A bitter dispute over border fees escalated into a physical confrontation between personnel of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and the Ghana Immigration Service at the Kulungugu border in the Pusiga district yesterday.
According to eyewitnesses, the altercation began when an importer from Burkina Faso refused to pay a GH¢5 booking fee to immigration service personnel. The importer had already completed necessary paperwork and paid relevant fees to the customs division, sparking a disagreement between the two agencies.
The situation turned violent when customs personnel intervened to facilitate the importer’s passage, but were met with resistance from immigration service personnel.
The scuffle lasted over an hour, although no injuries were reported.
District Chief Executive for Pusiga, Zubeiru Abdulai, confirmed the incident to TV3 and revealed that he has held emergency meetings with border heads of both agencies to resolve the disagreements and prevent future clashes.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the two agencies and raises concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of border operations in the region.
Source: www.kumasimail.com