Port agencies to pilot paperless services soon – Titus Glover

The various agencies at the country’s ports are racing against time to meet the September 1^st deadline to enroll onto a paperless regime.

The agencies, Citi Business News understands will commence a pilot phase of the program ahead of a complete take off in September.

According to Deputy Transport Minister Titus Glover, the pilot should prompt amendments towards the implementation of the new regime.

“The CEPS has indicated that there will be a pilot program which will involve all stakeholders. Based on that then we will see the way forward if there are certain challenges we will be able to identify them,” he told Citi Business News.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged all service agencies at the country’s ports to switch to a paperless system by September 2017.

Dr. Bawumia argued that the current system had a lot of human interaction and breeds corruption.

In the same interview after meeting with the various port agencies in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr. Glover further explained that the paper system would not be completely phased out.

He contends that the proof of identification from the security agency and other allied institutions should result in about a ninety percent paperless regime.

“The GPHA has explained that in the process of moving ones cargo from the ports, you need a brief identity which will involve a paper. Even the Police will insist on documentation to determine the rightful owner of a particular consignment. So we will need some paper in the process even though ninety percent of the transaction will be paperless,” the Deputy Transport Minister said.