WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANISATION (WCO) INTER-AGENCY FORUM ON COORDINATED BORDER MANAGEMENT-PANEL 1 Ghana Customs Excise and Preventive Service: Cooperative arrangements of Ghana Customs with other Agencies of the state at land, air and sea border crossings June 2009 E. N. DOKU Commissioner, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Ghana

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION Introduction Introduction Regulatory Agencies Regulatory Agencies Obligations for effective border management Obligations for effective border management Ghana’s Single Window Ghana’s Single Window Co-operative arrangements Co-operative arrangements Challenges Challenges Conclusion Conclusion

INTRODUCTION Location of Ghana Location of Ghana West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, few degrees north of equator West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, few degrees north of equator Coastline of 539km Coastline of 539km Shares land boundary with 3 countries Shares land boundary with 3 countries Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso Border Crossings Border Crossings 2 sea ports, 1 international airport, over 60 land border crossings Regulatory Agencies Regulatory Agencies Encompass various border control functions Immigration, Law enforcement, Public health, safety, security

REGULATORY AGENCIES Physical Presence at the border At all border crossings At all border crossings eg Immigration Only at major border crossings Only at major border crossings eg Ghana Standards Board, Food and drugs Board Not required to be present Not required to be present eg Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Minerals Commission

OBLIGATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE BORDER MANAGEMENT ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF ECOWAS PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS, GOODS AND SERVICES TRADE AND INVESTMENT GATEWAY PROGRAMME TRADE AND INVESTMENT GATEWAY PROGRAMME

GHANA’S SINGLE WINDOW GCNet/GCMS GCNet/GCMS EDI Platform Processing of customs declarations Issuance of Permits/Exemptions by Regulatory Agencies Sharing and exchange of data Nine Agencies connected and issuing permits/exemptions Nine Agencies connected and issuing permits/exemptions Has enhanced cooperation and coordination between customs and Agencies Has enhanced cooperation and coordination between customs and Agencies

COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS Joint Physical Examinations Joint Physical Examinations Juxtaposed Offices Juxtaposed Offices Data Sharing (Single Window) Data Sharing (Single Window) Joint Border Patrols Joint Border Patrols UNODC-WCO Global Container Programme UNODC-WCO Global Container Programme Money Laundering Money Laundering

CHALLENGES Overlap of functions of some Agencies Overlap of functions of some Agencies Lack of harmonisation of working hours Lack of harmonisation of working hours Non computerisation of Agencies Non computerisation of Agencies

CONCLUSION No national policy and legal framework on coordinated border management No national policy and legal framework on coordinated border management Necessary for a more effective and sustainable coordinated border management process Necessary for a more effective and sustainable coordinated border management process