Stakeholders in the shipping industry will meet on January 7, this year, to deliberate on how to tackle the various challenges in the clearing processes at the country’s air and seaports.

Trade and Industry Minister, Mr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah, who announced this when he paid a visit to the Tema Harbour, said the meeting comes on the back of incessant complaints from the shipping public about cumbersome clearance processes at the ports which directly affects cost and the ease of doing business.

Mr. Spio-Garbrah also hinted that government will soon create a fast clearing system as part of plans to provide a conducive business environment that will alleviate the frustrations that importers and exporters face in their dealings at the ports.

The single window approach, he said, will not sacrifice national security, revenue collection, and standards as well as other important national commitments.

The single-window system is a trade facilitation idea that enables international—cross-border—traders to submit regulatory documents at a single location and/or single entity.

Such documents are typically customs declarations, applications for import/export permits, and other supporting documents such as certificates of origin and trading invoices.

The main value proposition for having a single window clearance system is an increase in efficiency through time and cost savings for traders in their dealings with government authorities for obtaining the relevant clearance and permit(s) for the movement of their cargoes.