“Ghana First,” was the central message delivered by the Acting Commissioner of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA), Aaron Kanor, during his working visit to the Aflao Collection of Customs.
The Commissioner was officially received at the Aflao Border by the Aflao Collection Sector Commander, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Emmanuel Duh, together with officers of the Customs Division and other border security agencies.
The working visit formed part of efforts by the Commissioner to update himself on operations within the Aflao Sector, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and assess ongoing revenue mobilization, enforcement, and trade facilitation activities along the Ghana–Togo border corridor.
As part of the visit, Kanor first paid a courtesy call on Togbui Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief and President of the Aflao Traditional Council, where discussions centered on collaboration between Customs authorities, traditional leadership, and the border community in ensuring peaceful and lawful trade activities.
The Commissioner was later honoured with a ceremonial parade by Customs officers and border security personnel before proceeding to engage officials of the Togo Customs administration to familiarize himself with their operations and strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring customs institutions.
Aaron Kanor subsequently held a meeting with Customs officers at the border, where he urged officers to uphold professionalism, discipline, and integrity in the discharge of their duties. He emphasized that Customs officers must remain committed to protecting national revenue while facilitating legitimate trade.
Addressing members of the National Cross-Border Women Traders Association during a durbar organized in his honour, the Commissioner reiterated the importance of putting “Ghana First” in all trade and border operations.
According to him, all stakeholders — including Customs officers, freight forwarders, transport operators, and traders — must contribute toward protecting Ghana’s economic interests by promoting lawful trade, reducing smuggling, and ensuring compliance with customs procedures.
He assured the women traders of Customs’ readiness to deepen stakeholder engagement and improve communication to address some of the challenges affecting cross-border trade, including delays, multiple checkpoints, and procedural bottlenecks.
The Commissioner further encouraged traders to embrace formal trade systems and take advantage of opportunities under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
As part of the operational assessment tour, the Commissioner later visited the Kpoglu and Akanu border posts under the Aflao Collection to inspect activities and interact with officers stationed there. The tour further extended to Havi and Dabala to assess enforcement operations and revenue mobilization activities within the sector.
The visit concluded with renewed commitment among Customs authorities, traditional leaders, security agencies, and trader associations to work together in promoting efficient border management, revenue protection, and trade facilitation for national development.