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By Naillatu Iddrisu
The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) has called on the Minister of Finance to urgently review a recent decision banning the transit of cooking oil through Ghana’s borders, warning that the move could undermine the country’s competitiveness as a preferred transit hub in West Africa.
Addressing a press conference in Tema, GIFF General Secretary, Paul K. Mensah, said the institute’s intervention was not intended to excuse any illegality but to ensure a balanced policy response that protects state revenue while safeguarding Ghana’s reputation as a transit-friendly destination.
Mr. Mensah disclosed that, contrary to initial reports suggesting that six trucks had gone missing, all 18 articulated trucks involved in the recent enforcement operation remained electronically visible on the official tracking platform. He stated that the six trucks were tracked, traced, and verified.
According to him, the institute was taken by surprise by the Finance Ministry’s decision to impose the ban without prior consultation with key industry stakeholders, including GIFF. He therefore appealed for an evidence-led review of the policy action.
The ban follows the interception of 12 articulated trucks along the Dawhenya–Tema Road by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in what officials described as a major enforcement operation. The trucks were part of a larger consignment of 18 that had been electronically cleared as transit cargo.
The goods, declared as originating from Akanu and destined for Niger through Kulungugu, were intercepted without the mandatory Customs human escort, in breach of Ghana’s transit procedures.
Authorities said the trucks were carrying 44,055 packages of edible cooking oil, tomato paste, and spaghetti. The estimated taxes at risk from the alleged attempted diversion exceed GH¢85 million.
Past President of GIFF, Eddie Akron, warned that the development could disrupt the smooth flow of transit trade along the eastern corridor. He noted that Ghana’s transit advantage had been built over decades and should be protected with precision and strategic policy calibration.
Mr. Akron cautioned that broad restrictions, if not carefully implemented, could inadvertently penalize compliant operators and introduce regulatory uncertainty into the transit regime.
He appealed to the Finance Minister to rescind the ban and instead support the formation of an independent investigative committee to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. He emphasized that GIFF fully supports government’s mandate to protect revenue but believes corrective measures must be proportionate and data-driven.
GIFF President Stephen Adjokatse added that several Sahelian countries rely heavily on Ghanaian ports for their international trade, generating significant revenue for the local economy. He warned that abrupt policy decisions could risk diverting transit traffic to competing ports in the sub-region.
The institute reiterated its commitment to collaborating with authorities to strengthen compliance within the transit regime while maintaining Ghana’s strategic advantage as a leading logistics gateway in West Africa.
