A trade data expert has recommended policy measures to address revenue leakages and operational inefficiencies at Ghana’s ports, emphasizing the need for modernized trade data management.
In a policy brief shared by Mr. David O.G. Abbots, a supply-chain systems specialist, highlighted weaknesses in Ghana’s trade and port data governance framework that require urgent attention.
He noted that the country’s current trade management system largely relies on post-arrival declarations, fragmented agency data, and foreign mirror statistics to track imports and exports, practices he described as outdated and inconsistent with modern trade facilitation standards.
“These weaknesses have contributed to revenue losses through under-invoicing, misclassification of goods, and undocumented cargo movements, depriving the state of significant customs revenue and undermining fiscal planning,” Mr. Abbots said.
He further observed that Ghana continues to rely on external trade data sources, including partner-reported statistics and paid international databases, to guide macroeconomic and fiscal decisions.
“No modern trading nation leaves the generation of its trade intelligence to foreign sources,” he added, noting that the absence of a unified national trade data system hampers revenue protection, security screening, and access to international development finance.
To address these challenges, Mr. Abbots proposed the adoption of a Smart Port Note (SPN) system, which would capture advance cargo information at the point of origin and create a single national trade data layer accessible to all relevant agencies.
He explained that the SPN system would enable pre-arrival risk assessment, improve customs efficiency, strengthen revenue protection, and help Ghana meet donor data requirements linked to Aid-for-Trade, climate finance, women’s economic empowerment, and child supply-chain programmes.
Mr. Abbots emphasized that this measure aligns with the World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement and the World Customs Organisation SAFE Framework, bringing Ghana in line with international best practices in port and trade data management.
“Implementing this system is not optional,” he said. “It is an investment in economic sovereignty, national security, and Ghana’s ability to attract concessional finance.”
