CEPS Conscientises Staff About Constitutional Roles

The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, (CEPS) on Monday celebrated the 9th National Constitutional week with a call on officers to protect Ghana's sovereignty and security.

Making the call, Chief Collector (Legal) Godwin Attoh, said the overall vision of the constitution was to create a framework of government which secured the steady democratic development of the nation by demanding an active citizen participation and act of accountability from both the government and the governed.

The constitutional week, organised annually by the National Commission for Civic Education is designed to deepen public education of the constitution.

Mr Attoh said it was for the realisation of this vision that made the theme of the celebration “Beyond elections – Citizens? Participation and Government accountability”, most appropriate.

He noted that democracy's credibility and sustainability depended on how it worked in practice and on what it delivered after elections.

He was of the view that new democracies like Ghana needed to move beyond the organisation of elections and forming institutions to tackling issues relating to security, jobs, human rights and human development.

“Thus after elections before any meaningful citizen participation there should be a period to emphasise collective action, deliberation and evidence-based decision making,” he stressed.

Mr Emmanuel Doku, Commissioner of CEPS said the sovereignty of the state rested on everybody.

“Therefore we owe it to ourselves to be well versed in the provision enshrined in the constitution,” he said.

Napoleon Agboada of the National Commission of Civic Education, said as Customs officers they had enormous power to shape attitudes, and perceptions, adding that the constitution must be followed responsibly with the aim of making Ghana a better place for all.