The Tema Port sector of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has got a new boss, Julius Kantum Aweya. The new boss was the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Policy and Programmes at the Customs Head Office.
He takes over from Mr Joseph Adu Kyei, who has completed his tenure as the sector commander and now promoted to take the role of Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Port Operations at the Customs headquarters.
Mr Adu Kyei’s experience in customs operations was evident during his one and half year’s tenure as Sector Commander, especially in the challenging year of 2020.
At a handing over ceremony, the Chief Revenue Officer in Charge of Preventive of Customs, Joseph Oppong Aboagye, said that the outgoing officer’s unrelenting approach to duty leaves a high standard for all officers to emulate.
Other testimonies
Testifying of the good works of the outgoing Sector Commander, the Director of the Port of Tema, Sandra Opoku, said collaborations between her outfit and Tema Collection of Customs led to both the Port of Tema and Tema Customs exceeding targets set for the year 2020.
“2020 was a very challenging year for the whole world but we were fortunate in the maritime industry. Customs was able to meet and exceed its target and GPHA, at the Port of Tema, we were able to exceed our 2019 throughput,” she said.
The Head of the Tema Branch of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Monica Josiah, thanked the outgoing Sector Commander for keeping his doors opened to address the concerns of her outfit in the interest of shippers.
Other stakeholders in the port industry also shared their experiences working with Mr Joseph Adu Kyei while spurring the incoming Sector Commissioner on to greater heights.
Gratitude
Mr Adu Kyei, expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders working in the port.
“To all the stakeholders, I doff my hat to you for supporting customs! COVID-19 and ICUMS came with its challenges, but because we were determined, we made Tema a haven,” he said.
The incoming Sector Commander, Julius Kantum Aweya embraced the call to duty and promised to take customs operations at the Tema Port, a notch higher.
“He is leaving on a high note. I do not intend to bring the note down, but I intend to raise it up.”
