Col. Kojo Damoah (rtd)
Changes have been announced at the top echelon of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as the baton of Commissioner of Customs goes to Col Kwadwo Damoah (rtd), who until his elevation, was responsible for recruitments.
Three commissioners heading the three divisions of the GRA – namely Kwasi Gyimah Asante, Domestic Tax Revenue; Isaac Crentsil, Customs and Fred Charles Anson, Support Services – have been reassigned to the Ministry of Finance, which oversees GRA.
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the changes take place today, with their deputies holding the fort until further notice.
Recent media reports about the changes were described as untrue, with the GRA issuing a statement to rubbish the stories.
There were intense lobbying and jockeying when hints were dropped about the action.
Like in the previous episode, efforts were made to nip the action in the bud when some top GRA officials were notified about the upcoming ‘Armageddon.’
Government has bitten the bullet by the changes to effect major policy changes in the three divisions of the GRA, and also to ensure efficiency in the collection of revenue for the state kitty.
No sooner had the internal memo from the Commissioner-General, Kofi Nti, announcing the changes for the consumption of GRA staff than the contents went viral on social media.
Of course, the last paragraph of the internal memo was instructive and suggestive that the Commissioner-General was carrying out an assignment bestowed upon him from his hirer. “Subsequently, the deputies to the three (3) commissioners are to assume their roles until the newly appointed commissioners assume duty fully,” according to the last paragraph of the internal memo.
New Customs Commissioner
Col Kwadwo Damoah’s name made the rounds in the media when he became a target of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who accused him of affliction with the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
It was in 2009 and he was the Director of Manpower/Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) at the General Headquarters, a critical position that oversees enlistment of citizens into the three branches of the military.
So persistent was the nagging of the NDC that eventually a plan was hatched to breach the standards by discharging him from the military when he was not due for the action.
Only the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces at the time, the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, as President, could have sanctioned the discharge of an officer of Col Damoah’s rank.
But it appeared the goings-on
took place on his blind side.
A board of inquiry was set up to investigate him for allegedly insisting that a
regional balance should be applied in recruitments.
He survived attempts on his life at the peak of his victimization which
included clandestine meetings on how to deal with him.
One of such meetings was held on Wednesday, 11th February, 2009, a three-hour meeting that involved four senior officers.
A couple of days after the meeting, Col Damoah was removed from office but as to whether the Commander-in-Chief sanctioned that or not remains an outstanding question.
So bad was the situation that Col Damoah tookcover and the then Col Emmanuel Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the Armed Forces, was compelled to intervene with inconsistencies.
Col Damoah is a lawyer, human resource analyst who speaks French.
Expectations
The expectations are high for Col Damoah to change the face of the Customs Division given his military background and exceptional record.
He is affable but behind his excellent human relations is a hard-working man who does not brook indolence and indiscipline.
By A.R. Gomda