CUBAG
Provides real, tangible value to its members that you can’t get anywhere else: a sense of community, personal interaction with like-minded individuals, a way to participate and contribute in your industry.
CUBAG consistently delivers relevant, high-quality products and services, including refresher courses, continuous professional development activities, advocacy and sensitization programs.
CUBAG creates member value and benefits through events, conferences and networking, lobbying for interests, access to research information and industry-specific resources, upskilling members and professional advice.
Relevance:
- Maintain and improve professional standards, ethics and behaviour of practitioners.
- Acts in advisory capacity and provides guidance to Ghanaian and international bodies on policy directions
- Represents the interests of customs brokers and/or freight forwarders to relevant government departments and agencies. primarily the G.R.A – Customs Division, involved in regulating and facilitating international trade.
- Works with government and other private sector stakeholders to develop new, innovative solutions to meet the needs of the international trade community, as these needs are identified by our members and their clients.
- Ensures that members have access to timely, accurate and up-to-date information on technical, operational and business management issues.
- Supports the education and professional development needs of our members through conferences, seminars, educational courses etc.
- Promotes the value of and enhances the relevance of customs brokers in the supply chain.
The CUBAG is one of the most respected organizations in Ghana’s international trade community. CUBAG has over 400 Customs House Agencies (corporate members) and over 5000 Certified Customs Specialists.
CUBAG Membership Benefits
Customs brokerage firms licensed in Ghana are eligible for membership in the Customs Brokers Association-Ghana.
Why should you consider membership in the Customs Brokers Association-Ghana?
Advocacy
Because our members value the work we do in identifying issues for which there is industry consensus, and communicating positions on those issues to government. Because you deserve a voice in the freight forwarding industry, a voice that will represent your interests in the clearing and forwarding space, government ministries, departments and agencies, including but not limited to the G.R.A – Customs Division, the AfCFTA secretariat and Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ghana Food and Drug Authority.
Timely Information Resources:
Because Customs Brokers need accurate, up-to-date information in order to meet clients needs, CUBAG makes it a point to provide timely technical and operational information brokers require. We use specialised group WhatsApp platforms to disseminate information and share relevant material to hundreds of member contacts throughout the business day. We also have an on-line searchable database (available on our extranet) that provides a valuable research tool for industry-related information, as well as sensitive trade-related information.
Industry Innovation
Because the innumerable benefits associated with information communication technology, and the significant difference it brings to your business, the association is leading the charge in innovation. CUBAG members benefit from the associations’ commitment to enterprise resource planning (ERP) products and services and that have improved customs brokers’ competitiveness and ability to meet client needs.
Job Posting Service
Because we offer an exclusive job posting service to our members for FREE, which targets the most qualified of applicants.
Human Resources Service
Because we offer a industry-specific human resources consultancy and complementary advisory services to our member companies, we ensure they always have a competitive edge, it’s not by accident that majority of the multi-national companies (MNCs) are with CUBAG.
A Learning Organisation- Professional Development Programs
Because we want our members to remain relevant and be top-level industry professionals, CUBAG Training Institute has been setup to drive continuous learning. We need you to select/ enable and receive notifications on the professional development programs provided for you and your employees, including national and regional conferences, seminars, workshops and all at highly subsidised costs for members.
Promotion
Because we can promote your business through our online Members Directory, avail sponsorship opportunities and advertisement in industry publications.
Technical/Operational Inquiries
Because CUBAG staff are available to assist you in finding the needed solutions to technical /operational challenges that arise during the course of your business operations.
What is a Customs Broker & Why Do You Need One?“]More than 354,000 importers deal with the G.R.A – Customs Division (GBSA) annually. They mostly rely on the services of licensed customs brokers to get their shipments cleared at the border or freight station.
For each of these transactions, reams of critical business data must be generated-on about everything from country of origin and destinations, to suppliers, tariff classifications, routings, and intended use.
Traditionally, importers rely on customs brokers to pull all that information together and clear the goods through customs. But many importers are learning that it is only part of the story. Customs brokers are now helping importers leverage that information, transforming data into critical business intelligence. Customs brokers are offering a growing range of specialized services to help importers develop new product lines, explore new markets, evaluate the impact of global change, and cut costs.
How to Select the Right Customs Broker for Your
Business Needs. Which of the following most closely reflects your
business? (Click on an appropriate link)
How to Select a Customs Broker – Just starting out, wondering if I need a customs broker.
Because customs brokers leverage electronic communications both with clients and with G.R.A – Customs Division and other government agencies that control the importation and exportation processes, your customs broker does not need to have an actual office at the port of entry through which your goods enter or exit Ghana.
Customs brokers are licensed by the G.R.A – Customs Division, and as such, an importer must grant a customs broker authority to act on his/her behalf as an agent.
What to ask for
Here are some questions that you might wish to ask as you discuss your business concerns with customs brokers.
- What support can you offer to novice commercial importers/exporters?
2. How long have you been in business?
3. What are the risks associated with importing/exporting commercial goods? How will you help me mitigate those risks?
4. What information do you need from me to begin assessing my business needs?
5. How will you charge for your services? Will a single person be assigned to my account? Can I reach a live person 24/7?
How to Select a Customs Broker – Clears/ Forwards less than 1000 shipments per year ?
Because customs brokers leverage electronic communications both with clients and with G.R.A – Customs Division and other government agencies that control the importation and exportation of goods, your customs broker does not need to have an actual office at the port of entry through which your goods enter or exit Ghana.
Customs brokers are licensed by the G.R.A – Customs Division. As such an importer must grant a customs broker authority to act on his behalf.
What to ask for
Here are some questions that you might wish to ask as you discuss your business concerns with customs brokers.
- How long have you been in business?
2. How will you communicate with me about legislative or regulatory changes that impact my business?
3. How will you charge for your services? Will a single person be assigned to my account? Can I reach a live person 24/7/365?
4. Do you provide all the services that I will need to import or export my goods? Can you also handle my customs clearance into other countries? Are you affiliated with any foreign customs brokers? Carriers? Freight Forwarders?
5. Are you a member of the Customs Brokers Association-Ghana? How many Certified Customs Specialists and Certified Trade Compliance Specialists do you have on staff? Will one of these individuals be handling my shipments?
Additional information you should provide to your customs broker
Details about the goods you import and export, including: who manufactures the goods, where the goods are manufactured, the end-use and/or user of the goods, and the value of the goods.
1. How to Select a Customs Broker – Guidelines for experienced, frequent importer with significant volume (more than 1000 shipments per year or annual imports valued at more than ¢1M)
How to Select a Customs Broker – Guidelines for experienced, frequent importer with significant volume (more than 1000 shipments per year or annual imports valued at more than ¢1M)”
Experienced, frequent importer with significant volume (more than 1000 shipments per year or annual imports valued at more than $1M)
How to Select a Customs Broker – Guidelines for experienced, frequent importer with significant volume (more than 1000 shipments per year or annual imports valued at more than ¢1M)
Because Customs Brokers leverage electronic communications both with Clients and with G.R.A – Customs Division and other government agencies that control the importation and exportation of process, your customs broker does not need to have an actual office at the port of entry through which your goods enter or exit Ghana.
Customs brokers are licensed by the G.R.A – Customs Division. As such an importer must grant a customs broker authority to act on his behalf.
What to ask for
Here are some questions that you might wish to ask as you discuss your business concerns with Customs Brokers.
- Does your firm have a specific area of expertise? How do you provide this information to prospective clients? Can you provide references from current clients with the same or similar imports to mine?
- Do you have experience with, and current knowledge of, the goods that will be imported by my business? What do you require from me to begin development of my database records? How do you let your clients know about regulatory changes that affect their goods?
- How will we work together to develop a compliance plan to clarify our responsibilities and minimize our exposure to administrative monetary penalties (AMPS)? And how will we work together to ensure CUBAG receives the electronic pre-arrival cargo information needed to meet eManifest requirements, including the electronic transmission of advance importer data? Do you offer trade compliance seminars or webinars for clients?
- Will a single person be assigned to my account? Can I reach a live person 24/7/365?
- Are you a member of the Customs Brokers Association-Ghana? How many Certified Customs Specialists and Certified Trade Compliance Specialists do you have on staff? Will one of these individuals be handling my shipments?
- Do you provide the all the services that I will need to import or export my goods? Can you also handle my customs clearance into other countries? Are you affiliated with any foreign customs brokers? Carriers? Freight Forwarders?
- Can you provide me with a regular report that details my import and export history?
- What differentiates you from your competitors?
Additional information you should provide to your customs broker
Details about the goods you import and export, including: who manufactures the goods, where the goods are manufactured, the end-use and/or user of the goods, and the value of the goods.