Following the recent crackdown on stolen vehicles, with over 100 US cars traced to Ghana, the Executive Secretary of the Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana, Frank Atanley Kofigah, has absolved car dealers of responsibility, insisting the burden lies with port authorities.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, August 26, Mr. Kofigah said the first line of defence in detecting stolen vehicles rests with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), which verifies and clears all cars before they enter the market.
“What we are saying is that the Customs Divisions of the Ghana Revenue Authority are the gatekeepers to ensure that these (stolen) vehicles do not even get into this country in the first place because the theft did not happen on our grounds; it happened in a different jurisdiction,” he explained.
He argued that once vehicles have passed through Customs, Preventive Services, and National Security checks at the port, dealers are left with no reason to doubt their authenticity.
“If someone offers me a Lamborghini for $150,000, two things come to mind: it’s either repairable or a relatively good deal. But my assurance is that Customs has already done the vigorous checks. All I need is the Customs document that proves it is safe,” Mr. Kofigah added.
He revealed that many dealers were unaware of platforms such as INTERPOL’s vehicle status database or EOCO’s verification desk until recently.
“Until a week or two ago, we had no idea that INTERPOL has a platform to check a vehicle’s status, or that EOCO has a front desk where you can submit your VIN for verification. All we usually do is a VIN check or run a car fact report,” he said.
Mr. Kofigah maintained that only Customs has the mandate and technical system to stop stolen vehicles from entering Ghana.
The debate over stolen vehicles intensified after musician Shatta Wale was detained in connection with a Lamborghini Urus, which was later confiscated by authorities following a request from US officials.
Source: Albert Kuzor
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