The Damongo collection of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has exceeded its target even before the end of the year.
The collection was tasked to collect a revenue target of GH₵ 85,050,000.00.
As of the end of October 2023, they have been able to collect GH₵ 88,159,002.12, exceeding the revenue target by GH₵ 3,105,202.12.
This was disclosed by the outgoing sector commander, Assistant Commissioner Labujata Hamidu, at her pullout ceremony in Damongo.
Assistant Commissioner Labujata Hamidu, who was the first commander of the Damongo Collection, was posted from the Tema Collection to establish the Damongo Collection on the 22nd of March 2021.
A pull-out ceremony was thus held by the Customs Division to see her off after she retired from the service.
Commissioner Labujata, while giving an account of her stewardship in Damongo, said the collection exceeded its target in 2022 and 2023 with the breakdown of 2023 as follows.
Import revenue collected is GH₵ 1,231,450.85, exceeding the target by GH₵ 363,952.85. Petroleum tax revenue collected is GH₵ 86,927,579.27, which has also been exceeded by GH₵ 2,741,249.27.
According to her, though they are handicapped, “officers have been professional and have earned a name from uncustomed vehicle owners.”
“There is a joke amongst the commercial drivers that, anytime they want to rile their colleagues with such vehicles, they say Damongo officers are coming, which makes them run to hide.”
The Commissioner of Customs, Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Alhaji Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, in his remarks, commended Labujata Hamidu for her dedicated service to Customs and Ghana.
“It only takes a person who is dedicated and committed to leave the comfort of Tema, an already established collection, to take up the challenge of establishing a new one here, and so the service and Ghana are grateful to you for that and for the many years of service.”
Meanwhile, Kudjo A. Nyame has been appointed Commander of the Damongo Collection in an acting capacity.
Mr. Nyame’s task is to ensure the collection continues to improve, hopefully beyond where Labujata Hamidu took it.