commissioner at the GRA Customs Laboratory, Samuel Akrofi, made the admission on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show while responding to concerns from traders who say they were caught off guard by the new system.

“I think that the feedback is indicating that we probably did not meet them like we would meet all the other groupings,” Mr Akrofi said.

His comments come amid growing criticism from sections of the trading community, particularly members of the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA), over the implementation of the AI-powered valuation tool.

Some traders have complained that the system was introduced without adequate consultation and has generated higher-than-expected import valuations.

Mr Akrofi, however, maintained that the GRA engaged several key stakeholders before implementation.

According to him, formal meetings were held on January 14 with freight forwarding associations, as well as other government regulatory institutions.

He said the Commissioner-General personally led those engagements as part of efforts to explain the system and gather input.

Mr Akrofi admitted, however, that the expectation that association leaders would pass on the information to their wider membership may not have been fully realised.

“If we have these discussions with the associations, we expect that the message will be carried down,” he said. “But there is some indication that the discussions have not gone down very well to the grassroots.”

He added that GUTA currently has three representatives on a joint committee under the Ministry of Finance, which is reviewing concerns arising from the implementation of the system.

The Publica AI platform forms part of the government’s broader effort to modernise customs operations, reduce under-declaration and improve domestic revenue mobilisation.

But its rollout has sparked debate among importers and traders, highlighting the recurring tension between tax enforcement and ease of doing business in Ghana.

The GRA says consultations with affected groups are ongoing as authorities work to address concerns and improve the system’s operation.