Emmanuel Darko of Ghana Community Network (GCnet), a customs monitoring body, on Tuesday proposed an audit of all goods that have been warehoused, taken out of the warehouses and the amount involved at the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) since 2003. He explained that such an audit would check goods from being pilfered and the customs duties not being paid on goods that were kept in the customs warehouses at the nation's ports. Mr. Darko made the suggestion when he gave evidence at the Justice Samuel Glenn Baddoo Committee investigating operational malpractices at the CEPS, sitting in Accra. The witness stated for example that a number of goods, including mobile phones, canned tomatoes and rice are on the markets without the necessary customs declaration on them. This, he said deprived the nation of much revenue. Mr. Darko gave a wide range of suggestions on improving the operations of the Service and pointed out that all paper transactions have to be eliminated because they gave room to forgery. The witness suggested that the unclaimed cargo list should be gazetted daily, adding that the Free Zones Policy needed a second look as the absence of proper monitoring of free zones is creating an avenue for leakage of revenue. Mr Darko also called for proper tracking of all goods in transit and said the present system for the valuation of goods to be auctioned is highly questionable. He suggested that more senior officers should do that appraisal as it borders on integrity of the officers. Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Finance Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in July inaugurated the four-member committee to investigate allegations of operational malpractices at CEPS to establish administrative actions against culpable personnel and identify management weaknesses in dealing expeditiously with disciplinary matters. It would also review the systems, procedures, processes, rules and regulations of CEPS in relation to its auction procedures to recommend specific actions or alternatives of disposing of seized goods. The committee is also examining the role of clearing agents, auctioneers and other related matters.Source: GNA