Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister, at the weekend urged personnel of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), to cooperate with other security agencies in the fight against smugglers and protecting the country's interests at their duty posts.
He urged them to discard the notion that agencies including the Police and Immigration Service would usurp their powers if they collaborated with them.
Mr Owusu-Yeboa was speaking at the commissioning of a 320 million-cedi canteen for the CEPS at Aflao.
CEPS personnel at the station contributed 70 million cedis towards the project while Twinsty and Catering Services of Tema, Managers of the canteen, invested 250 million cedis.
Mr Owusu-Yeboa noted that with sophistication in crime, "we need a multi-sectional approach to handle sensitive areas".
He expressed concern about the hostility encountered by CEPS personnel in their duties and promised that diligent and conscientious staff would be protected.
The Minister commended the Aflao Station for meeting its revenue target for the past year.
He said co-operation between the catering company at AFGO Village, Kotoka International Airport in Accra "demonstrate what private and public partnership can achieve".
Mr Kow Amissah-Koomson, CEPS Aflao Sector Commander said efforts were being made to solve problems facing personnel.
He said the canteen was open to all and urged the management to ensure that customers were treated without discrimination.
Mr R. Attissoh, who led a Togolese delegation to the function, said as neighbours the facility should be opened citizens of the two countries.
Colonel Anthony Ashiagbor, Deputy Commissioner of CEPS, said the canteen had been established at the "right time" to cater for the many foreigners using the entry point.
The canteen has a dinning hall, kitchen, a bar, toilet facilities, seven summer huts and a spacious compound.
