CUSTOMS DIVISION of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has rubbished claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the interception of arms and ammunition at the Tema Port.
According to Customs, the moves to tag some top officials in connection with the weapons are ‘mischievous and premature.’
It would be recalled that on Friday October 8, 2020, Customs officials intercepted 18 packets of restricted items in a container imported from Turkey.
The packages described as personal effects, household goods and a carrying machine which wasted flagged revealed 436 pistols (sidearms) and 26 packets of 50 pieces of ammunition were intercepted at Terminal 3 of the Tema Port.
The items were reportedly imported into the country without the requisite documents from the Ministry of the Interior and the items also were not declared to Customs upon arrival.
An inventory has been taken on the items by the state security agencies and the items seized for further investigation.
Following the interception of the items, the NDC quickly issued a statement which parts read “While we commend the Customs Excise and Preventive Service unit at Tema Port for acting swiftly to impound this consignment, we demand that they update the nation on this worrying development in the spirit of transparency.
“Ghanaians deserve to know who illegally imported the said pistols and ammunitions into the country and for what purpose. More importantly, Ghanaians deserve to know the identity of the so-called “Big Men” who are pulling strings behind the scenes to get the consignment released.”
However, a statement issued by Customs Division of the GRA and signed by Florence Asante, Assistant Commissioner, Communication and Public Affairs on Sunday rubbished such remarks by the NDC.
According to her, “Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) finds it worrying, mischievous and premature any information that seeks to imply that the seized ammunition is being kept for onward release to some ‘big men’.
Meanwhile, the GRA was optimistic that the outcome of investigation by the police would be made public.
FROM Vincent Kubi, Tema