GRA launches investigation into alleged extortion by Ashanti Customs officers

The Ghana Revenue Authority has launched an internal investigation following allegations that officers from its Customs Division Task Force in the Ashanti Region were extorting money from traders.

The investigation follows a complaint from the Traders Advocacy Group Ghana, which reported that officers intercepted containers bound for Kumasi and demanded extra payments after claiming the goods were undervalued.

In a statement issued on November 27, 2025, the GRA said it is taking the matter seriously and has begun a comprehensive probe to establish the facts.

TAGG petitions government over alleged extortion by GRA Customs task force

The Authority noted that the outcome of the investigation will be made public once it is concluded.

The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG), the umbrella body of traders in Ghana, raised concerns over what it describes as widespread extortion by members of the Ghana Customs Division Task Force under the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) operating in the Ashanti Region.

The group called on the government to launch an immediate investigation into the alleged activities, warning that the situation threatens to erode trust in state institutions and undermine the country's business environment.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, TAGG President David Kwadwo Amoateng said the task force, created to enhance post-clearance checks and ensure fairness, has instead become a tool for systematic extortion.

He noted that although traders initially welcomed the initiative, its operations have "fundamentally transformed into an extortion force."

Read the statement below:



AK/BAI