EOCO, GRA and Forestry Commission lock horns over Impounded Rosewoods containers

Officers from the Economic and Organised Crime Office(EOCO), Counter Intelligent Unit of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Forestry Commission faced off on Tuesday over who should take custody of four impounded 20 footer containers filled with suspected pieces of rosewood.

The containers were impounded at the Afienya axial load terminal Tuesday dawn.

Mr. Obiri Yeboah, Officer of the counter intelligent unit of the GRA, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that, he personally received a tip-off around 22:30 hours on Monday that some vehicles carrying containers loaded with pieces of rosewood from Dambai were heading towards the Tema main harbour.

Mr. Yeboah spotted the vehicles and instructed them to park at the Afienya Axial Load terminal.

He said after interrogations, he noted that the drivers were not having the required permit to transport such products so he called for their arrest adding that the drivers mentioned one Ametepey as the owner of the suspected pieces of rosewood.

Mr. Yeboah said officials from EOCO who joined later after the containers were impounded, demanded that he Mr Yeboah handed over the keys to the vehicles to them.

According to him, he declined and that almost culminated into a physical brawl among the EOCO officials and the counter intelligent unit of the GRA and him.

Mr.Ben Onumah, Officer in charge of Inspection, Forestry Commission, said the situation looked more complicated.

"I am surprised EOCO and the Counter Intelligent Unit are not following due process. The impounded containers must be taken to the Forestry Commission's yard in Achimota for further investigations since that is the normal procedures in such situations, "he said.

Officials from the Counter Intelligent Unit later won the day as they instructed the vehicles to move to an unknown location, saying it was a directive from above.