Importers in Ghana can now pay their duties online weeks before their goods arrive at the port, Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, has disclosed.

He said the system allows importers to estimate the value of their duties two weeks in advance and make payments from their offices or homes without visiting the port.

“Today, you can estimate the value of your duties two weeks before your goods arrive. And you can pay online, so you don’t need to walk to the port to pay. You can pay from your desk.

"Can pay from the comfort of your room. What you then need is the physical clearance, and that’s why we added that component at the port to make sure that it drives that operation,” he said.

According to him, this reform is part of the broader 24-hour economy policy being implemented at the ports to enhance trade and support industrialisation.

“So the 24h+ is one of the key flagship programs that President John Mahama has launched, and it’s a program that is targeted at industrialisation, job creation, world creation, and ultimately domestic tax revenue. And, therefore, GRA we see ourselves as a key constituent and partner in terms of the success of this program,” he explained.

Mr. Sarpong revealed that the Tema Port is already running full 24-hour operations in collaboration with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and other state agencies.

He noted that before the launch, Customs already worked around the clock, but other agencies were not ready.

“Not all these institutions were 24-hour ready, but we’ve worked with them, and we’ve positioned them such that all of these institutions are being hooked and automated into our customs icon platform, so that way all government institutions are then having access to the port operations under a 24-hour,” he said.

He stressed that the goal has always been to achieve a single window where every agency operates on one platform simultaneously.

“So what we’ve done within the President's vision is to ensure that agencies that were not within the one window, we’ve brought them on board so that we can fully implement the 24 hours at the port. So as we speak today, the 24-hour program is in earnest, working at Tema Port,” he added.

Answering a question on whether goods arriving at 2 a.m. could be cleared at the port, he was emphatic that it was possible.

“Yes, on Monday, as I told you before, before the launch, customs and GPHA were trained for our readiness. What we’ve also done is to bring all the other agencies in.

"And that is why, for us, in terms of the transfer, we did the Tema port as a phase one in preparation to reinforce our men to be on the ground for the 24-hour projects.

"So as we speak today, Tema port is operating 24 hours in terms of clearing of goods,” he said.

He further disclosed that the GRA had engaged shipping lines and banks to ensure smooth implementation.

“We have had engagement also with other stakeholders, like the shipping lines. We have had engagement with the banks that collect the revenue. And you know, today, GRA, we already trained for as far as filing and paying taxes. It’s online,” he said.

The Commissioner-General admitted there could be initial challenges, but insisted the policy was already being implemented successfully.

“Because the authority, or GRA, is a key component of the success of the 24h economy, we needed to do this so that it facilitates trade, it facilitates business activities. But obviously, for any new initiatives, sometimes there could be challenges. But as we speak today, we are actually implementing the president's vision of 24 hours at the port,” he concluded.