The Minister for Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has directed the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to immediately implement new measures aimed at tightening border controls and safeguarding government revenue.
The directive followed a high-level meeting between the minister, the Acting Commissioner of Customs, Aaron Akanor, and the management of the Customs Division to review recent developments at Ghana’s borders.
After the discussions, the minister ordered an immediate ban on the land transit of selected goods, instructing that the affected products must now be routed exclusively through Ghana’s seaports.
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Under the new policy, the following goods will no longer be permitted to enter or transit through Ghana via land borders: Cooking oil, Rice, Sugar, Frozen products, Textiles, Flour, Canned tomatoes, Pasta / Spaghetti, and Pharmaceutical products
According to the minister, the decision is part of broader efforts to strengthen border enforcement and curb revenue leakage associated with the transit of these goods through land routes.
As part of the reforms, Dr. Forson also directed the recentralisation of the Customs Technical Services Bureau (CTSB) within the Customs Division.
The move is expected to establish a one-stop shop for valuation, improve coordination among customs units, and enhance intelligence sharing across the system.
The initiative will also strengthen the use of insights generated from the Publican AI system, which is designed to help customs officials detect irregularities and improve compliance in import processes.
The Acting Commissioner of Customs, Mr. Aaron Akanor, assured the finance minister that the Customs Division would fully implement the directive.
“We will do our best not to let down the minister and the nation,” he stated.
The finance minister has therefore instructed all relevant departments within the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the new directives.
Officials say the measures form part of a broader strategy to improve revenue mobilisation and strengthen border management across the country.