The Traders Advocacy Group Ghana (TAGG) says the cost of importing goods has risen sharply, not because of official duty charges, but due to what they describe as “hidden payments” demanded by some customs officers at the ports.
According to the group, these unofficial charges are forcing traders to increase prices of goods in order to recover the high costs they face when importing.
TAGG, led by its President, Daniel Kwadwo Amoanteng, made these claims at a press conference in Accra. He said many members have complained about alleged extortion, delays, and unnecessary difficulties created by certain customs officials during the clearance of goods.
The group mentioned a specific case involving an officer named Prince Daniels Mensah Odai, also known as Prince, who leads the Ashanti Region Task Force.
According to TAGG, this officer intercepted two containers travelling to Kumasi even though they had already been cleared legally in Accra. He claimed the goods were undervalued.
TAGG alleged that he demanded GHS 120,000 from an importer but later accepted GHS 40,000, paid through mobile money and cash on October 21, 2025.
When he later found out that the matter had been reported, the officer allegedly tried to cover his tracks by paying the same GHS 40,000 into state coffers on October 25, 2025.
TAGG is calling on the government to step in quickly by cleaning up operations at the ports, strengthening supervision, and addressing all corruption-related concerns within the customs servi
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