The Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has issued a directive to the Ghana Revenue Authority mandating an immediate ban on the land transit of several high-priority products as part of a broader strategy to eliminate revenue leakages and secure the nation’s borders.
Following a high-level meeting with the Acting Commissioner of Customs, Mr. Aaron Akanor, and the management of the Customs Division, the Minister established that nine specific categories of goods must now be routed exclusively through Ghana’s seaports.
The affected items include cooking oil, rice, sugar, frozen products, textiles, flour, canned tomatoes, pasta and spaghetti, and pharmaceutical products, all of which are strictly prohibited from entering or transiting through the country via land borders.
In addition to the transit restrictions, Dr. Forson has ordered the recentralization of the Customs Technical Services Bureau to create a unified hub for valuation and to bolster the division’s intelligence-sharing capabilities. This move integrates advanced technological insights, including those generated through the Publican AI system, to create a more robust oversight mechanism.
The Minister emphasized that these decisive steps are essential for strengthening border controls and safeguarding government revenue from unauthorized diversions. To ensure the effectiveness of these measures, all relevant departments and units within the Customs Division have been instructed to enforce strict compliance with the new directives effective immediately.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
