CEPS loses C3.2 bn through ECOWAS trade liberalization

Kwameseikrom (B/A), Oct. 15, GNA- The Customs, Excise And Preventive Service (CEPS) lost more than 3.2 billion cedis in import revenue at the Kwameseikrom border post in Brong Ahafo, this year through the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Policy.

Mr James Ocloo, Acting Base Commander at the post said this during a familiarization visit of Brigadier Richardson E. Baiden, Commissioner of CEPS and Mr Harry Owusu, Executive Secretary of the Revenue Agency Governing Board.

The two officers were on a four-day tour of the Western Frontier to ascertain how best to combat smuggling and increase revenue. Mr Ocloo explained that a large number of imports through the post fell under the ECOWAS policy, which gives exemption to the imports. Mr Ocloo said his station had a target of 4.4 billion cedis this year, made up of import duty revenue of 1.4 billion cedis and three billion cedis for VAT.

But as at the end of September, he said, the station had collected 2.9 billion cedis, down by 1.5 billion cedis.

Mr Ocloo noted that due to effective patrols by personnel of the Service and the military, the smuggling of fuel and other items had been brought under control.

The acting Base Commander appealed to CEPS management to provide the station with a four-wheel drive vehicle to improve efficiency and more effective operations.

He also appealed for additional staff and an efficient communication system at the post.

At Sampa, Alhaji Sheik Osman Gimbah, the Base Commander, said the station, which covers an operational area of about 50-kilometre radius, controlled one of the most difficult terrains in the Sunyani administrative collection.

Alhaji Gimbah recommended the re-activation of the Zezera outpost, about a kilometre away from the boundary to enhance preventive and revenue activities.

He also suggested that the Suma checkpoint be re-located to Kabire to be nearer to the boundary, to enhance security in the area and also to check smuggling between Kabire and Morle.

Alhaji Gimbah mentioned lack of adequate residential accommodation and food rations for field officers as some of the perennial problems confronting the station and appealed to the Commissioner and Executive Secretary to help address the problem.

The Sampa station has already acquired a plot of land for residential quarters for the officers to make way for the rehabilitation of an old barracks built in the 1960s and bequeathed to it by the erstwhile Border Guards.

At Atuna station, Base Commander Baba B. Musah, said the station could not achieve its revenue target of 289 million cedis import duty and 181 million cedis VAT duty for the year. It collected 168 million cedis and 120 million cedis respectively. He, however, gave assurance that the station would strive to make up the differences before the end of the year. 15 Oct 03