THIRTY-ONE containers of ferrous scrap metals impounded by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in March 2012 from being exported illegally have been emptied from the warehouses holding the containers.
The consignments were intercepted in compliance with an administrative ban by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2004.
The containers, which were kept under seal on the premises of Everest Limited and Star Limited, both scrap yards in the Tema Heavy Industrial Area, were virtually found empty when Customs officials in the company of members of the Ghana Steel Manufacturers Association went to inspect the consignments last Thursday.
The consignments were auctioned early this year on behalf of the government by the Tema Sector of the Customs Division of the GRA and procured by Special Steel Limited.
Officials of Special Steel and Customs who, on Thursday, visited the two warehouses to inspect the consignments, were, however, left in disbelief as, although the seals on the containers were intact, the containers were virtually empty when they were opened.
A member of the group who spoke to the Daily Graphic on condition of anonymity expressed shock at the turn of events and called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, institute investigations into the incident.
Officials of the Tema Command of the Customs Division who confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic said the supervising officers of the containers had been tasked to submit a report on the incident.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the command, Ms Nunya Amedonu, the original seal had been confirmed to be intact at the time of the visit on Thursday, with no evidence of tampering.
“The officers who auctioned the containers have been tasked to present a report to the Sector Commander to allow for thorough investigations into the incident,” Ms Amedonu said.
The increasing demand for the exportation of ferrous scrap metals has seen the disruption of underground communication infrastructure and theft of cables (copper wires) in major cities across the country.
While the souring price of the commodity on the world market continues to entice local exporters to engage in the illegality, local steel companies whose production output depends heavily on these raw materials are faced with eminent closure.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, stunned by the continued exportation, recently directed companies or persons intending to export copper scrap metals from the country to seek clearance from Office of the National Security Coordinator.
However, the absence of a legislative instrument to back the administrative ban on the export continues to spur on the people engaged in the scrap export business.
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