The Secretary-General of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA), Richard Amamoo, has cautioned that government efforts to boost revenue generation and improve efficiency at the ports are instead placing additional financial pressure on importers.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, Mr Amamoo argued that the system, which is intended to enhance revenue mobilisation, is in practice doubling taxes and charges on imported goods, making it increasingly difficult for traders to sustain their operations.

He explained that many importers are already struggling to meet the cumulative costs associated with clearing goods at the ports, warning that the current approach could undermine trade activity if maintained without review.

“In their quest to upgrade the system, it is rather destruct the trade arena. It is just trade destruction,” he said.

He further explained that existing platforms at the port, including ICUMS, are functioning effectively, adding that there is therefore no justification for the introduction of a new platform which, in his view, is now creating operational challenges for importers.

“All these platforms that I mentioned, we were told that Customs has exceeded their targets, so if you keep exceeding your target, why do you want to still go ahead and tax our capital?”

“It is not a good measure for us, and that is why I am saying that it is purely trade destruction,” he added.

Mr Amamoo further expressed concern that the system, if continuously applied in its current form, would not serve the interests of the trading community or support national economic growth, but rather deepen operational challenges for businesses.

“The technocrats in taxation will tell you that if you want to take tax, you must do it gradually; if you try to take it in large form, you will collapse the cow that gives you the milk,” he argued.

His comments come amid longstanding concerns raised by GUTA over the introduction of the Publican AI system by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the ports, which the association has previously criticised for contributing to rising costs and procedural complexities in the import clearance process.

GUTA continues to call for a review of the system to ensure that efficiency reforms do not translate into heavier financial burdens on importers.