{"id":116815,"date":"2026-02-25T14:03:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:03:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=116815"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:03:44","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T14:03:44","slug":"secure-customs-system-critical-to-ghanas-competitiveness-trade-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=116815","title":{"rendered":"Secure customs system critical to Ghana\u2019s competitiveness \u2013 Trade Minister\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 39 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has stressed that a secure, stable, and predictable customs system is crucial for boosting Ghana\u2019s trade competitiveness and driving industrial growth.<\/p>\n

Mrs\u00a0Ofosu-Adjare\u00a0made the remarks at a ceremony\u00a0to\u00a0mark the ISO\/IEC 27001:2022 certification of Ghana Link Network Services Limited\u2019s new Tier IV data\u00a0centre, which now hosts the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS).\u00a0<\/p>\n

She said Ghanaian traders, manufacturers, and agribusiness operators depended on efficient and reliable systems to move goods across borders without avoidable delays.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur traders, manufacturers and agribusinesses succeed when the trading environment is predictable, efficient, and trustworthy,\u201d she\u00a0stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She noted that whether businesses were importing raw materials, clearing machinery, exporting processed\u00a0foods,\u00a0or moving perishable goods, time and reliability were critical determinants of profitability.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the system is available, processes are consistent, and issues are resolved\u00a0promptly,\u00a0goods move. When it is not, delays build up, costs rise, and the effects are felt across the entire value chain,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0minister explained that the successful migration of ICUMS to the new Tier IV data\u00a0centre, coupled with the ISO certification, meant the platform now\u00a0operated\u00a0under clearly tested international standards for information security and operational continuity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn plain terms, this means the data\u00a0centre\u00a0has clear and tested measures to protect information and to keep the system secure and available,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She highlighted key operational safeguards, including access control, incident management, disaster recovery readiness, and structured change management processes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mrs\u00a0Ofosu-Adjare\u00a0indicated that a dependable customs platform supported broader government\u00a0objectives\u00a0such as lowering the cost of doing business, enabling firms to plan with confidence, and strengthening fair competition in the domestic market.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She\u00a0observed\u00a0that Ghana had faced challenges in the past, including undervaluation and other practices that undermined state revenue and distorted competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen duties are avoided, some goods enter the market at prices that honest traders and local manufacturers cannot match,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She added that strengthening traceability and controls through ICUMS would help curb unfair practices and protect legitimate businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0minister also linked the certification to\u00a0investor\u00a0confidence,\u00a0stating\u00a0that investors in\u00a0logistics, warehousing,\u00a0agro-processing,\u00a0and manufacturing looked for dependable and well-managed systems before committing capital.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA secure and well-run customs platform signals seriousness. It reassures the trading community that Ghana is committed to modern trade administration and protecting the integrity of the trading system,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mrs\u00a0Ofosu-Adjare\u00a0placed the development within the context of the government\u2019s recent engagement with the private sector, referencing assurances by the president to\u00a0maintain\u00a0Ghana\u2019s industrial competitiveness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat commitment must be reflected in the daily experience of businesses, particularly at the point where goods enter and leave our country,\u201d she noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While congratulating Ghana Link and its partners for achieving the certification, she cautioned that\u00a0maintaining\u00a0the standard would require continuous improvement, routine\u00a0reviews,\u00a0and sustained staff commitment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAchieving certification is important, but sustaining the standard is where lasting value lies,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She urged all institutions involved in customs administration to remain responsive to users and resolve issues promptly to ensure long-term trust in the system.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has stressed that a secure, stable, and predictable customs system is crucial for boosting Ghana\u2019s trade competitiveness and driving industrial growth.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[536,1883,10,9,2513],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ghana","category-national","category-politics","category-popular","category-trade-minister"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=116815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116815\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=116815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=116815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=116815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}