Accra: In a series of analytical pieces, a pressing call has been made for President Mahama, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to terminate the contract with Truedare Investments Limited. Concerns have been raised by various stakeholders regarding procurement issues, contracting concerns, and the undisclosed financial terms of the deal.
According to Ghana Web, the criticisms stem from the potential financial implications for Ghana, with an annual payout estimated at around GHC2.8 billion to Truedare Investments Limited. This has prompted the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana to seek full disclosure of the contract details through legal action, as their requests under the Right to Information Act were denied.
The argument against the Truedare deal highlights Ghana's capability to handle such digital projects locally, as demonstrated by successful implementations like the Ghana Card, Mobile Money Interoperability, and the ICUMS. These projects saved significant resources and advanced Ghana's digital infrastructure without heavy reliance on foreign vendors.
Countries like Rwanda, India, and Singapore have showcased successful deployment of advanced digital customs systems. The issue at hand is not the necessity of foreign expertise but the structuring of engagements to build local capabilities and avoid long-term dependencies.
The financial implications of the Truedare deal are staggering. With a projected Customs revenue growth, the estimated payout to Truedare could rise to GHC3.95 billion by 2026, raising questions about the actual value of the system versus natural revenue growth. This situation poses a risk of aggressive revenue extraction by a private company, which could negatively impact traders and consumers.
The demand for transparency continues to grow, as stakeholders insist on full disclosure of the Publican AI Customs contract to ensure Ghanaians understand the commitments made on their behalf.