CEPS, Police, urged to facilitate easy movement

Bolgatanga, May 24, GNA - Mr Anthony Sewor, Sector Commander of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in the Upper East Region, on Tuesday advised CEPS personnel at transit routes not to delay vehicles with transit stickers destined to places outside the country. He said once a transit sticker was put on a vehicle at a transit border, it certified that the vehicle was on a legitimate journey and should not be delayed unduly at subsequent checkpoints.

Mr Sewor made the call in Bolgatanga when he met with the CEPS and Police Officers, drivers and businessmen in the Region to reiterate the need for vehicles to travel through Ghana without difficulties. He said Ghana had introduced the stickers for transit vehicles to comply with Article 32 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty to facilitate the easy movement of persons, goods and services within the West Africa Sub-Region.

Mr Sewor said goods on transit did not attract custom duties and they were not supposed to be consumed in the country except when the owner asked for permission and paid the recommended duty on them.

Mr. Sewor appealed to the public to report to the nearest CEPS or Police Post, any driver or vehicle owner who in spite of the transit sticker discharged goods in the country.

"Where a transit vehicle infringes on any of our road traffic regulations it is important to expedite action on such cases and where there is a delay in the release of the vehicle the police must inform the CEPS either directly, through the driver or the agent". He said the stickers were supposed to be endorsed at the exit point in order to forestall diversion and deviation from the prescribed route indicated on the sticker without authorisation from the Commissioner would be viewed as smuggling.

Mr. Sewor appealed to the Police and the Motor Traffic and Transport Union (MTTU) to adhere to the regulations as the country stood to lose if anything went wrong with the stickers system.

He said the vehicles on transit even though did not pay duties, paid an administrative fee, transit fee and road fund, which the country would lose if drivers were harassed into seeking other routes.

Reacting to complaints about numerous Police checkpoints on the road, Chief Superintendent of Police, Amadu Salifu said the checkpoints were a necessary evil since they served a good purpose.

The Region has three transit points at Paga, Pulimakom and Kulungugu.