Aflao (VR), July 5, GNA – Mr. Kwadwo Damoah, the Commissioner, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has said the Authority would reward officers involved in the interception of contraband goods at Kpoglu Border in the Ketu South Municipality.
He said the move was to motivate the officers and the entire Aflao Sector Collection to be more diligent in their work to collect more revenue for the state.
Mr. Damoah announced this during an inspection tour of the Aflao Sector Command as part of a working visit to the Volta sector.
He inspected works on the new baggage hall, VIP Lounge, the proposed site for examination bay, and exit gate for big trucks.
He also visited the Domestic Tax Revenue Division (DTRD) office, Aflao Immigration office, Wudoaba Patrol Base, and some unapproved routes designated as “beats” and “pillars.”
Personnel of the Aflao Collection in collaboration with sister security agencies on Friday, June 5, intercepted some assorted substances suspected to be narcotics and $200,000 cash during a search on a Nigerian-registered Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicle, which was crossing into Ghana from Togo.
The Commissioner said although the Division received some backlash following the disappearance of a whitish substance weighing 100.10 grams from the list of items seized, if they had to spur the officers on to do more, there was the need to recognise what was achieved while punishing perpetrators.
“If you look at the totality of what was arrested, then this (missing substance) to a large extent should not become the focus of the whole operation. We understand that when you have one bad nut, it spoils a whole sack of nuts but we thought that we should commend them for what they have achieved while not glossing over the failure.”
Mr. Damoah said the “ratio is now against us,” citing challenges in capacity building for officers, reduction in imports occasioned by COVID-19 as well as government’s policy on benchmark discount.
He encouraged the personnel to work harder to get more revenue to facilitate the payment of salaries and allowances and also to provide logistics to improve on customs work.
Mr Majeed Amandi, the Sector Commander, Aflao Customs expressed the Sector’s readiness to put their lives on the line in discharging their mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and security provision.
Mr. Vincent Gadegbeku, Chief Revenue Officer, Aflao Small Tax Office, underscored the need for all divisions under the GRA umbrella to work together saying, “This is the time Ghana needs revenue the most.”
GNA