Fallout in Tema Port: Officials, Agents and Importers accuse each other

Tension and a great lull have fallen upon the Tema Port- Ghana’s largest Seaport following last week’s shocking revelations of massive corruption and tax evasion in that place. Scandal undercover agents still hovering around the Port say a deceptive quietness has taken over, and everybody is tight lipped.

“Every official here is cautious, tight lipped and unwilling to comment on any new developments with a few confessing that they could lose their jobs if they spoke to the media,” our agents reported.

The Centre for Freedom and Accuracy and Anas Aremeyaw’s Anas Tiger Eye last week held a press conference under the banner of the National Anti-Corruption Campaign and revealed a long account of fishy deals, involving security officials, clearing agents and customs officers which is depriving the country of millions of dollars in taxes.

At the press conference, the team showed to the press long lists of container arrivals and clearances that are alleged to be improper and fraudulent. Since then, One deputy head of the national security and six customs officers have been arrested at the port for further investigations.

Our Agents also say a certain level of mistrust has developed among friends at the port as they continue to point accusing fingers at each other as being the informants in the recent revelation. Trading companies who import their goods through the port and are perceived to be competitors are also accusing each other. Apparently, the problem as it exists at the Tema port now is not about the veracity of the report but rather who are the informants.

Our agents say customs and port officials have deliberately slowed down the processes of clearing and are frustrating everyone as a way of getting back at them. Long queues can be seen at every service point especially towards the evenings.

Nevertheless, some officials unashamed, continue to take bribes from clearing agents and individual importers for their services, but this time around cautiously. Some national security agents also continue to receive some suspicious looking envelopes suspected to be cash from harassed agents who want to get their goods cleared before the close of each day.

A Clearing Agent at the port, Mr. Richard Lamptey, who spoke to the Scandal wondered how long the government was going to continue watching these fraudsters perpetrate their evil on people at the port before it takes action. He was unimpressed with the recent revelation saying this was not the first time the spotlight had been on the Tema Port with no effective measures being enforced to curb these practices.

He appealed to the government, Minster of Trade, the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) and other stakeholders to come up with effective measures to stop the menace of corruption or reduce it to the barest minimum to redeem the image of the Tema Port.