The Oil Palm Development Association of Ghana (OPDAG) has praised the government, the finance minister, and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for their actions in arresting and seizing illegal oil imports into the country.
This praise followed a joint operation led by the Finance Ministry, GRA, and other partners that recently intercepted and confiscated illegal vegetable oil shipments.
OPDAG stated that this decisive action shows the government’s strong commitment to protecting public revenue, maintaining market integrity, and defending the interests of legitimate local businesses.
During a press conference in Accra on February 23, 2026, OPDAG President Mr. Paul Kwabena Amaning mentioned that the recent enforcement efforts have revealed a troubling trend of under-reporting values, weights, and tariff classifications.
Mr. Amaning noted that this situation highlights significant revenue losses and market distortions caused by these illegal activities, and he fully supports the government’s call to enhance investigations, impose penalties, and hold accountable those involved in these wrongful actions.
Impact On Local Industry
He pointed out that the ongoing influx of illegally imported vegetable oils poses a serious threat to Ghana’s edible oil value chain, which provides direct and indirect employment for over 500,000 Ghanaians in farming, processing, logistics, refining, and distribution.
“These illegal practices create unfair price advantages, harm local producers, deter investment, and threaten the country’s food security. They amount to economic sabotage against domestic agro-industrial growth and disrupt fair competition,” he said.
Challenges
Mr. Amaning expressed that, despite current regulations, OPDAG is worried about the ongoing entry of illegal vegetable oil into Ghana through weak land borders and diversion routes, taking advantage of poor enforcement and systematic gaps.
He mentioned that customs reference pricing is significantly lacking, which allows for extensive duty evasion. The misuse of transit systems permits goods meant for neighboring countries to be redirected into the local market without paying the necessary duties, levies, and VAT. Additionally, corruption and control issues at ports and borders continue to hinder revenue collection efforts.
Policy Actions
He stated that OPDAG fully supports the government and GRA in combating illegal imports and revenue loss.
“We respectfully request the following priority measures to build on recent achievements, such as maintaining a strict zero-tolerance policy against illegal vegetable oil imports, enhancing border surveillance, prosecuting offenders, ensuring that vegetable oil imports are exclusively routed through seaports, prohibiting land border entry, and aligning customs reference pricing with actual international market prices to prevent under-invoicing and restore fair competition.”
OPDAG calls for improved transit controls, including financial guarantees, real-time digital tracking, and monitoring of transit cargo, as well as the introduction of a national traceability and tax stamp system, to be implemented jointly by GRA and TCDA, to identify products that have met tax obligations.
The group is also advocating for responsible management of confiscated vegetable oil, suggesting that seized products should be directed into buffer stock arrangements instead of being auctioned at lower prices that could distort the market.
Mr. Amaning reiterated that OPDAG is ready to work with the government, regulators, and enforcement agencies to safeguard national revenue, bolster local industry, protect jobs, and ensure a fair, transparent, and sustainable vegetable oil market in Ghana.