The call by some Customs officers that Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo (GH/2646) ‘should go’ is quite unfortunate. The demand by these officers has come at a time that the new government of President John Mahama and Ghana, as a nation-state, needs more revenue and in particular tax revenue as the non-tax revenues are diminishing.
Current stance of the Trump Administration in the USA, leading to withdrawal of aid cuts in USAID (United States Aid) to international organizations and other nation-states, should be troubling, worrying and of concern to all well-meaning Ghanaians, including the Customs officers and their cohorts behind this demand.
General Ayorrogo was appointed Commissioner of Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) barely a year ago to replace Mr. Seidu Iddrisu Iddisah (CO3666).
It had become obvious in 2023 and 2024 that Mr. Seidu was not performing to the satisfaction of the Appointing Authority, Customs officers and the Ministry of Finance. All the high expectations for Mr. Seidu had become disappointments, regrets and frustrations for all the stakeholders. As a professional Customs officer, Mr. Seidu was expected to use his expertise, experience and skills to improve upon and enhance the fortunes of Customs, in particular, and GRA as a whole.
Unfortunately, that was not to be and the stakeholders including importers and Clearing Agents were highly disappointed. Various Associations of Traders held press conferences, issued statements, held radio and TV discussions to express concerns about the operations of Customs Division of GRA under Mr. Seidu.
The termination of the contract of Mr. Seidu (who had stayed beyond his compulsory retiring age of 60 years by over one year) came as a big relief to all the stakeholders, most especially Customs officers, who felt very disappointed by his performance. Most Customs officers felt that military Commissioners of Customs performed better in all aspects of the roles and duties of Commissioners than their own professional Customs officers. The appointment of General Ayorrogo as the Commissioner of Customs was received with high expectations and optimism by most Customs officers.
Painstaking research into the appointment of General Ayorrogo revealed that his appointment was based more on merit than politics. The then Minister for Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, had said in his maiden visit to Aflao that he wanted the other Security Services to help the Customs Division of GRA to tighten the loopholes and leakages in revenue mobilization. The Minister wanted more discipline in the performance of the duties of Customs officers to maximize revenue and secure the borders against smuggling and other cross-border crimes.
General Ayorrogo, a Military Police officer of several years’ experience, and then incumbent Provost Marshal of the Ghana Armed Forces, with several professional and academic qualifications, became the obvious choice of the Military High Command to be seconded to the GRA as the Commissioner for Customs Division.
General Ayorrogo was quick to adapt his leadership skills and knowledge to the GRA eco-system and most importantly to all the Customs Regimes. The military skills of his predecessors and his own professional and academic development goaded him on to greater heights and to the admiration of all the stakeholders.
The call by a few over ambitious, selfish and greedy Customs officers of the ranks of Assistant Commissioners (ACs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) is quite unfortunate and despicable. Their main anchor is that they wanted or want a professional Customs officer to be appointed as the Commissioner of Customs. They think that they are being denied the opportunity to rise to the highest office in their profession. They easily compare themselves to other Sister Security Services such as the Police, Immigration, Fire Service and Prisons Service. They however forget that all the other Security Services play primarily only Security Services and roles within their mandate.
In the case of Customs, other roles are involved. Customs are directly responsible for security provision, trade facilitation and revenue mobilization. These roles make the Customs Division of GRA unique. Moreover, the appointment of the Commissioner General and the Commissioners of GRA is political.
Non-professional Customs officers have been appointed Commissioners of Customs at various times in our political history. Purely civilian non-military persons have been appointed Commissioners of Customs in the past. Notable among them are Mr. Ewumtoma (a former Controller and Accountant General) and Mr. Nii Adjei who performed their roles and duties creditably.
Military and Police officers have also had the opportunity to be appointed Commissioners of Customs and they all discharged their duties and roles very well to the admiration of majority of Customs officers. They include, then Colonel Thomas Nguah, Mr. JYA Kwofie (former IGP), Brigadier Apah, Major General Richardson E. Baiden, Major General CS Modey and Colonel Kwadwo Damoah.
Our investigations revealed that the military and police officers left enviable legacies and records in Customs that are yet to be matched by those of any professional Customs officers. The demand for the removal of Brigadier General Ayorrogo is coming just a few days after the appointment of another Brigadier General as the Director General of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
As a matter of fact, Brigadier General PS Tanye-Kulono (GH/2495) who was the Chief Coordinator of the National College for Defence Studies (NCDS) until his appointment, has already taken over as the Director General of GPHA from Mr. Michael Luguje.
With the appointment of Mr. Sarpong of KPMG as the Commissioner General of GRA and Brigadier General PS Tanye-Kulunyo as the Director General of GPHA, it sounds to reason that Brigadier General Ziblim Bawah Ayorrogo, who has distinguished himself creditably as the Commissioner of Customs since April 2024, should be allowed to continue in that appointment in the national interest.
Our investigations at GRA Headquarters, Customs Headquarters, Tema Sector, Takoradi Sector, Kotoka International Airport Sector, Aflao and Elubo Sectors among others revealed an overwhelming support for Brigadier General Ayorrogo.
It came to light however, that about eighteen Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners at various locations of Customs have been lobbying seriously and persistently to be appointed Commissioner Customs since the NDC won the general elections on 7th December, 2024.
With all these Customs officers vying for the position of Commissioner Customs, the views of majority of Customs officers are that General Ayorrogo should be allowed to stay on as Commissioner Customs for at least one more year in order to stabilize the situation. Already discipline is about to break down in Customs as most of the officers lobbying for the position of Commissioner are Assistant Commissioners.
Our investigations revealed that only two of them are Deputy Commissioners. Of the two Deputy Commissioners, Mr. Gilbert Emmanuel Ohene is the senior-most. Most of the Assistant Commissioners are not in favour of Mr. Ohene becoming the Commissioner. They argue that Mr. Ohene is an administrator not a technical person.
Others also say that the frontrunner betrayed the NDC by aligning himself very closely with the two former Commissioners General, Mr. Ammishaddai Adu Owusu-Amoah and Madam Julie Essiam, who were all appointed by the NPP. It was revealed that he competed with both Mr. Iddrisu Iddisah Seidu and General Ayorrogo for the position of Commissioner Customs with the able support of Miss Julie Essiam, in particular, and Mr. Ammishaddai Owusu Amoah.
Another contender who prides himself as a Cadre with “Cuban revolutionary expertise and experience” sees himself as a front runner. As a result, he has refused to report at KIA as the Sector Commander after the retirement of Mr. Alfred Livase Apio (CO 3859/GRA 000906). The said contender is neither at post at Wa Sector, where he was the Sector Commander until he was posted to replace Mr. Apio nor at KIA.
Our sources indicate that he wants to be the Commissioner Customs by political expediency or at least Deputy Commissioner but no longer as a Sector Commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner. Even though he has over two years more to reach the compulsory retiring age of 60 years, he sees the first contender as his biggest threat as he has more time to retire compulsorily.
Similar sentiments and justifications are pushing another contender to fight for the position of Commissioner Customs. According to NDC insiders, the contender helped in getting Togolese and Ghanaian residents in Togo to vote massively in the Ketu North and South Constituencies. He wants to be rewarded for all his efforts.
Unlike the two frontrunners, this contender is due for compulsory retirement in February 2026.
It is opined that this contender thinks that he spent more money, energy, effort and “ways and means” than all the other competitors and must be rewarded handsomely with the position of Commissioner.
