There seems to be confusion over which of the outfits: the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) or the National Security, is supposed to keep confiscated fuel.
Last Friday, some persons claiming to be operatives of the National Security ordered personnel of the Customs Division of the GRA to hand over diesel which was confiscated by the Customs Division to them (National Security).
The fuel was confiscated by the Customs Division from some fishermen who were dealing in the product at the Bosomtwi-Sam Fishing Harbour without authorisation.
According to the Customs Division, on November 29, 2021, at 2pm, some personnel of the Division were embarking on routine surveillance to combat smuggling of illegal petroleum products when they chanced on a vessel offloading fuel into some stationed tanks at the fishing harbour.
Wilfred Amoquandor, the leader of the Patrol Team of Customs Division said the Customs Team intercepted the vessel discharging the fuel.
Mr. Amoquandor told journalists that his outfit therefore, put its seal on the two tanks in which the fuel was discharged.
He said the team took steps to verify the authenticity of the product at their laboratory and it came out that it was consumable or diesel.
He said Customs was still protecting the products when some group of armed men claiming to come from the National Security stormed their premises.
He said the alleged operatives told the Customs personnel protecting the confiscated products that they had been instructed to take away the products without any authorisation note from them.
“The whole incident started on Thursday, December 2, when the National Security personnel confronted us to take over the product, but we were not sure and so we did not release the goods to them.
“Then last Friday evening they came with reinforcement and were being escorted by the military who were fully armed to assist them take over the products. So they have taken over,” he said.
He added “we have taken evidence of what went on and we have reported to our superiors. The matter is being handled at the top level.”
He said the normal procedure is that when a product is confiscated, a detention note is put on the product to make room for rectification before releasing to anyone.
“But in the current case the right procedure was not followed by the National Security operatives and our management is not happy about it,” he disclosed.
He said the case has been referred to the Customs Headquarters for further investigations.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi