Publican AI will remove human discretion from import clearance, says GRA boss

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has defended its new digital system, Publican AI, stating that its primary goal is to eliminate human discretion entirely from the import clearance process.

Commissioner-General Anthony Kwasi Sarpong addressed ongoing controversy surrounding the system’s rollout in an interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View on Monday, April 13.

While the shipping and logistics sector has voiced strong resistance to the new technology—particularly from freight forwarders—Mr. Sarpong insisted the system is critical for ensuring fairness and uniformity.

“It’s not about one person being in one location and another elsewhere. This is one of the things we’re trying to solve—avoiding human discretion, so everyone works on the same system,” he explained. “The real centralisation is to bring standardisation and uniformity.”

The Commissioner-General also dismissed claims that the AI system has removed avenues for appeal. He noted that processes for disputing classifications and valuations existed long before the Publican platform was introduced, arguing that suggestions to the contrary are inaccurate.

Authorities have maintained that the digital overhaul is intended to reduce delays, increase transparency, and create a level playing field for all importers, despite the pushback from key industry stakeholders.