President of the Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations, Clement Boateng, has revealed that key stakeholders were not consulted prior to the introduction of the Publican AI system at the ports.

Speaking on Ekosiisen on Asempa FM, he stated that government failed to engage major players in the import and export sector, including clearing agents and freight forwarders, before implementing the system.

According to him, the first time stakeholders heard about the Publican AI system was during the presentation of the 2026 Budget by the Finance Minister.

Mr. Boateng added that even after the announcement, no meaningful engagement was carried out with industry players before the system was rolled out.

He contrasted this with the introduction of the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), where extensive stakeholder consultations were held prior to its implementation.

He noted that continuous engagement after ICUMS was introduced helped address operational challenges, contributing to its effectiveness.

The GUTA President emphasised that the absence of such consultations in the case of Publican AI has contributed to the current concerns being raised by stakeholders.

“There was no stakeholder engagement before the implementation of the Publican AI system,” he stated.

He maintained that engaging industry players is critical to ensuring the smooth implementation of policies that directly affect their operations.