The President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has declared that smuggling, counterfeiting, and the re-bagging of inferior products constitute acts of economic sabotage.
In a recent dialogue with the private sector, he emphasised the government’s commitment to combating these issues to safeguard the manufacturing sector.
President Mahama announced several key measures to tackle these challenges, indicating that the government will enhance border enforcement and intensify coordination at the borders to prevent illegal activities.
He stated that technology-driven customs surveillance solutions will be deployed to help monitor and control trade, alongside rigorous enforcement of product standards to protect consumers and local industries.
He noted that trade infractions will be treated as economic crimes, thus any public officials found culpable will face dismissal and prosecution.
“Smuggling, under-declaration, counterfeit goods, and re-bagging of inferior products are not minor infractions; they constitute economic sabotage.
“To stem this and protect our fledgling manufacturing sector, we’ll intensify coordinated border enforcement,” he stated.
President Mahama reaffirmed the government’s determination to support Ghanaian enterprises, enabling them to thrive and grow.
He also highlighted the need to accelerate the availability of litigation-free industrial land banks and reform land tenure systems to facilitate commercial contract farming.
“Industrialisation requires secured land tenure and protection of agricultural resources. In this regard, we will accelerate litigation-free industrial land banks…” he uttered.
Additionally, he mentioned that the government plans to strengthen actions against illegal mining and sand winning, expand irrigation systems, and invest in storage infrastructure for agricultural products.
Source: Vanessa Elizabeth Nkum
