The Tema branch of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce has educated the business community on how to process certificates of origin during its 3rd Bi-monthly Members’ Meeting for 2017.

This follows several concerns from exporters and freight forwarders with regards to the challenges they go through in processing their certificate of origin.

A certificate of origin is a document used in international trade which is completed by the exporter and certified by a recognized issuing body, attesting that the goods in a particular export shipment have been produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country.

Daniel Torgbor, Regional Head of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce said the chamber in collaboration with West Blue consulting is automating the certificate of origin on the Ghana National Single Window platform.

Hitherto, he said the exporters and freight forwarders would have to make payments at the banks, go to the chamber to buy the certificates before returning to their offices to enter their detail after which they come back to the chamber for signature and endorsement.

This process, Daniel Torgbor noted, was seen as cumbersome which leads to the loss of productive time.

“But the certificate of origin has now been made electronic, therefore, exporters can sit in the comfort of their offices and apply for it,” he said.

This particular move is seen to be in the right direction especially in the wake of calls by the Vice President for the Ports of Ghana to go paperless by September 1st.