Customs staff worry about porous borders

The Junior Staff Association of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has expressed dismay about the porous nature of the country’s borders and said this was affecting revenue collection as a result of inadequate staff and logistics.

Collection Assistant One Prince Seidu Alhassan, the National President of the Association, said the division could not meet the revenue target for 2013 because of inadequate personnel to do the job.

Addressing the opening session of the 12th national delegates conference of the Association, he expressed concern about general apathy on the part revenue collectors and attributed it to management’s failure to promote and recognise deserving and committed personnel.

The three-day conference is being attended by the almost 2,000 members of the Association from all the 10 regions.

Mr Alhassan said since management withheld staff promotion and other motivations, performance of many of the personnel had gone down drastically.

“As it stands now staff are shattered and demoralized”, he said, and pleaded with management of the division to promote deserving personnel.

He expressed disgust that suggestions made to management with regards to promotion by some labour bodies were not considered and said the Association did not intend to undermine efforts of management but to register its displeasure on certain issues in the Division.