Customs officer allegedly charges woman GHC1,058 for not using ‘goro boys’ to retrieve items

Efforts to combat corruption and streamline services for the benefit of Ghanaians remain ongoing.

Nonetheless, despite the extensive efforts, it appears that certain officials at the Airport Customs Office in Accra persist in pressuring individuals to utilize the services of intermediaries known as ‘Goro Boys.’

On October 10, 2023, a woman named Madam Gifty found herself facing a double tax charge on her parcel after she refused to employ the services of a “goro boy,” as suggested by a customs officer at the Airport Customs Office in Accra.

Madam Gifty, who exclusively shared her account with GhanaWeb, detailed how she had imported an item worth GH¢1,200, weighing 6.9 kilograms, from Shein, which arrived in Ghana through Aramex.

However, upon her visit to the Airport office, an officer named Kodjo informed Gifty that she needed to enlist the services of a goro boy (agent) to clear her item.

Madam Gifty declined and insisted on adhering to the proper procedure to pay for her parcel, originally priced at $57, equivalent to over GH¢500.

The customs officer proceeded to take her document, which indicated a payment of $57, and crossed out the printed price. He then manually wrote GH¢1,058 as the new amount using a pen, effectively increasing the fee.

Despite Gifty’s insistence on paying the stated amount and receiving an official receipt rather than making an off-the-record payment, she was still charged for both the item’s value and weight, contrary to the established requirements.

Below is how she shared her frustration with the media

“I went to the office to clear my parcels, and the officer told me to use an agent, which I refused.

“Knowing very well that I had declined to use the agent, I proceeded to pay my taxes based on the invoice ($57).

“However, the officer ignored the item’s value on the invoice, canceled it with a pen, and charged $109 plus an additional $69, totaling $178.

“This was done to pressure me into using ‘goro boys’ or engaging in an off-the-record deal with him. I refused and paid as per the official procedure.”