Customs, Police officers urged to check pirated goods at ports and borders

Officers of the customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, who operate in the Ports of Ghana and the country’s borders have been charged to exhibit high sense of vigilance so as to arrest pirated items being imported into the country.

Speaking on the sidelines of a two-day workshop on copyright and related rights for police and customs officers in the Tema region, the acting Copyright Administrator, Yaa Attafua bemoaned instances in the past where pirated goods including CDs belonging to the creative arts industry are shipped into the country in a 40footer container through the ports.

“When it comes to Tema Port, you have goods passing through here, be it sound recording, music, books which come through the ports, so customs are required to know whether the things coming in are genuine copyright products or if they are pirated products, then under the law they can detain the items,” she said.

She said the copyright office is focused on sensitising police officers and customs officials to equip them with the necessary tools to enable them seize pirated items and also prosecute offenders.

Chief Superintendent Felix Mawusi, Director of Operations CID, at the Ghana Police Service stressed the need for both customs officers and police personnel to muster the courage to prosecute offenders of pirated goods in the country.

The Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has organized a tax education workshop, for clearing agents, importers, companies and customs officers, in Tema.

Other issues discussed at the workshop included the Customs Act 2015 (Act 891) and sanctions under Act 891, Customs procedures, common external tariff, Pre Arrival Assessment and Reporting System and the single window concept.

Administrator of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, at the Tema Collection Point, Molly Awadzi urged importers to expedite action on the clearance of goods at the ports to enable it meet revenue targets.

“Unfortunately, we have issues with the documents that are attached and required. So if compliance checks your documents and sees that you have not provided all the required documents, of course they will query your declaration and the declaration will be rejected,” she said.

The Sector Commander for the Tema Collection, Assistant Commissioner Confidence Nyadzi, said his outfit has moved from the era when it imposed knowledge on its clients to a model of knowledge sharing, exchange of ideas and mutually beneficial discourse.

“In today’s world of ICT and globalization, no one can afford to keep knowledge tightly to his chest and expect to make any meaningful progress. It is in the sharing of knowledge, exchange of ideas and brainstorming over challenges and critical issues that humanity can make positive thrives towards progress,” he said.

The President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Kwabena Ofosu-Appiah stressed the need for customs to always make the importer a priority.

“The issue is that there is now a very conscious effort to let us identify with the tools with which we ply our trade and to make it possible and proper for us to be on top of our jobs and to synchronize very well within the ecosystem that we find ourselves and I think this is gratifying to note,” he said.