GRA confirms GHc22m tax evasion in DRIP deal – Attorney General
10th January 2026
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has confirmed that GH¢22 million in taxes was evaded in the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP) contract involving J.A. Plant Pool Limited, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has disclosed.
Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, January 10, Dr Ayine said the confirmation by the GRA conclusively establishes that tax evasion occurred in the DRIP transaction.
He explained that his office had initially estimated the value of the evaded taxes at GH¢38.7 million but lacked the legal mandate to make a final determination. As a result, the Attorney-General’s office formally requested the GRA to verify the figures in July last year.
According to Dr Ayine, the GRA officially confirmed only last week that GH¢22 million in taxes had indeed been evaded, giving his office the certainty to speak authoritatively on the issue.
He further revealed that J.A. Plant Pool Limited had admitted in writing that some items imported under the DRIP arrangement were warehoused after being cleared as tax-exempt, despite not qualifying for such exemptions. Dr Ayine stressed that this admission does not excuse the company from liability.
“Once goods are imported into the country without the payment of duties that should have been paid, tax evasion has occurred, regardless of any explanations that may follow,” he stated.
The Attorney-General also disclosed that an alleged US$2 million overpayment associated with the DRIP contract has been identified and will be pursued separately, in addition to the confirmed GH¢22 million tax evasion. He dismissed claims that the overpayment was due to a clerical error, insisting that it is not a mere administrative oversight.
Dr Ayine was responding to earlier claims by J.A. Plant Pool Limited, which last year rejected allegations of tax evasion, over-invoicing and overpayment under the DRIP contract. The company had attributed the US$2 million discrepancy to a clerical mistake and maintained that all imports were properly declared and processed through bonded warehouses.
However, the Attorney-General maintained that investigations have been carried out and that sufficient evidence exists to back the government’s claims. He said he stands by his earlier statements and warned that legal action remains an option should the company fail to meet demands arising from the findings.
The matter continues to attract public attention as the government intensifies efforts to ensure accountability and recover funds linked to the DRIP programme.