The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has launched an investigation into suspected corruption involving the diversion of 50 twenty-foot containers of palm oil valued at GHS25.8 million, in a case that could expose significant revenue leakages within Ghana’s transit trade regime.
In a statement issued on February 24, 2026, the OSP disclosed that the consignment had been declared as goods in transit to Burkina Faso but was allegedly diverted into the local market without the payment of applicable duties and taxes.
According to the Office, preliminary findings point to a coordinated scheme involving some Customs officers, National Security operatives, and clearing agents. The alleged arrangement, the OSP indicated, resulted in an estimated tax loss of GHS10.5 million to the state.
The investigation follows what the Office described as an “intelligence-led operation” conducted in November 2025, which uncovered irregularities surrounding the movement and final destination of the shipment.
The transit trade regime allows goods to pass through Ghana to landlocked neighbouring countries without attracting domestic duties, provided strict compliance and monitoring mechanisms are observed. Any diversion of such consignments into the domestic market without proper reclassification and duty payment constitutes a breach of customs and tax laws, with direct implications for revenue mobilisation and trade integrity.
The investigation emphasizes the OSP’s commitment to “protect the public purse” and uphold institutional integrity within agencies responsible for border control and national security oversight.
The development follows heightened scrutiny over customs enforcement and persistent concerns about illicit trade practices that undermine domestic revenue mobilisation. The outcome of the investigation is expected to test inter-agency accountability and the robustness of Ghana’s transit monitoring systems.
