Dormaa Ahenkro (B/A), Aug 01, GNA - Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at Gonokrom in Dormaa District collected more than six billion cedis in revenue in 2005.

Mr Frederick A. Yankey, Acting Base Commander, said even though the Ivorien political crisis had dealt a severe blow to the volume of trade at the frontier this year, the station was leaving no stone unturned to achieve its revenue target for the year.

He said this at a one-day education organised by the CEPS to sensitise the people of Dormaa Ahenkro and the post's catchments area about its functions and operations.

Mr Yankey said the Gonokrom station, which was the flagship of the Sunyani Collection point, contributed immensely to CEPS' tax collection and facilitation of trade and investment and human traffic across the borders.

Miss Annie Anipa, Assistant Commissioner of CEPS in-charge of Public Relations, appealed to traders not to see CEPS officials manning the posts as enemies but to pay taxes levied on their goods voluntarily. She said what worried the CEPS most at the country's frontiers was the persistent smuggling of African Print textiles, vehicles, rice and edible oil, as well as the abuse of the temporal importation and transit system by vehicle owners from neighbouring countries.

Squadron Leader Benjamin Anane-Asamoah (rtd), Dormaa District Chief Executive, also stressed the important role taxes play in the development of any nation and pledged to impress upon the District Assembly to contribute its quota in flushing out smugglers.