Isaac Crentsil
Heads are rolling at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) following the interdiction of about 115 officers for their alleged roles in the loss of some GH¢1.2 billion revenue to the state.
The officers were said to have aided some freight forwarders and importers to evade taxes and duties at the Tema Port.
Initially, 15 officers were interdicted at the Preventive Service for using a modus of tax evasion and reduction in duties to deny the nation of its entitled revenue.
Additionally, 19 persons were interdicted in connection with the purported fraud.
The latest of the ongoing interdiction exercise involves some 81 Custom officers which happened on Monday.
First batch of the latest interdiction involves 31 officers – comprising 7 females and 24 males.
The second batch has the highest number of 50 officers – consisting of 13 females and 37 males – who reportedly diverted revenue belonging to the state into private pockets.
Some customs officers were said to have abused the exemption policy and conspired with some private companies to exploit the state.
Thorough investigations conducted by the National Security have uncovered the diversion of huge sums of money by a gang of workers at the Tema Port into their personal accounts.
It is said to be part of fallouts from ongoing investigations into financial malfeasance at the port.
Speaking on the interdiction, Isaac Crentsil, Commissioner of Customs, explained that it forms part of a rebranding process his outfit is embarking on in view of so many malpractices that have bedeviled the division.
According to him, Customs is currently seeing some improvement in revenue collection.
He was optimistic that his outfit would meet its target for the second quarter of this year, noting that “so far we should be collecting GH¢6.7 billion but we have collected about GH¢6.1 billion and so we have a deficit of about GH¢0.6 billion,” he posited.
President Akufo-Addo had been lamenting the naked stealing at the ports, and given assurance that the perpetrators would face the law.
Speaking at a public forum in London recently, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo lamented the cartel involving some Customs officials and clearing agents who cause financial loss to the state.
“So in three ministries of our social sector – health, education and gender – out of a total budget of GH¢9.2 billion, GH¢1.2 billion is overseas aid or donor support. And yet, one group of alleged racketeers at Tema can deny us revenue of GH¢1.2 billion,” he bemoaned.
He stressed further, “With a handful of Customs officials and representatives of clearing agencies allegedly responsible for this level of loss, one can, therefore, imagine the leakages and the seepages that exist in the country’s revenue collection system.”
The president observed that the GH¢1.2 billion stolen by the gang could represent the official total donor assistance for three key ministries such as education, health and gender.
Some officials, who spoke with DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity, blamed the past political administration for their plight.
According to them, some past National Democratic Congress (NDC) government officials, mostly from the presidency, forced them to commit the criminal act.
They disclosed that the government officials frightened them with transfers and dismissals when they rejected their request.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema