The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, Sampson Awingobit, has characterized calls to suspend the Publican AI system at Ghana’s ports as premature. He emphasized the importance of dialogue among stakeholders and the government to address concerns rather than demanding a halt to operations.
In an interview on The Pulse on JoyNews on Monday, April 13, Awingobit expressed that the issues raised by freight forwarders and members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) could be resolved through consultation. “I think that calling for the suspension of the product is premature. If there are issues, let’s go to the table,” he stated.
His remarks come amid threats from parts of the trading community to stop activities at the ports, citing fears that the AI-powered valuation system is inflating the cost of imported goods. However, Awingobit defended the system, suggesting it aims to rectify long-standing inconsistencies in the declaration of goods. “It’s because the AI is now picking the real values,” he explained.
Awingobit illustrated his point with a practical example, noting that disparities in declared values can create unfair advantages for some importers. “If you and I go to a market to buy a product and I declare $10 while you declare $4, don’t you think you pay less than me?” he questioned, asserting that the AI system is designed to detect such under-declarations.
He further clarified that in cases where values fall within acceptable ranges, the system does not interfere. “If it’s within the expected range, the system will not increase yours. It will rather block mine if I under-declare because the system knows the realistic price band,” he said. Awingobit underscored that the introduction of the Publican AI system is intended to foster fairness and order in the import sector.
“What it means is that there’s no parity, and so this will bring sanity into the industry,” he remarked. He urged importers to comply with regulations and continue clearing their goods, cautioning against any attempts to disrupt port activities. “I want to use this medium to appeal to every importer: if you go to the port, go and clear your cargo. Nobody has the right to tell anyone not to clear their goods,” he stated.
Awingobit added that traders who follow the rules should not suffer losses due to the ongoing dispute. “Those who are compliant should be given the opportunity to clear their cargo and not allow it to sit at the port and incur demurrage because of this situation,” he noted.
While acknowledging that concerns have been formally presented to the government, he welcomed the ongoing engagement efforts. “I’m happy that after the meeting, they have sent a petition to the Minister, and the Minister is ready to meet,” he said. He called for fairness in assessing the government’s initiatives to support the business community, citing recent tax relief measures as evidence of responsiveness.
“This is a government that has listened to the business community,” Awingobit asserted, referencing the removal of levies such as the COVID-19 levy, E-levy, and adjustments in tax policies as indicators of that commitment.
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