Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah
Commissioner of Customs Division at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah was fired yesterday, after weeks of controversies and run-ins with the Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng, over an investigation report.
A letter from the presidency, which was dated August 26, 2022 and signed by the President’s Executive Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante, directed Col. Damoah to hand over to the acting Deputy Commissioner (Preventive), Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah.
The letter indicated that Mr. Iddisah would act as the Commissioner of Customs Division pending the President’s substantive appointment.
The correspondence explained that the handing over was to take place effective Friday, August 26, 2022, adding that the move followed the expiration of Col. (Rtd) Damoah’s contract of service as Commissioner at the Customs Division of the GRA on October 13, 2021.
The letter expressed gratitude of the President to the beleaguered Customs boss for his service to the state and wished him well in his future endeavours.
Labianca Report
Even though the letter from the presidency did not mention anything relating to the report by the SP, a section of Ghanaians has linked the dismissal to Col. Damoah’s quarrelsome behaviour toward Kissi Agyebeng over the report on a frozen foods importing and distribution company, Labianca Limited.
The report indicted Col. Damoah and his deputy in charge of Operations, Joseph Adu Kyei, for issuing an alleged unlawful customs advance ruling and reducing the benchmark values of the goods imported by Labianca Limited.
The report said the action of the customs chiefs led to reduction in tax obligations of the company to the state, accusing the owner of Labianca, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, of having used her influence as a member of the Council of State to obtain favourable taxation for her imported goods.
Reaction
Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah did not take the issues contained in the report lightly, describing it as “malicious” with the intent to discredit the work of customs officers.
According to him, the report was fraught with not only malice, but also hatred, having denied the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng’s request to second one of the customs officers to his office.
He called the SP an “incompetent” and “small boy” who was trying to tarnish his hard won reputation.
While the seeming fight was raging, the Customs Staff Association (CSA) waded in to defend Col. Damoah, expressing an angry outburst over media reports suggesting a possible shakeup at the top echelon of the authority.
The CSA, in a statement released yesterday and jointly signed by the National Chairman, Ebenezer Bob-Eshun; and National Secretary, Gift Kofi Tsamah, said nerves remained raw in the Customs Division, which is in turmoil over a wave of reports to replace Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah, Commissioner-General and Commissioner of Customs respectively.
“The timing of these publications is particularly destructive and worrying as it coincides with the Management Retreat of the Customs Division in Kumasi aimed at strategising and adopting measures to exceed this year’s annual revenue target of GH¢20.6 billion,” the statement noted.
It said the appointing authority and the general public ought to note that the management of the Customs Division and the CSA had resolved to throw their “unflinching support” behind Col. (Rtd) Damoah to continue as the Commissioner, especially “in these difficult periods when the country is in dire need of revenue.”
The statement pointed out that Col. Damoah’s tenure as Commissioner had seen considerable improvement in the performance of the Customs Division, and this has led to the achievement of the annual revenue targets from the year 2020 to date, with the Division exceeding its target for the year 2021.
“Considering the difficult economic situation currently facing the country, the Customs Division requires industrial harmony and consistency at its top hierarchy to deliver on its mandate of raising the much-needed revenue and to continue to secure the borders of the country in the face imminent threats of terrorism,” the CSA asserted.
By Ernest Kofi Adu