Samson Asaki Awingobit, Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG)

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana (IEAG) has officially broken its silence on the implementation of the Publican Artificial Intelligence (AI) System at the nation’s ports, denouncing recent attempts to portray the association as an opponent of the technology.

In a press statement dated April 9, the IEAG’s Executive Secretary, Samson Asaki Awingobit, clarified that while the association had legitimate concerns in 2025, it now stands unequivocally behind the AI-driven reform.

The association noted with concern that certain groups have been recycling media publications from December 2025 to create a false impression of ongoing resistance.

The IEAG dismissed these claims as misleading and outdated, insisting they do not reflect the current reality following months of high-level negotiations.

“The concerns raised by the IEAG in 2025 were legitimate and grounded in the lack of adequate stakeholder consultation... [but] the Government of Ghana, through the Finance Ministry and the GRA, has engaged extensively with industry stakeholders,” the statement read.

The initial friction regarding the Publican AI system centred on data security, transparency, and how the technology would integrate with existing port systems.

However, the IEAG revealed that recent "constructive engagements" with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have addressed these bottlenecks.

While acknowledging that the rollout has faced "operational challenges", an occurrence the association describes as common with major technological shifts, the IEAG expressed confidence in the government's ongoing efforts to refine the framework.

The IEAG highlighted several transformative benefits that the Publican AI system brings to the Ghanaian economy, including:

Enhanced Revenue Mobilisation: Automated detection of under-valuation.
Reduction in Leakages: Plugging holes in the manual clearing process.
Transparency: Minimising "unethical practices" and human interference at the ports.
Modernisation: Strengthening Ghana's overall trade facilitation architecture.

The association issued a stern warning to individuals or groups attempting to use the IEAG’s name to serve "narrow or parochial interests" or to fuel political propaganda.

“The association will not allow itself to be used as a tool for propaganda or any agenda that does not advance the collective interest of importers, exporters, and the Ghanaian economy,” Mr Awingobit asserted.

The IEAG concluded by urging all port stakeholders to throw their weight behind the system, describing it as a national interest project that will eliminate bottlenecks and promote a more competitive trading environment for Ghana.

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Importers and Exporters Association Fully Support Publican AI Port System

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