GRA Denies Extortion At AIA, Explains GHC 807.68 Duty On Passenger’s Luggage
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has clarified the circumstances surrounding an alleged extortion incident at the Accra International Airport (AIA) involving a passenger and Customs officers.
In a statement dated 8th October, 2026, the Authority said it had taken note of social media posts by a passenger concerning an encounter with Customs officers at the Arrivals Hall on 3rd October, 2026, and conducted a preliminary investigation.
According to the GRA, the passenger, Ms. Gifty Osei Bonsu, arrived in Ghana on Egypt Air on 3rd October, 2026 at 12:48 p.m. Her luggage was referred for further examination in the Red Channel – the designated pathway for passengers who have items to declare – following Customs risk selection and scanning.
The examination revealed 20 pairs of women’s shoes (New), 9 women’s dresses (New), 18 men’s shirts (New) and 4 wigs (New). Based on the examination, a Customs assessment of *GHC 807.68* was raised on the 20 pairs of ladies’ shoes.
The Authority explained that at the time the assessment was made, the Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS) was experiencing temporary downtime, which affected immediate processing of payment and issuance of an official receipt.
“The passenger indicated to the officers that she had a flight to catch and consequently deposited GHC 600 with the officers for the settlement of the tax bill. A friend of the passenger also deposited GHC 200 in furtherance of the same assessment to bring the total deposit to GHC 800,” the statement said.
However, the official receipt was not provided to the passenger because by the time the system came up and the processes were completed, she had left the airport.
When the system was restored, the GRA said the full amount was duly paid into the Authority’s revenue account on the same day, 3/10/2026 at Ecobank Ghana Ltd at about 4:57pm with receipt no. 2610033274. An official receipt was generated in the passenger’s name, with Customs officers using their personal funds to top up the GHC 7.68 shortfall.
“GRA wishes to assure the public that the transaction was undertaken in good faith and that the assessed duty was duly accounted for,” the Authority stated.
The Authority acknowledged the long waiting time and extended its sincere apologies to Ms. Osei Bonsu for the inconvenience arising from the delayed service.
It said a system downtime should not result in undue inconvenience and has put in place alternative procedures to be followed during system interruptions to ensure passengers are served in an orderly, accountable and transparent manner. It has also initiated a review of the Standard Operating Procedures governing the engagement of Customs officers with passengers.
The GRA further announced it is developing an improved passenger-facing process that will provide clearer information on Customs requirements, duty calculation, payment procedures and a transparent channel for complaints and reviews.
The Authority reminded all travellers carrying dutiable goods to insist on receiving assessment notices, ensure payments are made through approved channels, and obtain official receipts for every transaction.
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