The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, has called for strict compliance with the guidelines and standards governing the importation, retrofitting, use, and decommissioning of Armoured Bullion Vehicles (ABVs) in Ghana.

He made the call in Accra when he addressed participants at a one-day sensitisation workshop organised for officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Mr Terlabi stressed the need for effective regulation of ABVs to safeguard public safety, strengthen national security, facilitate legitimate trade and ensure compliance with the relevant regulatory requirements.

He said Customs officers had a critical responsibility to ensure that armoured bullion vehicles and related security equipment entering the country met all applicable laws, regulations, standards and procedures.

According to him, compliance should not end at the point of importation and clearance but must cover the entire lifecycle of the vehicles, including retrofitting, operation and eventual decommissioning.

He further emphasised the need to ensure that ABVs are operated in accordance with applicable safety, security and technical standards.

The Deputy Minister also called for stronger collaboration among the Customs Division, the Ghana Police Service, the Bank of Ghana and other relevant institutions, particularly on vehicle certification, roadworthiness, technical standards and security requirements.

He urged participants to actively engage in the sensitisation programme by asking questions and sharing practical experiences to promote a common understanding and consistent implementation of the guidelines across all Customs commands and posts.

He said a clear understanding of the requirements for the declaration, documentation, classification, valuation, inspection and clearance of ABVs would help ensure that legitimate businesses are facilitated in accordance with the law.

For his part, the Deputy Commissioner for Post Clearance Audit at the GRA Customs Division, Alphonse Qauinoo, said Customs could not operate in isolation when dealing with issues involving technical standards, security, vehicle certification and roadworthiness.

He said effective implementation of the guidelines and standards would require clear coordination among all relevant stakeholders while maintaining the integrity of Customs processes.

The one-day sensitisation workshop forms part of efforts to strengthen regulatory oversight of Armoured Bullion Vehicles and ensure effective implementation of standards governing their importation, retrofitting, use and decommissioning in Ghana.