The Deputy Commissioner for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Alhaji Yakubu Seidu has described corrupt Customs officials as enemies to the state.
He said the Customs Division is committed to delivering professional customer service and to ensure that discipline and integrity were the hallmarks of fulfilling the expectations of government, taxpayers and the public, corrupt officials would not be spared when caught.
Speaking as the Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony of the passing out of 38 Custom officers in counter-terrorism training, the Deputy Commissioner said the unprofessional conduct of officers could foil efforts in combating cross border crime such as terrorism, extremism, jihadist and other emerging security threats in peace-time.
”Our training does not entertain corruption, and anyone who does that is an enemy to the nation. If he is arrested, he would be expelled from the institution. We don’t spare on that,” stressed.
He continued: ”They [smugglers] have adopted sophisticated means of smuggling. Weapons are now concealed in the cases of guitars, weapons are concealed in rice and you are the ones to ensure that that concealment is brought out,” he said.
”Let’s go out there and collect the revenue, facilitate trade and provide security. Work in cooperation and coordination with your other security agencies, ” he added.
He said Custom Officers hold unique powers in relation to goods in global supply chain hence their unique role in helping in combating any transactional organised crime in peacetime to guarantee peace, safety and security.
He urged them to be aware that they owe it a duty to be the vanguard for peace and security first and foremost to ”yourself before the nation”.
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
