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Import Prohibitions and Restrictions

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GRACustomsImport Prohibitions and Restrictions

Absolute Import Prohibitions

These are goods which by all trade standards are illegal and are strictly barred from entering the country due largely to the tendency to breach international trade laws, spread diseases, and cause destruction among others.

Absolute Import Prohibitions Table

Tariff No. Commodity Description Remarks
6A. 1 Animals and carcasses infected with disease:
Animals or carcasses infected with disease within the meaning of the Disease of Animals Act, 1961 (Act 83) or any part of such animals or carcasses.
 
6A.2 Beads of inflammable celluloid:
Beads composed of inflammable celluloid or other similar substances.
 
6A.3 Coffee, raw, imported overland:
Raw coffee imported overland or by inland waterways.
 
6A.4 Coin not up to standard:
Coin currency in any foreign country or any money purported to be such, not being of the established standard in weight and fineness.
Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242)
6A.5 Food, contaminated:
Meat, vegetables, and other provisions.
Declared by a Health Officer as unfit for human consumption
PNDCL 305B/F.D.B. L Act 523, 1996.
6A.6 Knuckle dusters and life preservers.  
6A.7 Literature, scandalous:
Books, newspapers and printed matter which in the opinion of the Commissioner – General (subject to any directions of the president of Ghana) are defamatory, scandalous, or demoralizing.
 
6A.8 Money, base or counterfeit:
Base or counterfeit coin or counterfeit notes of any country.
Currency Act, 1964 (Act 242)
6A.9 Obscene articles:
Indecent or obscene prints, paintings, photographs, books, cards, lithographic or other engraving or any other indecent or obscene article.
 
6A.10 Weapons, dangerous:
Knives such as flick knives and paper knives which in the opinion of the Inspector – General of Police are considered to be dangerous weapons.
 
6A.11 Goods prohibited by any law:
All other goods, the importation of which is prohibited by any law in Ghana.
 

Conditional Import Prohibitions / Import Restrictions

These are goods imported strictly requiring licenses, certificates and any other form of approval to ensure they are regulated to meet the statutory requirements before entry.

Conditional Import Prohibition Table

Tariff No. Commodity Description Remarks
6B.1

Currency :(a) Bank notes

                   (b)Bank coins

                   (c)Travelers’ cheques

                   (d)Electronic units of payment

                   (e)Securities

In the denominations of local currency or the currency of another country.

(Foreign Exchange Act, 2006) (Act 723)

A license is required from the Bank of Ghana

6B.2

Diamonds:

Rough or uncut diamonds.

A Kimberley process certificate is required from the Ministry of Mines under the Kimberley process Certificate Act 2003, (Act 652)
6B.3

Films, cinematograph:

Cinematograph films, except at the port of Tema, Takoradi or Accra Airport.

Provided that this prohibition shall not apply in the case of films which the Commissioner – General is satisfied are intended solely for exhibition in private premises to which the public are not admitted on payment or otherwise.

Cinematograph Act, 1961 (Act 76)
6B.4

Goods bearing designs and imitation of money:

All goods which bear a design in imitation of any currency or bank note or coin in current use in Ghana or elsewhere.

A licence is required from the Ministry of Finance. Currency Act,1964 (Act 242)
6B.5

Goods imported contrary to customs laws:

All goods not imported in an aircraft or in a steamship except such as may be imported in accordance with any regulations relating to the control of boats or to the importation of goods overland or by inland waters.

 
6B.6

Goods regulated by law:

  1. Gambling machines.
  2. Plant, plant product, plant disease or pest, soil, manure, grass, and other parking material liable to harbor dangerous diseases or pests of plants
  3. Arms and ammunition
  4.  Explosives, including nitroglycerine, dynamite, detonators, gun cotton blasting powder, other substances used to produce caps, rockets or fuses.
  5. All goods, the importation of which is regulated by any law in Ghana except in accordance with such law.

A permit is required from the Gaming Commission. Gaming Act, 2006 (Act 721).

Prevention and control of pests and Diseases of plant Act, 1965(Act 307). A permit is required from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Arms and Ammunition Act,1972 (NRCD 9)

A permit is required from the Ministry of Interior.

Explosives Ordinance (Cap 245),

Explosives Regulations L.I 666 1970.

A licence is required from the Ministry of Interior.

6B.7 Handcuffs A licence is required from the Ministry of Interior.
6B.8 Machines for duplicating keys Locksmiths (Licensing) Act, 1994, (Act 488). A licence is required from the Ministry of Interior.
6B.9

Milk deficient in milk fat:

Milk, condensed or evaporated, containing less than eight per centum by weight of milk fat, and dried milk or milk powder containing less than twenty-six per centum by weight of milk fat.

 

Provided that this prohibition shall not apply to skimmed milk imported in containers clearly marked in such a manner as to easily distinguished from containers of full milk, and admitted as such by the Commissioner-General.

 

Provided further that the Commissioner-General may admit any particular consignment of condensed or evaporated milk.

 
6B.11

Paper, animal printing:

Animal photographic printing paper.

A licence is required from the Commissioner – General (L.I. 504).
6B.12 Reel – fed rotary ticket printing A licence is required from the Minister for Finance.
6B.13

Spirits of certain kinds and strengths:

Spirits of the following descriptions:

  1. Spirits containing essential oils or chemical products such as thujone, star arise, benzoic aldehyde, salicylic esters, hyssop, absinthe or other substances in such proportions as the Commissioner – General in 
  2. his absolute discretion deem to be injurious to health.
  3. Brandy, rum or Whisky unless proved to the satisfaction of the Commissioner – General to have been stored in the wood for a period of not less than three years prior to importation.
  4. Spirits containing more than 65 per centum of absolute alcohol as ascertained by a Tralle alcoholometer other than medicated, perfumed or methylated spirits, accepted as such by the Commissioner – General, expect under licence from the Commissioner – General and expect in accordance with the condition of such licence.
 
6B.14

Weapons for discharge of noxious liquids:

Weapons for description which in the opinion of the Commissioner – General are designed for the discharge of any noxious liquids, gas or other similar substances and any ammunition containing or in the opinion of the Commissioner – General designed or adapted to contain any noxious liquid, gas or other similar substance.

A licence is required from the Minister for Interior.
6B.15 Mercury A licence is required from the Ministry of Mines (Mercury Act, 1989, PNDCL 217)
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