CUPIA of Korea Customs Service requires 25 months to develop and implement new single window system in Ghana.
During this period, the company’s operations will mainly focus on developing the main module of the customs clearance system, a statement published on its website explained.
“CUPIA has signed a $40 million deal with Ghana Link to export an electronic customs clearance system to the African country.
“Under the deal, our electronic customs clearance system (“UNI-PASS”) will be provided to the Ghana government.
“The project is planned to take 25 months and will mainly focus on developing main module of the customs clearance system such as customs clearance, cargo management and risk management etc.
“CUPIA will be responsible for the development and implementation of the e-customs system,” it added.
Ghana Link which is the local partner of CUPIA of Korea Customs Service is lobbying top government officials to allow UNI-PASS commence implementation of its contract.
There are fears of possible disruptions during the design and implementation stage especially if that will last for 25 months.
Contract signed
It will be recalled that on March 29, 2018, the Ministry of Trade and Industry signed a 10-year sole sourced contract with Ghana Link Network Service Limited and its overseas partners, CUPIA Koria Customs Service, to take over the Ghana National Single Window with a newly built customized superior system.
Even though the takeover of the single window operations from West Blue Consulting and GCNet will cost the tax payers more money, the Ministry of Trade went ahead to seal the deal.
Ghana Link with its overseas partners, CUPIA Korea Customs Service will provide the trade facilitation and Customs Management System at a 0.75 percent fee (FOB) per their 10-year sole sourced contract with Ministry of Trade.
This means that Ghanaian importers will be paying estimated $180 million for the UNI-PASS system at the end of the company’s 10-year contract based on current import volumes.
This figure is extremely higher than what the existing vendors, West Blue and GCNet are currently receiving as a fee.
UNIPASS deal suspended
Meanwhile the Economic Management Team (EMT) on December 18, 2018, directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to suspend the single window system takeover by CUPIA of Korea Customs Service (UNIPASS) and Ghana Link Network Service Limited.
The decision which was communicated to the Ministries of Trade and Finance was to ensure that issues regarding the takeover of operations at the country’s ports were addressed.
In the statement, the EMT tasked CUPIA of Korea and Ghana Link Network Service to provide a demonstration that they had developed a “full end to end Customs Technology Solutions Systems, successfully tested, with independent Stress Report and provide a comprehensive implementation plan to the EMT by the end of January 2019″.
Source: The Finder
