The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) has raised serious concerns over Parliament’s approval of an agreement between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and TRUEDARE Investments Limited for the rollout of a digital customs tracking and artificial intelligence (AI) audit system.
In a press release dated December 29, 2025, TAGG cautioned that the deal, which is expected to supplement the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), requires urgent public scrutiny to safeguard transparency, value for money, and the interests of traders and consumers.
According to TAGG, the agreement is being promoted as coming “at no additional cost to the state,” yet key details surrounding its financial structure, technical justification, and long-term implications remain unclear.
The group noted that ICUMS, introduced in 2020 as Ghana’s single-window customs platform, already provides end-to-end services including cargo tracking, risk assessment, post-clearance audit, and valuation.
TAGG questioned why government would introduce a parallel system without first publishing an independent technical assessment outlining specific shortcomings in ICUMS and why those gaps could not be addressed within the existing framework.
The advocacy group also disclosed findings from its own review of corporate records on TRUEDARE Investments Limited, incorporated in Cyprus in December 2024.
TAGG said available records show the company has minimal issued capital and no publicly verifiable track record in delivering large-scale customs IT systems, AI audits, or container tracking solutions.
Beyond technical capacity, TAGG expressed concern over the claim that the project would impose no cost on the state, warning that such initiatives often shift financial burdens onto traders, importers, transporters, and ultimately consumers through new or hidden fees.
“Someone always pays in customs operations,” the group stressed, arguing that vague assurances risk masking future cost increases across the trade value chain.
TAGG is therefore calling on government and Parliament to publish the full GRA–TRUEDARE agreement, commission an independent technical and value-for-money audit comparing ICUMS and the proposed system, and clearly disclose who will bear the financial cost of implementation over the life of the contract.
The group further urged a suspension of the deal’s implementation until all due-diligence processes are completed and stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, are adequately consulted.
While affirming its support for technological innovation and the use of AI to strengthen customs operations, TAGG warned that opaque contracts and weak accountability could undermine hard-won trade facilitation reforms and increase the cost of doing business in Ghana.
“There is no ‘Father Christmas’ in customs,” TAGG stated, urging authorities to prioritise transparency and accountability in decisions that directly affect traders and the wider economy.
Source: adomonline.com
