The Custom Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in the Northern Region collected a total of 20.6 billion cedis as against 45.6 billion cedis revenue targeted for 2002.

The Service, however, exceeded its revenue target on import duties by collecting 676.5million cedis as against 396 million cedis, representing an increase of 70.84 per cent

It also improved its Value Added Tax (VAT) on imports to 116.1 million cedis as against the targeted figure of 103.9 million cedis, representing 11.71 per cent increase.

Mr E.R.K. Lanyon, Northern Regional Commissioner of CEPS, disclosed this in an interview with the GNA in Tamale on Monday.

He said the CEPS failed to meet its target on petroleum taxes, collecting only 19.8 billion cedis as against a target of 45.1 billion cedis, representing a shortfall of 56.06 per cent.

The Commissioner attributed the shortfall in petroleum taxes to the inability of the Volta Lake Transport Company (VLTC) to transport the petroleum products from Akosombo to the depot at Buipe due to the low level of the Volta Lake.

The Buipe depot serves the three Northern Regions. Mr Lanyon said the six major companies that were lifting oil for the three regions had to transport the commodity by road with difficulty, adding that the state of emergency imposed on Dagbon had affected import traffic.

He said the Northern Region, which had enjoyed brisk business in import traffic, was now not the first option for most traders, especially the eastern corridor of the region had been neglected because of the conflict in the area.

He noted that because of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, there has been an increase in inter-state road transit trade in the region and his outfit has intensified its monitoring and surveillance on the vehicular movement to ensure that un-customed goods, as well as small arms, are not discharged in the region.

On smuggling, he said the region was so much alive with it and mentioned cigarettes, textiles electronic equipment, and motorbikes as commodities that were being smuggled across to Togo and Cote d'Ivoire.

Mr Lanyon explained that smuggling is thriving in the region because of the openness of the area, where there are several footpaths leading to the borders, making it virtually impossible for the security personnel to man all of them.

He mentioned inadequate staffing; logistics, health facilities, good roads, as well as lack of potable water and electricity as some of the factors militating against the efficient operations of the Service in the region. Mr Lanyon said his outfit would embark on a tax educational campaign this year to sensitise the people on the need to pay their taxes regularly.