The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has established a nine-member investigative committee to probe allegations surrounding the unauthorized removal, transfer, and disappearance of 28 containers at the Tema Port. This investigation follows a petition submitted to the Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, by importers and their representatives on September 29, 2026. The petitioners claim that the containers, which were at various stages of the customs clearance process, were found to be empty, missing, transferred to private warehouses, or removed from the port without the owners' knowledge.
The affected consignments allegedly contained various commodities, including cyanide, condensed milk, sardines, alcohol, textiles, pharmaceuticals, black pepper, and tomato paste. According to the petition, some containers had been offloaded into private warehouses near the GHACEM enclave, while others had allegedly been moved out of the port without the owners' knowledge. The petitioners, agents Elvis Kwabena Awuah and Ibrahim Amadou, together with importer representatives Amadu Diande and Amadou Djiguba, cited several Bill of Lading numbers.
The GRA Commissioner-General, Mr. Sarpong, has appointed Commissioner of Customs, Mr. Aaron Kanor, as chairman of the Fact-Finding and Investigative Committee. Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General, Elsie Appau-Klu, serves as a member and Secretary to the Committee. Other members include Head of Legal, Freeman Sarbah; Head of Customs Port Operations, Mrs. Theresa Potakey; Head of Post Clearance Audit (PCA), Mr. Alphonse Quainoo; Head of Preventive, Mr. Charles Agbeko; Head of P&P, Mr. Divine Agbeko; and Head of Investigations, EGG, Mr. Patrick Intarmah and ICUMS System Administrator, Gerald Agbetor.
The committee has been directed to establish the veracity of the petition and determine the status and whereabouts of the 28 containers. It is also required to review the data trails in the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), including UCL records, gazetting processes, and gate-out logs associated with the affected bills of lading. The committee will further determine whether customs clearance procedures were breached and identify any GRA officers or external collaborators who may have been involved.
The committee's mandate includes establishing any revenue losses arising from the alleged incidents and recommending measures for recovery. It has also been tasked with examining allegations of possible cartel activity and the alleged misuse of high-ranking officials' names. Additionally, the committee is expected to recommend administrative and systems-related measures to prevent similar incidents. The committee has been given a 14-day deadline to submit its report.
The matter has reportedly also been lodged with the Tema Regional Police Command, with some arrests made and suspects subsequently granted police enquiry bail. All heads of divisions, the Tema Collection, and relevant stakeholders have been directed to provide the committee with maximum cooperation as it conducts the investigation. The GRA management considers the allegations serious because of their potential implications for revenue assurance, port security, and the reputation of the GRA.
The investigation is one of several recent efforts by the GRA to enhance surveillance and prevent smuggling at Ghana's ports. The authority has been working to improve its systems and processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. The outcome of the investigation is expected to shed more light on the alleged missing containers and potentially lead to further action against those involved.
Key points
- The Ghana Revenue Authority has formed a 9-member committee to investigate the alleged unauthorized removal of 28 containers from the Tema Port.
- The committee has been given a 14-day deadline to submit its report and will investigate potential breaches of customs clearance procedures.
- The alleged missing containers may have resulted in revenue losses, and the committee will recommend measures for recovery.
