The Special Operations Unit of the Office of the President would from Monday February 24 begin a number of operations at the Tema Port to eliminate fraudulent practices, Dr Clement Apaak, Spokesman of the Unit has announced.

He said apart from conducting tallying of all the vessels that would be arriving at the Port, the Unit would also require the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority to submit out-turn reports to the Unit 48 hours after tallying the vessels.

“The Unit would also check manifested weights and quantities of various goods arriving at the Port through joint examination with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority”

In a statement signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Apaak on Wednesday added that the checking of the manifested goods would include; those earmarked for bonded warehouses and other regimes.

Government last year instituted the Special Operations Unit at the Office of President to check and authenticate the alleged fraudulent activities that had over the years denied government the necessary revenue.

It was also meant to curtail the unnecessary delays at the Port and curb the numerous stages that had created untold hardships on importers at the Port.

The Spokesperson said the Unit would also verify the axle load of both local and foreign vehicles used for the re-exportation of steel and other products to neighbouring countries in accordance with regulations established by the Ghana Highway Authority for the years in question.

He announced that the Unit would also undertake post event audit of previous transactions of all regimes by importers on the Ghana Custom Management system.

Dr Apaak gave the assurance that the measures would help curtail fraudulent practices of under declaration and under valuation of goods that had become rampant at the country’s ports.

“The Special Operations Unit will like to state without equivocation that it will impose appropriate penalties on defaulters and prosecute others when necessary…” he added.

He appealed to all Ghanaians, especially Importers and workers at the country’s Ports to cooperate with the Unit to make their operations successful.