President John Dramani Mahama has described smuggling, counterfeiting, and the rebagging of inferior products as acts of economic sabotage, vowing that his administration will treat such offences as serious economic crimes.
The President issued the warning during a Presidential encounter with the private sector at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, on Monday, February 24, 2026, where he outlined tough measures to combat illicit trade and protect legitimate businesses.
His comments follow the recent interception of 18 articulated trucks declared for transit to Niger, which were suspected of being part of a wider diversion scheme. Post-inspection checks by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority revealed major discrepancies in declared unit values, tariff classifications, and weights, raising the estimated revenue loss from an initial GH¢2.6 million to over GH¢85 million.
The trucks were reportedly operating without the mandatory customs human escort, in clear violation of transit procedures.
President Mahama stated that his government will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to trade malpractices that undermine the economy and disadvantage local enterprises.
“We will intensify coordinated border enforcement, treat trade infractions as economic crimes, dismiss and prosecute public officers found culpable, deploy technology-driven customs surveillance solutions, and rigorously enforce product standards,” he declared.
“This government is determined to protect Ghanaian enterprises so they can thrive and grow,” the President We’ll treat smuggling, counterfeiting as economic crimes – President Mahama added.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and other relevant agencies are currently investigating related diversion cases, including an alleged GH¢25.8 million palm oil smuggling scheme uncovered late last year.