The Ministry of Finance has launched a high-level investigation into a massive transit diversion scheme involving Customs officers and a private importer that nearly cost the state GH¢82,682,952 in lost revenue. Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson conducted an emergency visit to the Akanu and Aflao border posts on Friday, February 20, 2026, following the interception of several articulated trucks carrying cooking oil, tomato paste, and spaghetti.
The breach was discovered on February 18, 2026, when a specialized enforcement team from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) intercepted 12 articulated trucks along the Dawhenya-Tema Road. Although the vehicles were officially declared as goods in transit from the Akanu Border Post to Niger via Kulungugu, they were found traveling without the mandatory Customs human escorts required for such consignments. Intelligence reports indicated that the trucks had bypassed the Dabala Customs Checkpoint undetected despite being electronically gated out of the system.
A statement from the Ministry of Finance’s Public Relations Unit revealed that the initial suspended duties were estimated at approximately GH¢2.6 million. However, post-interception examinations by authorities uncovered significant discrepancies in declared weights, tariff classifications, and unit values, leading officials to revise the total tax liability to GH¢85,306,578. The Ministry cited systemic control weaknesses and human complicity as the primary drivers of the irregularities, noting that the goods were intentionally understated to evade taxes.
While 12 of the 18 trucks in the consignment have been physically secured, a manhunt is currently underway for the remaining six vehicles that have gone missing. One of the intercepted trucks suffered a mechanical failure during the operation, and its cargo is being transferred to a secure vehicle to prevent further loss. Despite the scale of the attempted fraud, no Customs officials have been sanctioned yet, and the identities of the importer and the specific brands of the diverted goods remain undisclosed.
The government has announced that the impounded cargo will be auctioned in accordance with national laws as investigations continue to track the outstanding trucks and identify all personnel involved in the scheme.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
