The Ghana Union of Traders’ Association (GUTA), in collaboration with several freight forwarding and business advocacy groups, has formally suspended its planned industrial action targeted at protesting the new Publican AI trade valuation system.

The Publican AI trade valuation system is a new Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) initiative that uses artificial intelligence to determine import duties and valuations at the ports.

The Association and its partners announced in a formal statement on Sunday, April 12, directing freight forwarders and clearing agents to cease payment of duties and suspend operations starting the next day.

However, following a high-level deliberation meeting with the government, it secured concessions which informed its decision to call off the strike.

The resolution was reached on Thursday, April 16, 2026, during a critical meeting between the Joint Business Forum and top officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Concerns about the AI at the ports before planned strike

The meeting followed widespread concerns and anxiety over the sudden increases in payable duties compared to the previous manual system, eliminating the 24-hour appeals mechanism that traders relied on to contest valuation delays caused at ports by the AI introduction.

Business groups also argued that they were not adequately engaged before the rollout of the system.

The discussions were prompted by widespread industry anxiety about the impact of the Publican AI system on trade operations and customs valuations.

During the session, the business coalition presented four primary demands: the immediate suspension of the Publican AI system, the restoration of the previous valuation appeals process with a 24-hour resolution guarantee, full transparency regarding the system’s technical operations, and clear participation in a proposed multi-party oversight committee.

In a breakthrough, the government agreed to reinstate the earlier appeals framework, ensuring that all valuation disputes are resolved within a 24-hour window. To further bolster transparency, officials committed to expanding the appeals committee from six to twelve members. Furthermore, both parties agreed to meet on Monday, April 20, to jointly develop the terms of reference for a new multi-party committee.

However, the government declined the request to suspend the Publican AI system, insisting that operational concerns be channelled through the new committee. Demands for full disclosure of the system's contractual details were also resisted, though the government promised that trade representatives could interrogate the system and engage directly with its operators.

While the Joint Business Forum acknowledged that some grievances remain, it described the engagement as a step forward.

The coalition, which includes GUTA, GIFF, TAGG, FABAG, and several others, emphasised that the suspension is temporary and subject to the outcome of future negotiations, warning that further action remains an option if dialogue fails.

In an unrelated development, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ghana Union of Traders Associations (GUTA) announced that, to ensure the effective rollout of the new VAT law (VAT Act, 2025, Act 1151), traders would continue to charge an effective 20 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) in the first quarter of 2026.

The new VAT law abolished the 2.5 per cent COVID-19 Health Recovery Levy, raised the VAT registration threshold for goods from GH¢200,000 to GH¢750,000, introduced digital invoicing and compliance systems, and set a unified effective VAT rate of 20 per cent, comprising VAT, the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL), and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) Levy.

According to both institutions, the move was intended to allow room for feedback and adjustments while ensuring compliance with the law.

GUTA and GRA held a meeting in Accra on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, following widespread concerns raised over the possible impact of the implementation of the new VAT regime on thousands of traders, particularly those who previously operated under the VAT Flat Rate Scheme. The scheme was a simplified method of VAT collection and accounting, mainly applied to retailers of taxable goods with annual turnover above GH¢200,000 but not exceeding GH¢500,000. Under the system, traders charged a flat 4 per cent VAT/NHIL (plus the COVID-19 levy when it existed) instead of using the standard VAT system.

However, under the new interim arrangements, all eligible taxpayers, including GUTA members, were to charge and account for VAT at the applicable effective rate of 20 per cent until the end of the first quarter of implementation.

Both GUTA and GRA also agreed to establish a collaborative technical team to address any potential challenges the new system might present. The team was to focus on sector-level concerns such as VAT record-keeping, input VAT claims, and calculation methods, and would make recommendations for possible reviews based on practical challenges encountered on the ground.

Another effort to ensure the effective implementation of the new tax system, as proposed by the two groups, was the intensification of education and sensitisation programmes nationwide to enlighten traders and enable them to comply with the revised VAT framework.

The GRA pledged its readiness to provide the necessary technical assistance to traders, especially those transitioning from the flat rate scheme, and to adopt a collaborative approach to ensure a smooth transition. GUTA, on its part, urged members to comply with the law while engaging constructively with the tax authority.