The Tema Port Sector of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority with support from stakeholders in the Port and maritime industry, have bid farewell to Joseph Adu Kyei who has completed his tenure as the Sector Commander and now promoted to take the role of Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Port Operations at the Customs headquarters.

He has been succeeded by Julius Kantum Aweya, who was the Assistant Commissioner, in Charge of Policy and Programs at the Customs Head Office. Joseph Adu Kyei became Sector Commander of the Tema Collection of Customs in 2019 after previously serving as 2ic from 2017.

According to Chief Revenue Officer in Charge of Communications and Public Affairs, at the Tema Collection, Dzinunya Mawuli, Joseph Adu Kyei’s experience in customs operations was evident during his one and half years’ tenure as Sector Commander, especially in the challenging year of 2020.

The Chief Revenue Officer in Charge of Preventive of Customs, Joseph Oppong Aboagye added that Joseph Adu Kyei’s unrelenting approach to duty leaves a high standard for all officers to emulate.

The Director of the Port of Tema, Sandra Opoku said collaborations between her outfit and Tema Collection of Customs led to both the Port of Tema and Tema Customs exceeding targets set for the year 2020.

“2020 was a very challenging year for the whole world but we were fortunate in the maritime industry. Customs was able to meet and exceed its target and GPHA, at the Port of Tema, we were able to exceed our 2019 throughput,” she said.

The Head of the Tema Branch of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Monica Josiah, thanked the outgoing Sector Commander for keeping his doors opened to address the concerns of her outfit in the interest of shippers.

Other stakeholders in the port industry also shared their experiences working with Joseph Adu Kyei while spurring the incoming Sector Commissioner on to greater heights.

The outgoing Sector Commander of the Tema Collection of Customs, Joseph Adu Kyei, expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders working in the port.

“To all the stakeholders, I doff my hat to you for supporting customs! COVID-19 and ICUMS came with its challenges, but because we were determined, we made Tema a haven,” he said.

The incoming Sector Commander, Julius Kantum Aweya embraced the call to duty and promised to take customs operations at the Tema Port, a notch higher.

“He is leaving on a high note. I do not intend to bring the note down, but I intend to raise it up.”