Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, has called on the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to create a congenial environment to encourage customers to honour their tax
obligations.
He said as a revenue institution, CEPS performance largely affects government's ability to meet its developmental commitments, which explained why it should be more professional and cordial to tax payers.
Mr Opoku-Manu said this at the opening of the 19th Annual Delegates' Conference of the Senior Staff Association at Akyawkrom near Ejisu on
Friday.
The theme for the four-day meeting is: "CEPS and the Inception of Ghana Revenue Authority-Challenges and the way forward."
The Regional Minister reminded CEPS officials of their role to ensure increased revenue mobilization and urged them to find ways to purge
themselves of elements tarnishing the good image of the Service.
The global economic meltdown, he noted, had affected donor support to the country and said this made it pertinent to increase efforts at collecting more revenue internally to support the budget.
Mr Opoku-Manu said the establishment of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is meant to improve efficiency in revenue generation and urged Service personnel to embrace new policies and directions to improve generation.
Mr Ernest Kwesie, Chairman of the Revenue Agencies Governing Board, in an address read for him, said one of the challenges that CEPS would face in the near future was its ability to meet the tax revenue assessment requirements relating to the oil industry.
He, therefore, urged personnel to upgrade themselves in readiness for their obligations in the assessment of import and excise duties relating to the oil industry and petroleum taxes.
Mr Kwesie said the establishment of the GRA also enjoins them to improve their knowledge and skills, especially in technical aspects of taxation, for efficient performance.
Mr Ed-Richard Kuma Lanyon, Commissioner of CEPS, said in-spite of the drop in petroleum revenue and other challenges on the international trade, the
Service had so far mobilized GH¢1,690.54 million, representing a 7.06 per cent growth in revenue over the same period last year.