Customs recovers GH₵5.7million from stolen cars, unpaid duties

(Left) Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, Customs Commissioner with Kwesi Botchway Jnr

Information reaching the Daily Statesman indicates that the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has recovered staggering sums in stolen cars and unpaid duties on controversially imported vehicles.

According to our source, the acting Customs Commissioner, Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, has recovered over GH₵5.7 million in two months, with the Authority committed to sanitising the vehicle import space and also ensuring that legally imported vehicles pay statutory duties in supporting government projects and strengthening the economy.

A key member of the taskforce of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, affirming the report, said intelligence-led operations had resulted in this recovery. He reaffirmed Customs’ continued commitment to saving for the country more funds through effective monitoring and investigative operations.

The Customs Division of the GRA, he stressed, will not relent in efforts to clamp down on vehicles and owners who do not have the requisite documents that entitle them to use such vehicles in the country.

He added that Customs will ensure that offences committed by owners of these impounded vehicles, such as smuggled vehicles, tampered chassis, diverted Temporary Vehicle Importation (TVI), diverted transit vehicles, abusing of ECOWAS Protocol and the abuse in transit regime and all those vehicles, are dealt with.

He therefore advised the general public to do due diligence, and submit all the requisite documentation to Customs when purchasing and paying duties on vehicles

Commendation

Commending the leadership of the Customs for the good job, Kwesi Botchway Jnr, a communications team member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), expressed delight that Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah is helping to transform the GRA, Customs Division.

He said the achievement is massive by any stretch because “if we replicate this in 10 institutions, we are talking about saving the country more millions of cedis.”

“Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, Ag Customs Commissioner, is doing some fantastic job at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and must be commended. Please, if you know you’re driving a car without proper documentation, particularly those who have not paid duty/ taxes on their cars, or if you have tampered with vehicle chassis numbers, etc, kindly take necessary steps to do the right thing,” he said in a statement.

Kwesi Botchway Jnr further indicated that those who think they can continue doing the wrong thing, and call politicians when in trouble, must begin advising themselves because the taskforce is serious.

He hinted that the GRA may soon be preparing a list of perpetrators to be published, including those who deserve prosecution. He therefore wondered how certain influential persons, particularly top musicians, chiefs and politicians, deliberately decide to evade taxes on vehicles, and yet are quick to blame the government for poor roads.

“With Customs, so far, recovering over GHS 5.7 million taxes (revenue) from these operations in less than two months, it must be highly commended. The Customs boss will make huge strides, so let’s back him up. Kudos to Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, Mr Field Marshall E Anab Junior and the entire Customs team. Ghana is proud of you guys,” he added.