Customs Division Boss sacked

The Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Col Kwadwo Damoah has been asked to lay down his tools.

According a letter to Col Damoah from the Office of the President published by Graphic Online, his dismissal was to take effect from August 26, 2022.

In his stead, the president directed that the acting Deputy Commissioner (Preventive), Mr Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah is to act until a substantive Commissioner for the Division is appointed.

A part of the letter read, “Following the expiration of your contract of service as Commissioner (Customs Division) of the Ghana Revenue Authority on 13th October 2021, the President of the Republic has directed that effective Friday, 26th August 2022, you hand over your duties and office to the acting Deputy Commissioner (Preventive), Mr Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah, who will act as the Commissioner (Customs Division) pending the President’s substantive appointment”.

“The President thanks you for your service to the State and wishes you well in your future endeavours,” it added.

Col Damoah, during his last few days in office, got embroiled in various corruption and corruption-related offences.

First was a report by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) which found that the Division had illegally awarded a down mark of benchmark value to Labianca Company Limited, a company belonging to a Council of state member.

Next was alleged corruption and corruption-related offences in the auction of cars by the Division from 2016 to 2022.

Then, the surfacing of a memo dated October 8, 2021, from an official of the Intelligence Unit of the GRA, Johnny Agbawu to the Commissioner of the Intelligence Unit which recounted how some alleged officials from the Customs Division pursued him to release a truck he had impounded on the Kpone barrier of the Aflao-Accra on October 7, 2021.

Col Damoah came out to describe the report of the OSP concerning Labianca Company as “hollow” and lacking substance, however, he failed to address the subsequent issues.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini