The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is developing an improved passenger-facing process to provide clearer information on Customs requirements, passenger concessions and the assessment and payment of duties following a complaint by a traveller over her encounter with Customs officers at the Accra International Airport.
The proposed process is expected to outline how duties are calculated, clarify payment and receipt procedures, and establish transparent channels for passengers to seek clarification, request a review of assessments or lodge complaints for prompt resolution.
The move follows social media posts by a passenger, Ms Gifty Osei Bonsu, concerning her encounter with Customs officers at the airport’s arrivals hall on October 3, 2026.
In a statement, the GRA said its preliminary investigation had established that Ms Osei Bonsu arrived in Ghana on an EgyptAir flight at 12:48 p.m. that day. Her luggage was referred to the Red Channel for further examination following Customs risk selection and scanning.
The examination uncovered 20 pairs of new women’s shoes, nine new women’s dresses, 18 new men’s shirts and four new wigs.
Based on the findings, Customs assessed duties of GH¢807.68 on the 20 pairs of shoes.
The GRA said the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) was temporarily unavailable when the assessment was made, preventing immediate payment processing and the issuance of an official receipt.
According to the Authority, the passenger informed officers that she had a flight to catch and deposited GH¢600 towards the tax bill. A friend subsequently deposited an additional GH¢200, bringing the total to GH¢800.
However, no official receipt was issued to the passenger before she left the airport. The GRA said that after the system was restored, the full assessed amount was paid into its revenue account at Ecobank Ghana on the same day, October 3, at about 4:57 p.m.
The payment was recorded under receipt number 2610033274, and an official receipt was generated in the passenger’s name. The Authority added that the officers used their personal funds to cover the GH¢7.68 difference between the amount deposited and the assessed duty.
The GRA maintained that the transaction was undertaken in good faith and that the assessed duty had been accounted for. It, however, acknowledged the prolonged waiting time and apologised to Ms Osei Bonsu for the inconvenience caused by the delay in service.
The Authority said system disruptions should not create unnecessary inconvenience or uncertainty for travellers and that it had introduced alternative procedures to ensure passengers could be served in an orderly, accountable and transparent manner during interruptions.
It has also initiated a review of the standard operating procedures governing interactions between Customs officers and passengers at the country’s ports of entry. The review will focus on professional communication, transparency in duty assessment and collection, and proper documentation of transactions.
The GRA further acknowledged public concerns about the assessment of duties on goods brought into the country by travellers. While Customs officers are mandated to assess and collect applicable duties, it said it would intensify public education to help passengers understand why goods attract duties, how assessments are calculated, how payments should be made and what steps to take when disputing an assessment or an officer’s conduct.
Details of the enhanced passenger-facing procedures, including channels for enquiries and complaints, will be communicated to the public and made accessible at the country’s international entry points.
The Authority also urged travellers carrying dutiable goods to insist on receiving assessment notices, make payments only through approved channels and obtain official receipts for every transaction.
The GRA said it remained committed to strengthening Customs administration and improving service delivery, transparency and accountability at the country’s ports of entry.
