GRA Tight-lipped Over Interdicted Customs Officers

Commander of Custom Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the Brong Ahafo Region, Seidu Yakubu, has refused to give details in a case in which custom officers were interdicted for assisting importers of wax prints to evade tax to the tune of GH¢600,000 at Gonokrom, near Dormaa.

Three officers of the service stationed at Gonokrom, a border community near Dormaa Ahenkro on 30th October, 2018, were reported to have connived with importers of wax prints to deny the nation of GH¢600,000 as taxes.

The officers, whose identities remain unknown, were asked to hand over equipment in their possession to the relevant authorities before their interdiction.

Seidu Yakubu told DAILY GUIDE that he needed clearance from the commissioner of customs in order to speak to the media.

When the paper visited the offices of the GRA in Sunyani, the sector commander was in a crunch meeting with all commanders from the various border posts in the region.

It’s believed that the meeting was related to the matter.

It would be recalled that Daily Graphic reported that a truck laden with imported wax prints had been intercepted at Gonokrom by the Preventive Unit of the Customs Division of GRA on 30, October, 2018.

The truck, with the registration number, AW 6026-11, was heading towards to Kumasi.

It has since been impounded by the division pending further investigation, but the final destination of the consignment is unknown.

The owners were to pay GH¢600,000 as duty on 20,000 wax prints but failed to do so.

According to the report, Blessed Yako Limited, a clearing agent, has also been invited to assist in investigations.

DAILY GUIDE’s check’s revealed that officers normally assist importers to evade tax in the region but are often exonerated, but officers from the customs head office in Accra had to intervene to arrest the culprits in this case.

Source: Daily Guide