Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Paul Kwabena Amaning, President of OPDAG, said the influx of unregulated and untaxed products undermined the competitiveness of local producers, eroded government revenue, and endangered livelihoods.

He cautioned that failure to address the issue could lead to the collapse of many small and medium-scale processing companies that employ thousands of Ghanaians across the value chain.

“The future of over 1.2 million people who depend on the oil palm industry for their livelihood is at stake,” Mr Amaning said.

“Smuggled vegetable oils, often substandard and untaxed, are flooding our markets, pushing legitimate local producers to the brink of collapse. This is not just an economic concern but a national security issue,” he added.

Last week, the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) announced the formation of a joint monitoring and compliance taskforce in collaboration with key state security agencies to clamp down on smuggled vegetable oil in the market.

Mr Amaning commended the TCDA for convening a stakeholder meeting on the issue, describing the recommendations by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew Osei Okrah, as “timely and practical.”

He said OPDAG supported fully the TCDA’s plan to establish the taskforce to address the growing menace through coordinated enforcement, market surveillance, and border monitoring.

He also endorsed proposed enforcement measures, including the implementation of a traceability system to monitor products from refinery to retail, mandatory registration of transporters, and enhanced collaboration among the Ghana Revenue Authority, Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, and National Security.

“These actions, if strictly enforced, will help sanitise the sector, protect local producers, and restore integrity to Ghana’s edible oil market,” he stated.

Mr Amaning called for stiffer penalties for offenders and urged the media to support public awareness campaigns and expose illegal activities that harm local industries and compromise consumer safety.

He reaffirmed OPDAG’s commitment to working with the TCDA and other stakeholders to secure the future of Ghana’s palm oil industry, ensure fair trade, and protect the millions of livelihoods tied to the sector.