2 Jul 2003 - The Paga station of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) collected a total of 3 billion cedis as revenue to the state as at end of May, 2003.

Mr. Kwadwo Agyapong-Bio, officer-in-charg at the station, who disclosed this at Paga in the Kassena-Nankana district of the Upper East region, indicated that by the close of year, the station will have collected 8 billion cedis as revenue.

In a welcoming address during a visit by the Commissioner of CEPS, Brigadier Richardson Baiden to the station, Mr Agyapong-Bio disclosed that the entire region is expected to collect 10 billion cedis by the end of December this year.
The officer-in-charge also disclosed that as at May 31 2003, the station collected 1.7 billion as road tax on behalf of the Road Fund Secretariat.

Mr Agyapong-Bio catalogued a number of problems facing the station to include lack of modern communication gadgets, accommodation and transport.
Despite these problems, he gave the assurance that the officers are prepared to prove equal to the task of collecting all collectible and accountable monies to the state.

On his part, the visiting Commissioner cautioned theofficers to ensure that all the monies they collect are paid into government chest. He said the monies they collect are the main sources of income for the government to embark on development programmes.

"You are to ensure that whatever money you collect is accounted for and paid to the state but not into your individual pockets," Brigadier Baiden warned.

He pointed out that at the moment, the CEPS is perceived by many people as a corrupt organization, but "you can change such a perception through a change of attitude."

At the Nanoo Frontier Station at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border, the commissioner cut the tape to inaugurate a 12-room officers apartment which was constructed through the initiative of the authorities there.