The Commissioner, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has accused the National Security at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) of impeding their mandate of goods inspection.

Col. Rtd. Kwadwo Damoah, in an interview with JoyNews’ Winston Amoah on Wednesday, described the situation as embarrassing and unacceptable.

According to him, even though the overall security arrangement at the Airport is vested in the institution, the law of customs does not give them the right to hamper the duties of examining goods.

“If you look at the customs act, we also have the responsibility of looking at things that are of security implication. If you are bringing in goods, are they goods that the law permits you to bring them in, for instance, if they are weapons, that is security implication, if you are bringing in food are they the type the appropriate state institution like Food and Drugs Authority permits us?  

"We customs have to do that every consignment that is coming in, the nature of it, whether it permitted by law or not and if by law duties have to be paid on it. The other institution does not have the mandated expertise to ask people to pay duties,” he added.

The Commissioner further said that the blocking of officials of the GRA from inspecting certain goods may affect revenue mobilization.

In his view, the generic nature of his outfit must be allowed to freely carry out it duties without any interference.

“If you look at the customs way of doing things, everything has an inbuilt mechanism to deal with every eventuality so we have to be allowed.

"When it gets to revenue an aspect of security, customs have a role to play and that role is mandated by status, by rules and regulations and that should be allowed to work," he reiterated.

Also, commenting on revenue leakages, Col. Kwadwo Damoah said if the issue of smuggling of goods into the country were well guarded, the Customs Division would have exceeded its revenue target.

According to him, his outfit could have raised more revenue in the year 2020 if revenue leakages were blocked.