-Journalists, Pastors, MPs, Ministers, Council Of State Members Involved.
Ghana is bleeding from a notorious cartel of money launderers consisting of council of state members, ministers of state, Members of Parliament, Journalists, a senior official of GRA, and Pastors who have spirited some US$1.8 billion out of Ghana into unknown accounts, Whatsup News has gathered.
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has confirmed that there are approximately 2,000 illicit importers and some 1,200 who are engaged in serious money laundering activities.
According to anti-corruption organisation Movement for Truth and Accountability, it has a dossier on these individuals who are subverting the Tema Port to import goods that they refuse to declare properly, or they criminally under-declare the real value of their imports and wire the excess windfalls to unknown foreign accounts.
The Movement for Truth and Accountability has promised to hold a press conference next week to expose the money laundering cartel.
“We currently have at our disposal the total amount of money each of the companies involved requested and the total import of some of them and the findings are staggering. Some imported brought in goods over 70% less than the amount they transferred outside,” the organisation stated in a recent press release.
“Records also show that this is how many companies transfer monies outside the country without going through the right protocols at the blind side of the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank. The companies involved are made up of importers ranging from Automobile, Frozen Chicken, Fish, Turkey Tail, Rice, Sugar, Meat, Spare Parts, brand new Lorry Tyres, Air Conditions, Mineral Water Companies, Alcoholic Drinks/Beverages Companies, Mobile Phones, Electronic and Electrical Equipment, Agro-inputs with the amount involved exceeding Billions of Dollars.”
The group has already brought it to the attention of the Ministry of Finance, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and Financial Intelligence Centre, but has realised that some officials involved in retrieving the laundered monies have connived with the cartel.
“We also have information that some officials involved in retrieving these monies are indicting the Ghanaian companies more than the foreign companies. We want to send this message across, as a movement, we will not allow for foreign companies to be left off the hook and Ghanaian companies indicted, we have details of every single company involved and will not rest until all involved are made to account to the state, the needed penalty paid in full,” the group warned.
Meanwhile, the group has revealed that some officials at the GRA are genuinely committed to pursuing the criminal cartel, but are being hindered by some powerful individuals in the background.
“It is also refreshing to note that the current management of GRA appear committed and eager to play their role to ensure that those involved are brought to book. However, we want to impress on them to do more, be more aggressive and ensure that those trusted to be at the forefront don’t take undue advantage,” the anti-corruption organisation charged.