I am heartbroken to share what happened to me at Kotoka International Airport on 5th December 2025.
After eight long years away from Ghana, eight years of sacrifice, hard work, and dreams of coming home, I finally came home from Dubai filled with joy and excitement to see my family. I brought 15 pieces of iPhone XR (each phone cost GHs 1340) as Christmas gifts for my loved ones. Before travelling, I made sure to do everything right.
I asked Dubai Immigration, Dubai Customs, and even the airline to confirm whether I could travel with 15 phones. They all told me the same thing: Yes, it is allowed. Fifteen is the maximum number.
But the moment I arrived in Ghana, a Customs officer named Mr. Sasu forcibly seized my bags, scattered my belongings on the floor, and told me the phones had been “confiscated” unless I paid GHS 12,690.63.
I explained over and over that these were gifts. But nobody cared, nobody listened. They still detained me for 3 hours, wasting my time, humiliating me, and ruining the joy of coming home after 8 long years. I had to call a friend to borrow the amount, or I would still be stuck at the airport with my luggage seized.
What hurts even more? The white travellers before and after me, and the Ghanaian travellers, were not questioned at all. They were greeted and allowed to pass freely, while we, citizens of our own country, were treated like slaves and criminals.
This experience ruined what was supposed to be a joyful return home after eight years. Instead of being welcomed home, I was extorted, humiliated, and forced into debt. I am deeply disappointed and saddened. We cannot continue like this.
Please help me call on the Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs, immigration, GACL, and relevant authorities to investigate and refund this unjust charge.
No Ghanaian should suffer this kind of extortion and discrimination in their own homeland.
We deserve better. The poor and average Ghanaian deserves better.
I will be very grateful if this message gets read and spread to social media and reaches the authorities for action to be taken”
