The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has raised concerns over the misuse of its currency transport boxes, cautioning that repurposing these containers—especially for illegal activities—poses a serious threat to the Bank’s credibility and operations.
This warning follows the discovery of official BoG cash boxes at the centre of a large-scale counterfeiting operation uncovered in Sapeiman.
During an exclusive tour of the crime scene, Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat, Richard Jakpa, confirmed that the boxes found were authentic BoG property.
“Authorities have verified that these boxes are genuine,” he revealed, raising critical questions about how official financial tools ended up in the hands of a criminal syndicate.
In a statement titled “Use and Misuse of Bank of Ghana Currency Transport Boxes,” the central bank addressed rising public anxiety over the improper use of its wooden cash containers, originally designed for transporting currency securely.
“These boxes are robust, reusable, and well-suited to withstand wear and tear associated with logistics,” the BoG explained, adding that commercial banks often return the boxes empty or occasionally repurpose them for non-currency-related logistics.
However, the Bank noted that some members of the public have obtained and reused the boxes for domestic or commercial purposes, such as storage or general transport. While this kind of casual repurposing is not necessarily illegal, the Bank warned of a sharp difference between such use and criminal exploitation.
“The BoG cannot be associated with any misuse of these boxes for criminal or unauthorized activities,” the statement stressed.
“Reports have emerged indicating that certain individuals are using these boxes to implicate the Bank or undermine public trust in its operations.”
The Bank emphasized that attempts to falsely associate it with illegal conduct through the misuse of its branded property must be treated as a serious offense, and called on law enforcement to intervene.
“Misuse of such boxes for criminal activities must be thoroughly investigated… and all persons found culpable prosecuted,” the BoG stated.
In a time when visuals can easily mislead the public, the central bank urged Ghanaians not to interpret the presence of its branded boxes as a sign of official sanction or involvement.
“A reused currency box does not carry the authority or endorsement of the nation’s central bank,” the BoG concluded, reaffirming its commitment to operational integrity and the safeguarding of public trust.
