The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the Upper East Region, has raked in GH?14 million as against its set target of GH?19.2 million for the year 2021, the Upper East Sector Commander, Chief Revenue Officer, Samuel Owusu, has disclosed.

For the 10 months of 2021, the Customs Division in the region has so far raked in almost GH?14 million as against GH?12.2 million in 2020.

The Sector Commander made this known in Bolgatanga on Wednesday after the presentation of personal protective equipment (PPE) namely 40 Veronica buckets, 40 gallons of liquid soap and 40 packs of tissues to some deprived basic schools in GRA operational areas in the region to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He attributed the success story to the Integrated Communication Operations Management Systems (ICOMS), an electronic tool that his outfit has deployed at stations under the Bolgatanga collection points.

Mr Owusu explained that with the slow pace of the previous technologies, Ghana Community Network Services (GcNet) and the Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS), coupled with the devastating effects of the COVID-19, there was the need for stringent measures to be put in place to improve performance.

He said the ICOMS was not only cost-effective but also helps in resolving the bottlenecks of his outfit which used to rely on GcNet and GCNS which is not as efficient as compared to the recent innovation.

He indicated that the introduction of the ICOMS, it had further contributed to the improvement of the automation systems, leading to the reduction in the cost of doing business, improved organisation’s performance, and improved revenue collection.

“The ICOMS has come to replace the GcNet and the GCNS because it is superior and it has led to the speeding up of processes and procedures in the clearance of goods at the ports and the borders, it has also reduced the cost of doing business because with the ICOMS you are able to initiate the process of clearance before the goods come and it prevents other costs like rent,” he said.

He said the 2021 revenue collection target for the region was GH?19.2 million and noted his outfit would continue to leverage on advanced technological mechanisms to increase revenue mobilisation.

Mr Owusu disclosed that the borders are the heartbeat of revenue mobilisation for the country but the country has to take hard decisions to the closure of the borders due to the upsurge in the COVID-19.

The Headteacher of the Paga R/C Primary School in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the region, Miss Georgina Bugase, on behalf of the beneficiary schools paid a tribute to the Customs Division for the gesture and assured that the items would be put into good use.