The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority in Upper East Region has given a strong indication that, it will continue to arrest and impound vehicles that have over stayed their temporal importation period.
The Customs Act, 2015 gives a provision to individuals in ECOWAS member countries can use their vehicles in another ECOWAS country and use it for only 3 months period without registration. After this period, that vehicle with a foriegn number will have to be registered with the country where the vehicle is being used.
This Act, according to Upper East Regional Commander of Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Tanlongo Francis, provides punitive measures to impound and expel owners of such vehicles back to their countries of origin.
The commander pointed out that, a non ECOWAS citizen entering into the country with a temporal import vehicle is required to provide security in a form of monetary as a warrant in case of default.
The Regional Commander who spoke exclusively with A1 News indicated that, a task force which was inaugurated last year, has impounded unknown vehicles as well as vehicles that have overstayed their grace period of 3 months.
He stated that the impounded vehicles would be gazetted for auction and the proceeds paid into government chest.
Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Francis Tanlongo who has cautioned the public to desist from smuggling vehicles into the Ghana added that, individuals who will be caught in the act, will face the full rigors of the law.
There are a large number of vehicles using foreign number plates in the Upper East Region. Mostly these vehicles are driven into districts and communities close to Ghana’s borders with Burkina-Faso and Togo.
Source: a1radioonline.com | Joshua Asaah | Ghana
