CEPS Losing Revenue At Aflao

Revenue at the Ghana-Togo border at Aflao has dropped despite the hike in the volume of trade across the frontier with the approach of Christmas.

Mr Kow Amissah-Koomson, Assistant Commissioner of Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) said a rise in smuggling is denying the state revenue.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Aflao in an interview that "a way has to be found to stop the smuggling".

Mr Amissah-Koomson, in charge of the Aflao Sector, said the sector collected its target of 81.6 million cedis for the 2002 revenue by November. "But this figure could have been exceeded had it not been for the high incidence of smuggling from last October. The situation can be brought under control if enough patrol equipment including communication gadgets and vehicles are provided."

He said the only vehicle for the Sector that includes Havi, Akanu and Kpoglo could not effectively patrol the more than 30 unapproved routes along the border.

Mr Amissah-Koomson said the harmonisation of tax values database for all stations would improve tax compliance among traders. He said between July and September when the Sector applied a Ghana Standards Board Veritax tax valuation at the stations, compliance was encouraging.