Aflao: Mr Aaron Kanor, Acting Commissioner of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, has called for strengthened collaboration between Ghana and Togo Customs administrations to enhance trade facilitation and revenue mobilisation along the shared border. The call was made during his maiden working visit to the Aflao Collection, where he engaged officers and key stakeholders as part of efforts to assess operations and improve efficiency within the sector.
According to Ghana News Agency, the visit aimed at enabling the Acting Commissioner to familiarise himself with activities at the border, evaluate revenue mobilisation and enforcement efforts, and deepen stakeholder engagement within the Ghana-Togo trade corridor. Mr Kanor stated that the tour also provided an opportunity to interact with officers and encourage them to remain committed to their mandate of revenue collection and trade facilitation.
He urged Customs officers to execute their duties with professionalism, integrity, and discipline, emphasizing the need to balance revenue mobilisation with the facilitation of legitimate trade. Mr Kanor cautioned against practices that could hinder trade, such as harassment or extortion, and encouraged officers to educate traders on customs procedures to ensure compliance.
Mr Kanor noted that many traders operating through land borders often lack adequate understanding of customs processes and called on officers to exercise patience and provide guidance to support their activities. As part of the visit, Mr Kanor led a delegation to Lom©, where he met with Togolese Customs officials, led by Mr Komi Tekou, Director in charge of the Gulf Region, to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The discussions between the two sides focused on measures to improve coordination, including information sharing and joint efforts to streamline the movement of transit goods across their respective entry points. Mr Tekou expressed his commitment to working closely with their Ghanaian counterparts to achieve mutual objectives in trade and revenue generation.
Back in Aflao, Mr Kanor held separate engagements with officers at the border, reiterating the importance of prioritizing Ghana in the execution of their duties. He also met with members of the National Cross-Border Women Traders' Association to listen to their concerns, which included delays, multiple checkpoints, and procedural challenges affecting their businesses.
Mr Kanor assured the traders of Customs' commitment to improving communication and addressing bottlenecks to enhance cross-border trade. He encouraged them to embrace formal trading systems and take advantage of opportunities under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Schemes.
The Commissioner further inspected operations at the Kpoglu and Akanu border posts, as well as enforcement checkpoints at Havi and Dabala, to assess ongoing activities and interact with officers on the ground. The visit concluded with a renewed commitment among Customs officials, stakeholders, and partner institutions to strengthen cooperation, improve border management, and support national development through efficient trade systems.