The new Acting Commissioner of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Mr Ed Richard Kumah Lanyon has assumed office, affirming to pursue teamwork, unity and discipline as his vision to transform the institution.
He called on management and staff of CEPS to rededicate their efforts towards core functions and mandate as a leading national revenue collector and facilitator of trade and movement of people.
"In this direction, we shall not tolerate any excuses and lapses that are clearly avoidable," he told staff at a ceremony at the CEPS headquarters in Accra to usher the out-going Commissioner, Mr Emmanuel Doku out of the Service.
. "Departments and personnel are obliged to justify their placement and presence in the scheme of things in order to redirect the service on a path of resuscitating our flagging image and performance", he said.
Former Commissioner Doku, moments before a colourful pulling-out parade, thanked the officers for the massive support and cooperation he had been given during his tenure of office.
"It is this support and cooperation that translated into achievements of revenue targets throughout the period I served as Commissioner. I thank God for giving me the strength to contribute my quota through the years as an officer, a manager and the head of administration", he said.
Mr Doku advised fellow officers to remain focused, continue to work hard and to redress their grievances through the use of administrative structures according to laid down procedures.
""Be each others keepers and take care of yourselves as officers. Do your work diligently and desist from nefarious activities that can destroy your career as well as tarnish the image of the Service".
"I urge you to work hard to uplift the image of the service so that it would be a service that we would all be proud of and above all extend maximum support and cooperation to my successor and management", he said.
Mr Doku, who was the ninth Commissioner of CEPS, and saw service at almost all CEPS collections, joined the Service in September 1975, when it was known as Ghana Customs and Excise Department.
The high point of his career was when he led a group of Ghanaian Customs technocrats to restructure and modernize the Liberian Customs Service.
His performance attracted commendation from the Liberian authorities and thus after his arrival government assigned the duty of reforming and modernizing Ghana Customs. He was appointed Commissioner of CEPS in July 18, 2006.
The historic pulling-out and handing over ceremony was the first time in the history of CEPS that a career officer was handing over to the office of commissioner to another career officer.
Out of the ten Commissioners CEPS have had, seven were non career offices.

Caption attached to pictures:

201: Mr Ed Richard Kumah Lanyon, incoming Commissioner of CEPS speaking at the farewell Guard of Honour

208: Mr Emmanuel Nmashie Doku, outgoing Commissioner CEPS addressing the farewell Guard of Honour

204: Mr Ed Richard Kumah Lanyon, incoming Commissioner of CEPS (right) changing Command with Mr Emmanuel Nmashie Doku, outgoing Commissioner (left)

215: Mr Emmanuel Nmashie Doku, the outgoing Commissioner of CEPS being given a farewell Guard of Honour by some Executive officers by pulling him out of the parade grounds

189: Mr Ed Richard Kumah Lanyon, the incoming Commissioner of CEPS (right) inspecting a Guard of Honour.