The United Kingdom and Ghana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation between the UK’s His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The agreement is expected to strengthen customs administration, facilitate legitimate trade, improve compliance and support economic growth.

The MoU establishes a framework for customs capacity building and technical assistance, with an initial focus on strengthening the GRA’s Post Clearance Audit function.

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The partnership will be delivered through HMRC’s Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme and will involve technical exchanges, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing based on UK experience and international best practices in risk-based customs compliance.

Speaking at the signing, the UK’s Development Director, Terri Sarch, said the agreement would help create more efficient trade processes and stronger customs systems.

“The UK-Ghana Growth Partnership is about working together to unlock sustainable economic growth. This agreement brings together HMRC and the Ghana Revenue Authority in a practical partnership that supports more efficient trade, stronger customs systems and the movement of goods across borders,” she said.

Sarch said the agreement builds on the longstanding relationship between the two countries and would support jobs, investment and shared prosperity.

Director for Borders & Trade at HMRC, Carol Bristow, said modern customs administrations are critical to economic development and the facilitation of legitimate trade.

“Modern customs administrations play a vital role in supporting economic growth, protecting revenue and enabling legitimate trade,” she said.

According to Bristow, the partnership will support Ghana’s customs reform priorities and strengthen border management through the exchange of expertise between HMRC and GRA.

“It will build on more than a decade of successful collaboration between HMRC and the Ghana Revenue Authority, opening a new chapter of cooperation on customs, creating opportunities to share knowledge, develop capability and support sustainable, locally led reform,” she added.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Sarpong, said effective customs administration was essential to promoting trade, investment and sustainable economic growth.

“Effective customs administration is an important enabler of trade, investment and sustainable economic growth,” he said.

Sarpong said the partnership would support technical exchange and knowledge sharing as Ghana advances its customs modernisation agenda.

He noted that the initial focus on Post Clearance Audit responds to a priority area for the GRA and would help improve efficiency and risk management.

“The initial focus on Post Clearance Audit responds to a priority area for GRA and will help enhance efficiency, improve risk management and deliver better outcomes for traders and government,” he said.

The UK and Ghana said the cooperation could be expanded to other priority areas of customs modernisation in the future.

The agreement forms part of the wider UK-Ghana Growth Partnership, which seeks to strengthen economic cooperation and create better conditions for trade and investment between the two countries.



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