The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has charged newly commissioned officers of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to work hard to transform the organisation into a model of excellence in Africa and beyond.
According to her, the division had become the lifeblood of the country’s revenue mobilisation and needed to improve on its operations.
The Vice President made the call in a speech read on her behalf by the Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, Alex Segbefia when he commissioned 203 Cadet Officers into the Customs Division of the GRA at Kpetoe in the Agortime-Ziope District of the Volta Region on Friday.
“I challenge you to be the generation that will transform Ghana’s Customs Division into a model of Excellence for Africa and beyond. The journey ahead will test you, but it will also reward you with the knowledge that your work directly strengthens the foundation of our nation. Ghana’s self-reliance begins with public servants who understand that every official action has consequences for national development,” she said.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang used the occasion to declare government’s commitment to reviewing some of the tax systems to enhance transparency and efficiency.
The graduands concluded the Cadet course after almost nine months of official training in paramilitary and Customs at the GRA Academy.
The Commissioner of the Customs Division, Brigadier General Glover Ashong Annan, in his goodwill message congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the high integrity of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
“As you step into your new roles as customs officers, three essential attributes must guide you throughout your career. These are discipline, loyalty and professionalism,” he said.
He said “Discipline will enable you to execute your duties diligently, uphold the integrity of the Customs Division and remain committed to the principles that govern our profession.”
“Equally, loyalty fosters dedication to the mission of the Customs Division and the broader objectives of the Ghana Revenue Authority,” he charged them.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, KPETOE
