Customs Service launches review to streamline operations

In order to maximise revenue collection and facilitate trade, Ghana's Customs, Excise and Preventive Service has embarked on a programme to plug loopholes and streamline operations. This has necessitated the review of some customs procedures and as interim measure a review procedure has been unveiled to cover warehousing and operations. Warehousing ? Hitherto, values that were applied at thetime of warehousing were used as value basis for payment of taxes, irrespective of the rate of exchange fluctuations. This anomaly has now been corrected. Now the current rate of exchange is applied at the time goods are entered for home use. ? The period goods will be allowed in bond is being reviewed. The practice now is that goods could be warehoused ad infinitum once they are rewarehoused biennially twice a year. ? These reviews are meant to eliminate fraud and other abuses.

Operational reviews ? In order to reduce clearing time, the clearance procedures is further being reviewed. The reviews aim at reducing fraud without compromising revenue. ? Hitherto, the Customs conducts physical examination of all imported goods. Selective examination will now be introduced. ? In the past, one area of delay related to the application of weekly rates of exchange. Rates of exchange were communicated to the various Ports and entry points on Mondays. Until the Ports and entry points received the rates work virtually came to a standstill. To remedy the situation weekly rates of exchange are now applied from Tuesdays to Mondays. This has eliminated the delays caused on Mondays. ? The Customs and Ports Authority have now synchronised their working hours. Skeleton staff is maintained by both organisation during the lunch hours to ensure uninterrupted service to the public. ? The Customs and Ports Authority are also looking at integrating their computer systems - that is, integration of information. This will greatly enhance quick release and delivery of cargo from the Ports. ? The Customs is also upgrading the Automated Systems for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) that is now in use. The upgrading when completed will enable the Customs to improve on its electronic clearance procedure and accelerate the clearance of goods. ? All aspects of Customs operations will be reviewed to ensure that maximum revenue is collected and trade is also facilitated. ? A Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) will be introduced to identify all taxpayers to the Revenue Collecting Agencies. The idea of integrated auditing is to ensure that all cheating tax payers are unveiled and any taxes so evaded recovered. ? Integrated Auditing will also be introduced. Integrated auditing teams will be formed from the Revenue Collecting Agencies. The idea of integrated auditing is to ensure that all cheating tax payers are unveiled and any taxes so evaded recovered. ? Pecuniary penalties that are imposed on tax evaders are being reviewed to bring them in line with the realities on the ground. The penalties must really serve as deterrent to fraudulent tax evaders.