Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, has revealed that the comments made by the Commissioner of Customs concerning the findings of the Labianca case involving its Customs Division do not convey the opinion of the Board and management of the GRA.

According to him, the Board and Management of the GRA has followed media discussions and reactions following the release of the Report of the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s investigation into alleged commission of corruption and corruption related offences involving Labianca Group of companies and the Customs Division of GRA.

The Authority, he indicated, would like to state for the record that it “accords the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) the respect and the dignity” that it carries.

“In this regard the Authority wishes to state that the comments made by the Commissioner of the Customs Division, Col Kwadwo Damoah Rtd. at the Customs Management Retreat on Wednesday 10th August 2022 on the outcomes of the investigation were made in his personal capacity and do not convey the opinion of the Board and Management of GRA.”
Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah

Contained in a statement, Rev Owusu-Amoah noted that the GRA continually looks for every opportunity to improve on revenue as well as block any leakage. To this end, he emphasized that the GRA is studying the outcomes of the report in detail and “will not hesitate to ensure that per its mandate all processes and procedures” that are identified to lead to loss of revenue or have the potential to lead to loss of revenue are blocked.

The Commissioner-general assured the general public that prior to the release of the OSP’s report, it had taken steps to streamline and improve on the processes of accurately determining values of imported items and products. Additionally, he noted that with the inauguration of the new GRA Board of Directors in August 2021, the Authority took firm steps to deal with “practices or procedures that had the potential of reducing or not giving maximum value” to transactions at importation.

“One of such measures was to give a directive in December 2021 that with immediate effect no discounts or rebates are given on items or products at importation and to cancel all existing approved discounts.”
Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah

GRA, Rev Owusu-Amoah expressed, is ensuring that all “unreasonable exercise of discretionary power” which will result in the loss of revenue will be prevented.

“GRA uses this opportunity to assure all stakeholders of GRA and the general public that GRA has taken steps to ensure that all allegations of impropriety on the part of any of its staff are promptly and decisively investigated and that all cases of tax evasion or other acts that are contrary to the laws governing the Authority will be dealt with.”
Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah

EOCO urged to take up Labianca case

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has expressed surprise over the fact the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) hasn’t yet taken up the alleged corruption case involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to him, an EOCO investigation will go deeper to ascertain the extent of corruption perpetrated by the two parties between 2017 and 2020.

Mr Mohammed highlighted that the case is in the “interest of the staff that the Special Prosecutor goes ahead with the investigation” and that EOCO takes it up together with the necessary bodies. He revealed that once they do and nothing is found wrong, it helps boost the integrity of the institution.

“I am surprised that EOCO hasn’t taken this case up. So allow EOCO to take it up, let there be an investigation and when that is done for all you know several issues may come up including issues that may be shocking to those who are working at Customs.”
Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed

Commenting on the Commissioner of Customs, Col. Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd), who was indicted in the report, the Tamale Central legislator described as “amazing” that the Customs Division has refuted the findings. He indicated that the “desperate attempt by people who should be interested in defending the public purse when there is a clear case of thievery” are instead wanting to support those who are engaged and “deny this state up to an amount of GHC1 million”.