The Finance Minister has ordered a sweeping crackdown on customs officers, importers and clearing agents after authorities uncovered what he described as a major transit diversion scheme involving goods declared for neighbouring Niger, exposing the state to more than 85 million cedis in lost revenue.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Cassiel Ato Forson said the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), acting through its Customs Division, intercepted 18 articulated trucks declared as transit cargo to Niger but moving without the mandatory customs escorts required under Ghana’s transit regime.
The trucks had been released from the Akanu border post to travel along the eastern corridor and exit Ghana at Kulungugu, with declared cargo totalling more than 44,000 packages weighing about 880,000 kilograms, Forson said.
Twelve of the trucks have been impounded so far, with 11 secured at the Tema Transit Yard for further inspection and legal processing. One vehicle overturned while attempting to evade interception, spilling its cargo, while six others are still being pursued.
Initial suspended duties and taxes were assessed at about 2.6 million cedis, but subsequent inspections revealed what Forson said were “material discrepancies” in declared values, tariff classifications and weights, pushing the revised revenue exposure to 85.3 million cedis.
“Preliminary findings point to systemic control weaknesses and human complicity,” Forson said, adding that he had directed the revenue authority to begin comprehensive investigations immediately.
“Any Customs officer found culpable will face prompt disciplinary action in accordance with the law,” he said, warning that criminal investigations would also extend to importers and clearing agents where evidence supports prosecution.
As part of an immediate response, the minister said all land transit of cooking oil had been banned, with such consignments now required to pass exclusively through Ghana’s seaports, while transactions originating from land collection points would face enhanced monitoring and tracking.
Forson said the government was determined to protect domestic revenue and local industry, stressing that abuse of the transit regime would not be tolerated.
“Every cedi matters in our collective effort to fund national priorities,” he said.
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