President John Mahama
A cynic has described the recent shake-up in the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) by President John Dramani Mahama as awkward and lacking the fillip to turn things around in the revenue collection agency.
CEPS, it would appear, has suffered untold presidential attacks for what is obviously a general slowdown of business activities in the country.
When the late President John Evans Atta Mills stormed the Tema Port in reaction to a scathing report of an investigation undertaken by Anas Armeyaw Anas he was not charitable with his remarks.
He particularly took issues with what for him was the speed with which CEPS officers in that collection put up houses.
Observers of the political scene wondered cynically why he had deliberately left out government appointees, especially those holding ministerial appointments.
Such appointees, the cynics observed, not only put up mansions within three months of assuming office but buy fuel tankers and establish fuel filling stations.
Although the late President did not go beyond the abrasive observation about the revenue collection agency, his anointed successor has not been that forgiving having made good his promise of shaking up the place.
A few weeks ago, he served notice about what could befall some top officials of CEPS when he posted a dismal picture about their performance.
Unfortunately the transfers he announced do not have the potential of addressing the challenges facing the revenue collection agency.
There is talk about the transfer of favourites of top men in government to choice collections such as the Kotoka International Airport and others.
In the case of the officers being transferred to Tema the two were course mates and it is difficult to see how the two would discharge their duties without friction in the same collection.
The shortfall in the revenue collected by the Service should not be blamed on the top hierarchy of the agency since after all officers do not man the collection points.
Many junior officers who deal directly with importers at the border posts have remained at their duty posts in upwards of 10 years; a critical drawback for efficiency in revenue collection. Unfortunately it would appear this fact has been lost on the Presidency to the detriment of the revenue collection.
In the past, junior officers, whose role in revenue collection is critical, did not stay for long at a particular location; a practice which contributed immensely towards the previous success chalked by CEPS.
If CEPS performed abysmally under the watch of Maj Gen Carl Modey how come he is being rewarded with an ambassadorial appointment? Sounds ironic!
