GRA Announces New Auction Guidelines

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has reviewed its rules and procedures for the public auctioning of confiscated goods.

A letter to that effect signed by the Acting Commissioner for the Customs Division, Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, explained that he has been directed to make the new changes by the GRA Board and that “the ratio of distribution is now 70% to the general public and 30% to the Confiscated Assets Committee”.

Additionally, the statement explained that: “Where the original owner is the beneficiary of the auction, the Reserve Price will be twice the duties payable only”.

The new directives come in the wake of a recent warning by the Board Chairman of the GRA, Prof Stephen Adei, to staff of the Customs Division to refer to him all so-called protocol goods meant for clearance at the country’s ports.

During a visit to the Customs Division, Tema Collection, at the Port of Tema together with the Director-General of the GRA and the Commissioner of Customs, Prof Adei warned the staff thus: “From today, if anybody says there is order from above, and you collaborate and you are caught, you will be sacked – immediately”.

“When there is order from above, refer that order from above to me”, he ordered, adding: “If they say: ‘It’s from the Operations Room [at the] Jubilee House’, say: ‘Stephen Adei says: ‘If you want to send directives from Operations, send it to him and the Commissioner to direct’”.

Prof Adei warned: “If anyone of you clears a chicken in the name of a fish for somebody, he may be the biggest person, but I will hold you responsible”.

As part of his ‘Stop the Leakage by The Few’ crusade, Prof Adei said he would provide a dedicated phone number through which whistleblowers, especially junior staff, can lodge complaints of leakages to avert victimisation.

He promised that about a quarter of the proceeds realised from reports of leakages would be used to reward the whistleblower.