A book titled "Customs Valuation and the Harmonized System Code" was on Friday launched in Tema.
The 104-page book, whose three chapters touch on Customs Valuation, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Code, and the Harmonized System Code, was authored by Mr Augustine Seyire, a retired customs officer, who is currently working at the Gateway Services Limited, a Customs Destination Inspection Company.
Launching the book, Mr. Fiifi Kwetey, Deputy Minister of Finance in charge of Customs, observed that revenue maximization was paramount in budget financing, and that all over the world, revenue maximization hinged on valuation.
He pointed out that classification could not be done without a proper understanding of the Harmonized System Code, which he said, contained all commodities involved in International Trade.
The Deputy Finance Minister commended the author for coming out with the book, and hoped it would go a long way to enhance the knowledge of career customs officers in handling of 'Classification and Valuation'.
He pointed out that Valuation and Classification of goods had posed enormous challenges in International Trade.
He said these challenges culminated in the development of the Harmonized System Code by the World Customs Organisation as a tool for revenue mobilization and accurate and reliable data on International Trade.
Mr Kwetey said the book would help improve on the professional competence of customs officers 'so that in these times when the international supply chain was fraught with fraudulent activities such as under invoicing, misclassification of goods, smuggling, and counterfeiting, the officers could counter the numerous frauds associated with International Trade'.
Mr Samuel Akwasi Yankyera, Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in-charge of Research, said; "it offers practical guide and advice to officers and other users based on many years of everyday application of the WTO Valuation Agreement by the author".
Mr Yankyera said the book, on the whole, would be very useful and offer practical guidance and tips to Officers and Custom House Agents on Valuation and Classification.
Mrs Annie Anipa, Assistant Commissioner in charge of Public Relations, who chaired the function, stressed the need for customs officers uphold professionalism by exhibiting a high sense of dedication to duty, in order to command respect from the public.
The first 10 autographed copies of the book were auctioned for a total amount of 2,900 Ghana Cedis.