Tema, Feb. 25, – The Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) has raised concerns over a directive by Cassiel Ato Forson, Minister of Finance, restricting the movement of commercial quantities of cooking oil under transit through Ghana’s land borders.
The measure follows the alleged diversion of trucks carrying cooking oil declared under transit arrangements, linked to a specific Bill of Entry (BOE).
Addressing journalists in Tema, Mr Paul K. Mensah, General Secretary of GIFF, called for an urgent and evidence-based reassessment of the policy measures adopted after the enforcement action. He explained that the Institute’s position was not to condone wrongdoing but to encourage a balanced response that protects state revenue without weakening Ghana’s competitiveness as a transit corridor to the Sahel.
“Transit trade responds quickly to policy signals. Where restrictions appear broad or indefinite, cargo destined for the Sahel could gradually shift to alternative routes,” he stated.
He noted that shippers serving landlocked countries such as Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have other coastal corridor options and may redirect cargo if regulatory conditions are perceived as restrictive.
GIFF cautioned that prolonged or sweeping limitations could reduce utilisation of Ghana’s transit infrastructure and soften customs volumes in the medium term. It also warned that tighter transit measures could attract reciprocal administrative responses from neighbouring jurisdictions within the West African corridor network.
The Institute emphasised that Ghana’s standing under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework should be upheld through enforcement strategies that remain facilitative and predictable.
As part of its proposals, GIFF recommended a targeted reform package including risk-tiered escort protocols, real-time reconciliation dashboards within the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), strengthened transit bond reviews and the creation of a joint Customs–Ghana Link anomaly review unit. It also advocated sanctions aimed strictly at proven offenders rather than broad commodity-level restrictions.
According to the Institute, structural gaps such as escort consistency, transit bond adequacy, route monitoring and post-clearance reconciliation should be addressed through intelligence-driven controls rather than blanket commodity bans.
GIFF urged the Finance Minister to commission an independent technical reconciliation of the BOE case, review the proportionality of current measures, engage stakeholders and reaffirm Ghana’s commitment to freedom of transit while reinforcing compliance systems.
“Enforcement credibility and trade facilitation must advance together,” Mr Mensah said, adding that balanced reforms would protect revenue while sustaining Ghana’s appeal as a transit hub for landlocked economies in the sub-region.
GHBUSS
25 Feb. 2026
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