The government, in a decisive move to protect state revenue, has banned the transit of commercial quantities of cooking oil through Ghana’s land borders.
The new directive, issued by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, mandates that all such consignments must now be routed exclusively through the country’s seaports.
The policy shift comes on the heels of a major security operation that intercepted 18 articulated trucks declared as transit goods heading to Niger.
Authorities suspect the shipment was part of a larger transit diversion scheme designed to evade taxes.
Following the interception, post-examination reviews revealed massive discrepancies in the declared value, classification, and weight of the goods.
This revision skyrocketed the potential revenue loss to the state from an initial estimate of GH¢2.6 million to over GH¢85 million.
Under the new measures, cooking oil destined for landlocked neighbors can no longer pass through land border collection points.
Instead, shipments must be processed at Ghana’s seaports, which are equipped with stricter valuation systems, electronic cargo tracking, scanning infrastructure, and multi-layered customs controls.
The government’s decision to crack down follows a recent tour of border posts in the Ketu South Municipality and Ketu North District by the Finance Minister, his Deputy Thomas Nyarko Ampem, GRA Commissioner-General George Kwasi Sarpong, and other customs officials. The tour was aimed at identifying and closing loopholes in the transit regime.
A joint operation by the GRA’s Customs Division and National Security had earlier intercepted 12 of the 18 trucks, which were carrying 44,055 packages of assorted goods, including cooking oil, spaghetti, and tomato paste.
Although the trucks were electronically logged out of the Customs system at the Akanu border post as transit goods for Niger, they were found moving without the mandatory Customs human escort, violating established protocols.
Following the seizure, 11 of the trucks were moved to the GPHA Transit Terminal in Tema for strict supervision, while a twelfth truck, which developed a mechanical fault, had its cargo transferred to another vehicle.
In addition to the transit ban, Dr. Forson has directed the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to ramp up monitoring at all land collection points.
This will include intensified cargo tracking, reinforced escort protocols, and tighter supervisory oversight.
The Minister has also ordered the immediate commencement of disciplinary proceedings against any Customs officers found culpable in similar breaches.
Furthermore, criminal investigations have been extended to include importers and clearing agents where evidence supports prosecution.
Officials state that the measures serve a dual purpose: protecting state revenue and safeguarding local edible oil producers from unfair competition caused by diverted transit goods flooding the local market.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to applying the full force of the law, including the confiscation and auction of impounded goods, to ensure that Ghana’s Customs regime is not exploited at the expense of national development.
