Faced with public backlash for allegedly ‘cloning’ the Ghana National Single Window, the company has pulled down the online platform, as the existing service providers gear up for a court action to protect their intellectual property.
The checks by the Ghanaian Times has revealed that the alleged plagiarised system, which was expected to come into operation on January 1, 2019, has been postponed by the government’s Economic Management Team for lack of preparedness, threat to port revenue, and other similar issues.
A probe became necessary after it emerged that the supposed newly built and superior software with which Ghana Link Network Service Limited, with its overseas partners, CUPIA Koria Customs Service (UNIPASS) designed is no different from the existing systems already being operated by government.
Checks on the website of the supposedly newly-built and superior system being brought by UNIPASS, only displayed “Ghana’s Trade Hub”, which is the existing facility of the government of Ghana.
The website also had posters and artworks of the “achievement of paperless ports so far…” which was designed by the Office of the Vice President in early 2018, based on the works of the existing operators.
Additionally, a click on social media links such as Facebook and Twitter of Uni-Pass, rather opened the social media pages of the existing vendors with all the contact details and information on the existing vendors.
Mr Kwabena Ofosu-Appiah, the President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIIF), told the Ghanaian Times in an earlier interview that he was present at the meeting where the new software was demonstrated but “what was shown to us as the new software is the same as the old one”.
He said it was up to the original developers of the single window software to decide whether to take up the matter or not; a right the existing operator are seeking to exercise.
Uni-Pass Deal Suspended
Meanwhile the Economic Management Team (EMT) on December 18, 2018, directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to suspend the single window system takeover by CUPIA of Korea Customs Service (UNIPASS) and Ghana Link Network Service Limited.
The directive, contained in a decision note of the Economic Management Team headed by Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and dated December 20, 2018, said the decision to suspend the implementation of the Uni-Pass system and allow for the use of the existing National Single Window is to allow time for cabinet to scrutinise the 10-year sole-sourced Uni-Pass deal.
“…The planned introduction of Uni-Pass on January 1, 2019 be suspended, with a transition period to at least August 2019 to avoid potential disruptions to the port clearing system,” the decision note signed by Prof. Joe Amoako-Tuffour, Secretary/Member of the EMT said.
The EMT tasked CUPIA of Korea and Ghana Link Network Service to provide a demonstration that they had developed – a “Full end to end Customs technology solutions systems, successfully tested, with independent stress report and provide a comprehensive implementation plan to the EMT by the end of January 2019″.
By Times Reporter
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