In a concerning development, 18 articulated vehicles have been intercepted by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) over suspicions of irregularities at the Akanu and Aflao borders.
The vehicles were allegedly moving without the mandatory customs human escort with consignments that are estimated to represent potential lost revenue of GH¢85.3 million, with an initial assessment pegged at GH¢2.62 million.
Speaking on the issue, Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has accused some officers within the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of colluding with importers to undervalue goods, resulting in significant revenue losses to the state.
The deputy finance minister said the menace of customs officers aiding importers to manipulate declarations has been a longstanding concern.
He revealed that although customs procedures mandate that officers escort transit goods across the country, the two officers assigned to accompany the trucks were absent at the time of interception.
“The customs have been tracking them. I have seen a letter that one of the officers wrote to the Aflao border, not to allow those goods to come in. This means that it is something that has been happening and they have been monitoring it for a while,” he revealed.
Mr Nyarko Ampem also pointed out that while many officers act professionally, others within the system collaborate with importers to defraud the nation through practices such as undervaluation and diversion of goods.
“There are some bad nuts in customs who are aiding importers to defraud the nation. So, when the good ones realised it, they decided to act,” he stated.
The Deputy Minister reiterated the government‘s determination to clamp down on revenue leakages at the borders, particularly practices involving under-declaration and undervaluation of imports, which undermine domestic revenue mobilisation efforts.
He stressed that any officers found culpable will face the full rigours of the law as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening customs enforcement and safeguarding national revenue.
The trucks were declared to be in transit to Niger, and were carrying assorted goods including cooking oil, spaghetti and tomato paste.
By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang
 over suspicions of irregularities at the Akanu and Aflao borders.){kind=link}