Kumasi, March 5, GNA - The Ashanti regional office of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) failed to meet its target in import revenue collection for 2005.

The office was tasked to collect import revenue of 21.1 billion cedis but managed to collect 21.07 billion cedis, which represents 99.8 per cent of the revenue for the year.

Mr Cyril Kwaku Dua Mensah, Ashanti Regional Commander of the Service, who disclosed this, said however, the office also collected 37.8 billion cedis as petroleum tax revenue for the year under review. He was speaking at the end-of-the year awards and get-together of the office in Kumasi on Friday.

Mr Mensah pointed out that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has tasked the Service this year to collect 14.1 trillion cedis, stressing that out of the figure, the Ashanti Region was expected to collect 70.4 billion cedis. He further noted that CEPS would this year also wage a relentless war on the abuse of temporary importation regime on vehicles in the country. "These uncustomed vehicles popularly referred to as '419 vehicles' were on the ascendancy in the region, which thwarted efforts to collect reasonable revenue", he said. The CEPS Commander disclosed that the office had launched a tax education campaign to sensitise the business community on their rights and responsibilities in dealing with the Service. Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the staff of the Service for the good work done and asked them to adopt effective strategies to improve on their performance this year. He warned them against condoning and conniving with traders to evade taxes, which could in the long run affect the development of the country. Ten of the staff of the Service together with some companies in the region were honoured with awards and certificates. 5 March 06