The Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has directed the Ghana Revenue Authority to ban the land transit of selected goods as part of measures to tighten border controls and safeguard government revenue. The directive followed a meeting on Monday March 9 between the minister, the Acting Commissioner of Customs, Aaron Akanor, and the management of the Customs Division to review developments at Ghana’s borders.
In a statement shared on his Facebook page, Dr. Forson said the meeting was held to assess the situation at the country’s borders and take steps to address revenue leakages.
“Earlier today, I met with the Acting Commissioner of Customs and the management of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to discuss the recent developments at our borders and to take decisive steps to protect Ghana’s revenue,” he said.
The minister announced that the government has placed an immediate ban on the land transit of certain goods, including cooking oil, rice, sugar, frozen products, textiles, flour, canned tomatoes, pasta or spaghetti, and pharmaceutical products.
“These goods must now be routed exclusively through Ghana’s seaports and will no longer be permitted to enter or transit through Ghana via land borders,” he stated.
Dr. Forson also directed the recentralisation of the Customs Technical Services Bureau (CTSB) to enhance coordination and valuation processes within the Customs Division.
“This will establish a one-stop shop for valuation and strengthen intelligence sharing, including insights generated through the Publican AI system,” he added.
He stressed that the measures are aimed at strengthening border controls, closing revenue leakages, and safeguarding government revenue, while directing all relevant departments within the Customs Division of the GRA to ensure strict compliance.
Credit: Mavis Fantevi
