Ghana Deputy Minister for Finance, Thomas Nyarko Ampem, has accused some customs officers within the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) of collaborating with importers to deliberately undervalue goods, mostly to pay lower taxes or import duties, as well as reduce insurance costs, resulting in significant revenue losses to the state.

His comments come after the interception of 18 articulated trucks at the Akanu and Aflao border posts on February 18.

The trucks, declared as in transit to Niger, were found carrying assorted goods, including cooking oil, spaghetti, and tomato paste, but suspected to be part of a broader transit diversion scheme.

According to authorities, the trucks were stopped following a suspected irregularity and absence of a customs human escort, which is considered a major violation of transit regulations.

Under the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891) and GRA guidelines, goods declared as “in transit”, passing through Ghana to another country, such as Niger. must follow the transit rules, which include mandatory escort to prevent a diversion of goods to designated countries, to avoid import duties, causing huge losses to the state.

Preliminary investigations indicate the consignments could have led to potential revenue losses of GH¢85.3 million, with an immediate revenue exposure estimated at GH¢2.62 million.

Post-interception examinations in the recent case uncovered material discrepancies in declared unit values, tariff classifications, and weights, which revised the suspended revenue exposure from approximately GH¢2.6 million to over GH¢85 million.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Citi Breakfast Show, Mr Nyarko Ampem said concerns about customs officers aiding importers in manipulating declarations have persisted for some time. He revealed that officers had been monitoring the trucks before their interception.

“I have seen a letter from one officer to the Aflao border, directing that the goods should not be allowed to enter. This indicates the matter had been under surveillance for a while,” he noted.

While acknowledging that most customs officers perform their duties professionally, the Deputy Minister said a few “bad nuts” within the system are undermining efforts to protect state revenue.

“There are some bad nuts in customs who are aiding importers to defraud the nation through practices such as undervaluation and diversion of goods. When diligent officers realised what was happening, they acted,” he stated.

Due to the recent bust, Ghana will no longer transit cooking oils through its borders, as the Finance Minister has announced a sweeping ban on such consignments following the interception of 18 articulated trucks declared for transit to Niger but suspected to be part of a broader transit diversion scheme.

The Finance Minister, Dr Casiel Ato Forson, announced the ban in a formal statement on Friday, February 21.

According to the new directive, all such consignments must henceforth be routed exclusively through the country’s seaports.

The statement indicated that cooking oil shipments destined for landlocked countries that will transit via Ghana will no longer be permitted to move through land border collection points; they must be processed exclusively through Ghana’s seaports, where stricter valuation systems, electronic tracking, scanning infrastructure, and layered customs controls are in place.

Aside from the border ban, the Finance Minister charged the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to implement enhanced monitoring and strict enforcement of compliance for all transactions originating from land collection points, including intensified cargo tracking, reinforced escort protocols, and tighter supervisory oversight.

In a suspected customs complicity, Dr Ato Forson ordered a crackdown on customs officers, importers, and clearing agents implicated in diversion schemes, warning that officers found culpable will face strict sanctions and that heightened monitoring systems at seaports would be strengthened to prevent future diversions.

The Minister has also ordered the prompt commencement of disciplinary proceedings against any Customs officers found culpable in similar breaches. Criminal investigations are to extend to importers and clearing agents where evidence supports prosecution.

Officials say the measures are designed not only to protect state revenue but also to safeguard local edible oil producers from unfair competition arising from diverted transit goods.

The government reaffirmed its resolve to apply the full rigour of the law, including confiscation and auction of impounded goods where applicable, and to ensure that Ghana’s customs regime is not exploited to undermine domestic revenue mobilisation and national development.