Aflao, Sept 24, GNA - Mr Harry Owusu, Executive Secretary of the Revenue Governing Board, has said payment of End-of-Service Benefits (ESB) to personnel of revenue collection agencies cannot be feasible now.

The Board has accordingly declined the proposal made by Customs Excise and Prevention Service (CEPS) for the restoration and payment of the ESB to them.

Mr Owusu said the Board is considering the Gemini (Glico) Life Insurance Scheme for CEPS staff in view of the risks they are exposed to.

Addressing a durbar of officers and men of the CEPS at the end of a two-day tour of customs posts Ho and Aflao at Aflao on Tuesday he said the Board could not do anything that would be contrary to the government's position on the ESB.

The tour was prompted by the government's concern over the high incidence of smuggling along Ghana's eastern frontier with Togo. The Aflao and Ho sector commanders and their deputies were called to Accra two-weeks ago over the problem of smuggling and were tasked to address it.

Mr Owusu said plans are underway to eliminate problems including logistics affecting all revenue agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Value Added Tax, CEPS and the Department of National Lotteries.

Mr Owusu said the working conditions of the CEPS personnel were being improved and that the board had approved frontier risks, medical and other allowances and the payment of utility bills of staff. He said a five-billion-cedi fund is to be set up to cater for reward for informants among others.

Mr Owusu said corrupt CEPS officials would no longer be only dismissed summarily but would also be prosecuted while regular staff transfers are carried out.

Brig Richardson Baiden, Commissioner of CEPS, urged the personnel to relate to travellers in a friendly manner as a first step towards redeeming their sunken image. 24 Sept. 03