An executive level training workshop on trade facilitation has been organised for Chief Executive Officers as part of the Ghana National Single Window implementation programme.

The objective of the workshop was to train participants on the usage of the trade facilitation guide, reform efforts to stimulate the sharing of best practices and the discussions of opportunities for inter-agency cooperation.

The trade facilitation guide contains process simplification, cross border management, consultation and corporation for trade facilitation, single window implementation and document simplification.

The Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, George Blankson called on stakeholders to show commitment to the strategic plan of the National Single Window project so the country can derive the needed benefits.

“We must all show commitment to the strategic plan that has been outlined but we must also be mindful of the fact that the strategic plan or the roadmap is not cast in stone. As we implement then strategic plan let’s all have a circumstance of flexibility to be able to tweak things to meet the exigencies of the situations as we move along,” he said.

The Director General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Richard Anamoo said the port expansion would allow bigger vessels to bring in more cargoes, hence, the need for an efficient clearing process.

“We are carrying out the port expansion, both Tema and Takoradi. We are going to expand the port and we are going from eleven and half to sixteen meters draft so attract larger and bigger vessels. Already the port is getting choked with several vessels coming in with tons and tons of cement and rice so if we do not see the clearance of goods to our ports as being very efficient then of cause that’s going to backlash,” he added.

The Chief Executive Officer of West blue consulting, Valentina Mintah said hitherto traders could take one to two weeks to obtain the final classification and valuation report (FCVR) but now traders access their customs classification and valuation report (CCVR) within 48hours.

“The CCVR on PAARS, customs have a 48hour service level agreement so in the 49th hour you will see emails coming through and people asking where is my CCVR, where is my CCVR because that is strictly being adhered to,” he said.