Presentation made during the "Sharing Experience session" on 15 march 2017 - 8th General Assembly of the African Alliance for Electronic Commerce, held in Nairobi.

1. SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
CHALLENGES WITH SINGLE WINDOW
IMPLEMENTATION
THE GHANA EXPERIENCE

2. SINGLE WINDOW EVOLUTION IN GHANA
• The Idea of single window for Trade facilitation
in Ghana was mooted in the late 90s through
the Ghana Gateway project under the
auspices of Ministry of Trade and Industry
• This led to public private partnership to
establish a company to lead and implement
SW for Ghana
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Late
90s
• This PPP arrangement led to the birth of
Ghana Community Network Services
Limited (GCNet) in 2000 – All institutional
shareholders 38% public / 62% private
In
2000

3. • Started operations in 2003 – Mandate to implement
TradeNet and Ghana Customs Management System
and operate the platform
• TradeNet system enhanced to provide a platform for
Government agencies and department for electronic
issuance of permits and licenses needed for Trade
processing
• SW extended to Ghana Revenue Authority for
electronic tax administration and also to Register
General department for company registration
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
SINGLE WINDOW EVOLUTION IN GHANA

4. Trade Facilitation – Revenue Mobilisation – Business Registration – Tax Administration
GRA / RGD
MDAs
Trading Community
/ Logistics
Security / Government
Agencies
Financial Institutions
GCNet ECOSYSTEM
GCNet
Single
Window
Platform
Domestic
Tax
Company
Registration
Ghana
Revenue
Authority
/RGD
Customs
Clearance
Shipping
Lines /
GPHA /
Terminals
Trading
Community
/ Logistics
Destination
Inspection
Companies
OMCs
Permits
Exemptions
Regulatory
Processes
MDAs
Cargo
Monitoring Analytics
Revenue
Protection
Security /
Government
Agencies
Clearing
Agents /
Importers
Insurance
Companies
Financial
GEPP
Banks

5. • 68 GRA Customs offices / DVLA /
Banks
• GRA DTRD sites
– Total Number rolled out and TRIPS active: 22
Sites / 25 Offices
– Total Number roll-out / ready for TRIPS: 6 Sites /
8 Offices
– Total Number of Offices remaining: 36 Sites / 36
Offices (Mainly STOs
• 4 RGD sites
• 5 Data Centers
• Web-enabled systems that can
be accessed from anywhere in
Ghana or globally
• Infrastructure supported by
GCNet
• National reach of GCNet services
Countrywide Geographical Coverage

6. • In 2015, Ghana government initiated Ghana National
single window project, with the key objectives of:
• Conducting a needs/GAP analysis to help establish a
National single window, a more compassing system to
cover Trade, port management etc
• Establish a Blue print and road map to direct GNSW
implementation in Ghana following the needs/GAP
analysis
• Provide the implementation and support for the GNSW
• The GNSW policy and Roadmap has been developed
and adopted by govt to guide all SW operation in Ghana.
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Ghana National Single window Project GNSW

7. SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
The GNSW ARCHITECTURE

8. • Improve National Trade competitiveness through
import/export/Transit procedures and document handling
• Ghana to achieve complete implementation of WTO
Trade facilitation agreement(Bali) checklist
• Improve Ghana rankings in the World Bank Doing
Business index
• Reduce cost of business in Ghana.
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Key Indexes of GNSW

9. SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Challenges of single window implementation in
Ghana

10. • GNSW Blue Print adopted by Government proposes
changes in key processes and workflow.
• How to implement these changes carrying along all
players in the Trade/logistic processes
• Streamlining of existing arrangement in the
operational SW as well as internal operations at some
key Government agencies
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Implementation of the new processes flow and
procedural changes as envisaged by GNSW Blue
Print.

11. • Release and Clearance of Goods
• Pre-arrival process- manifest submission from
source, verification of trade document submitted
by Trade operators
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
With the coming into force of TFA, how do we use
the GNSW as a tool to effectively implement the
requirement of the agreement as envisaged in
GNSW blue print, major areas with difficulty will
been the provision of parts of article 7 and 8 of
TFA

12. • TFA requires National border authorities/agencies to
cooperate and coordinate border controls and
procedures to facilitate trade
• Ghana is surrounded by Francophone countries with
quite different Customs regimes and practices.
• Currently working on general ECOWAS protocol to
harmonise transit procedures to ease passage of goods
within the borders.
41st GCNet Board Meeting Accra.
Confidential
National border cooperation

13. • SW ultimate goal is to create an integrated workspace
for data exchange and business processes for all
trade related activities …..
• To achieve this the single window technology
deployment should be able to interface with all
systems- interoperability of systems
• Multiple players integration
• Adequate IT infra at Government agencies for proper
integration into the SW for seamless workflow
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
Integrating of Different systems

14. • Ghana like most developing countries drives about
50 % of its revenue from trade taxations
• SW implementation is largely driven by Trade
facilitation and this sometimes does not necessarily
lead to revenue mobilization or increase in revenue
for Government.
• How do we balance TF implementation and
Revenue mobilization with over reliance of Trade
taxation in developing world.
SW Implementation in Ghana
Challenges
TF vrs Revenue prioritization by Government

15. Thank You for Your
Attention