Paga (UE), Feb 24, GNA- The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Branch of Upper East Region has been adjudged as the most improved tax collection zone for the year 2007.

Mr. Evans Kluste, Upper East Regional Sector Commander of CEPS stated this at the weekend during the Annual Award Ceremony of the Staff of CEPS at Paga in the Upper East Region. He indicated that CEPS in the Region was able to rake in 2.1 million Ghana Cedis as against its target of 1.8 million Ghana Cedis, thus exceeding the target by 317,172.96 million Ghana Cedis, representing 17.6 per cent.

" This is the first time in three years that the Collection had been able to exceed its revenue target", he said. He explained that, had it not been the flood disaster that hit the region last year, CEPS in the Region would have been able to mobilize more than it had exceeded. He said more effective revenue mobilization mechanisms would be put in place this year to rake in more revenue and indicated that the provisional target for the year 2008 is 2.83 Million Ghana Cedis.

Mr. Klutse said management of the Collection was demanding feasible Action Plans from all stations. These plans, he noted, would spell out the most effective ways with timelines on how to mobilize and maximize revenue for collection.

He pointed out that Management of CEPS has set up the process of ultimately connecting it all stations to GCnet/GCMS so as to automate all business processes with the aim of stopping all leakages and to simplify procedures in order to facilitate trade and reduce the cost of doing business with CEPS.

"The promise to get Kulungugu hooked to the system has just been fulfilled. To make the system more effective, an enhance Transit Cargo Module has also been added to enhance more effective processing, monitoring and reporting of transit transactions", he said, adding that all Senior Officers have also been trained on the system to enable them to deliver quality service to the trading public.

The Sector Commander stated that one of the challenges facing CEPS in the Region was the issue of uncustomed and unregistered motorbikes which was undermining the efforts of raising sufficient revenue for the nation's development agenda.

He said CEPS would this year intensify its tax education to ensure that citizens pay their taxes promptly, especially on motorbikes and appealed to the Media, Religious organizations and the general public for support.

He said in the past, Government had invested a lot of resources in improving official residential accommodation facilities for officers at the various stations all geared toward motivating them to give of their best and noted that more would be done by providing each tax collection station with Pick-Ups to facilitate their operations.

He challenged the officials to remain vigilant and work assiduously, especially this election year so as to enable CEPS to meet set targets.

Fifteen Staff members were awarded with certificates. Mr. Daniel Osei won the best award for the Junior Rank, whilst Mr. George Richardson won in the Senior Staff Category.