GRA denies GH¢700m rot at bonded warehouses

The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority says a recent claim by a presidential taskforce that about 700 million Ghana cedis have gone down the drain at some bonded warehouses cannot be verified.

An interim report by the task force revealed that a number of top companies, including state agencies, did not pay import duties before clearing their goods from bonded warehouses.

It noted that the defaulting companies and organizations connived with some officials at the Customs division to evade taxes.

However, the Acting commissioner for the customs division of the GRA, Isaac Apronti, has told XYZ News that they are yet to reconcile their collections with the claims of the presidential taskforce.

Meanwhile, a task force set up by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has retrieved about GH¢71 million Ghana Cedis.

The team was set up to conduct targeted audits of all ware houses in Accra and Tema.

It follows a review of the division’s management control mechanisms.

Acting Commissioner for the Customs Division of the GRA, Isaac Apronti said “we in our quest to revamp revenue decided to set up a monitoring group that will sweep through very quickly to find out the balances of what has gotten in and what has gotten out, to find out that due processes has been followed.”

Mr. Apronti said the Division cannot verify the 700 million Ghana Cedi rot uncovered at some warehouses by the Chief of Staff Task force.

According to him, the task force contacted them for an anti smuggling exercise in which they were able to retrieve about GH¢300,000 for the state.

An interim report by a Presidential task force has it revealed that a number of top companies, including state agencies, did not pay import duties before clearing their goods from bonded warehouses.