The United Kingdom and Ghana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to deepen cooperation on customs administration and support more efficient trade.
The agreement is expected to strengthen compliance, facilitate legitimate cross-border trade and contribute to Ghana’s economic growth.
The MoU builds on more than a decade of collaboration between HMRC and the GRA, during which the two institutions have worked together to strengthen tax administration, improve compliance and support domestic revenue mobilisation.
Focus on customs modernisation
Under the new agreement, the two institutions will collaborate on customs capacity building and technical assistance, with an initial focus on strengthening the GRA’s Post Clearance Audit function.
The initiative will be delivered through HMRC’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme and will involve technical exchanges, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing based on international best practices in risk-based customs compliance.
The partnership is also expected to support Ghana’s broader efforts to modernise its customs systems and improve the efficiency of trade processes.
Supporting trade and investment
UK Development Director Terri Sarch said the agreement forms part of the wider UK-Ghana Growth Partnership, which seeks to promote sustainable economic growth and strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
She said the partnership would support more efficient trade, stronger customs systems and the movement of goods across borders, while contributing to jobs, investment and shared prosperity.
Carol Bristow, Director for Borders & Trade at HMRC, said modern customs administrations play an important role in supporting economic growth, protecting government revenue and facilitating legitimate trade.
She said the partnership would help Ghana advance its customs reform priorities while creating opportunities for both institutions to share expertise and develop local capacity.
GRA welcomes partnership
GRA Commissioner-General Anthony Sarpong said effective customs administration was essential to trade, investment and sustainable economic growth.
He said the initial focus on Post Clearance Audit responds to an important priority for the GRA and would help improve efficiency, risk management and outcomes for both traders and government.
The two institutions are expected to explore further areas of cooperation as Ghana continues its customs modernisation programme.
The latest agreement marks a new phase in the longstanding UK-Ghana partnership on tax and customs administration, with the ultimate goal of making cross-border trade more efficient while strengthening revenue protection and compliance.
