Travelers arriving in Ghana with several new mobile phones and other electronic devices could be required to pay commercial duties on the items, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division has cautioned.
Commissioner of Customs at the GRA, Aaron Kanor, said passengers who bring in more than two mobile phones could have the items treated as being for commercial purposes, particularly when the devices are new and in significant quantities.
He made the disclosure while briefing journalists after a tour of the airport, explaining that passengers are expected to declare goods that exceed what would reasonably be considered personal effects.
Mr Kanor said the practice of travelers bringing home multiple phones on behalf of relatives and friends could result in the items being classified as commercial imports.
He explained that while a passenger may be allowed to bring a phone for personal use and possibly another for a spouse, carrying several additional devices could attract customs duties.
“In Ghana, because of our culture, when one is travelling, Amma gives you one phone, Kofi gives you another and all the days born phones, they all give you phones. When you carry all those seven phones and you arrive, it will amount to what? Commercial,” he said.
He therefore advised travelers not to accept large quantities of electronic devices from other people when returning to the country.
According to him, expensive brands such as iPhones and Samsung devices are particularly important to the revenue mobilisation efforts of Customs.
“If you look at iPhone, Samsung, they are very expensive. That is where we can get our revenue,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Customs Division is working towards fully automating the profiling of passengers arriving at Ghanaian airports.
Mr Kanor said the initiative forms part of efforts to modernise the GRA’s operations and reduce delays associated with physical inspections of passengers and their luggage.
The automation, he added, is expected to improve the efficiency of customs processes while strengthening the identification of passengers and goods that require further assessment.