Change “incompetent” Tema Customs boss Gloria Farmar – NPP group

A group calling itself Concerned New Patriotic Party (NPP) Loyalists is calling on President Nana Akufo-Addo to withdraw the appointment of Gloria Farmar as head of the Customs Division of the Tema Harbour.

The group claimed that Farmar is “a known NDC activist and she is technically deficient” to head the division, which is the main revenue mobilisation center of customs.

The group said her presence and operations will not inure to the benefit of the nation and will adversely affect revenue mobilisation.

“In these challenging times when the NPP government needs adequate revenue to undertake projects which will make it easier for the party to break the 8, it will be suicidal to appoint a known NDC activist like Farmar, to head a prime revenue mobilisation area like Tema Port,” Bernard Asiedu Acheampong, the convener of the group said in a statement.

“Farmar is unfit for the job not because she is an NDC ACTIVIST. She is also technically incompetent to handle Tema Customs. She is an investigator and has no command over customs procedures. She only became a staff of the operations department of Customs when she rose to management level.”

We were unable to establish contact with Farmar for a comment at the time of filing this report.

Below is the full statement:

MR. PRESIDENT, WITHDRAW GLORIA FARMAR’S APPOINTMENT AS HEAD OF CUSTOMS TEMA PORT OR RISK 2023 REVENUE TARGET

We demand the immediate withdrawal of the appointment of Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Ms. Gloria Farmar Mercy, as the head of Customs Division at Tema Harbor, on grounds that she is a known NDC activist and she is technically deficient to head Tema Customs, the main revenue mobilisation center of customs.

In these challenging times when the NPP government needs adequate revenue to undertake projects which will make it easier for the party to break the 8, it will be suicidal to appoint a known NDC activist like Ms. Farmar, to head a prime revenue mobilisation area like Tema Port.

Ms Farmar is unfit for the job not because she is an NDC ACTIVIST. She is also technically incompetent to handle Tema Customs. She is an investigator and has no command over customs procedures. She only became a staff of the operations department of Customs when she rose to management level.

Because she has little knowledge over customs procedures, she fights with her subordinates. Thus, creating the impression that she is tough and disciplined. Her style of administration is intimidation and creation of inner-group teams. Indeed, when she was the sector commander in Takoradi, she sidelined her immediate subordinates and worked with non-management members. This is a fact which can easily be verified from her former station.

Aside being NDC activist and technically deficient, Ms. Farmar is not trustworthy. Your Excellency, you may recall that in 2021, Ms Farmar secretly recorded Col Damoah (Rtd) when he had some discussions with her on phone. She made their private conversation public by sharing it with news portals and social media platforms. She blatantly violated the ‘oath of secrecy’ required by public servants. She leaks information just to make the government unpopular. Do we know who and what she will record next?

Tema customs is the centre of customs operations in Ghana. It is often referred to as the customs university and the “bread basket of customs” regarding revenue targets because when Tema achieves its revenue target, the nation meets its revenue obligation. Therefore, the commander must be technically competent, a good administrator, and someone who shares the vision of the government of the day, and is liked by the staff. Ms Farmar is the opposite of these attributes.

It is worthy to note that this is not the first time Ms. Farmar has lobbied to head Tema Customs. She tried during the tenure of Col Kwadwo Domoah Rtd – former commissioner of Customs, but failed. We raised similar concerns, and the national security report exposed her. She was then made the Takoradi customs boss.

Mr. President, the NDC is using every means possible to infiltrate your administration by pushing their loyalists to relevant positions. In 2021, Col Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd) appointed Assistant Commissioner, Appiah-Warden Junior, as the customs boss in Tema, we raised similar concerns – NDC activism, incompetence, intimidation of staff and lack of cooperation with other agencies. Col Kwadwo Damoah conducted his investigations and, within 24 hours, reversed the appointment of Appiah-Warden Junior as the Tema customs head.

Ms. Farmar’s issues are worse than Appiah-Warden Junior’s.

Ms. Farmar, is left with only eight months to go on retirement, hence, she will not do anything good for the government than to disrupt revenue mobilisation and make things difficult for agents and importers, in order to make the government unpopular, thereby brightening the chances of the NDC in 2024.

We have less than two years to elections, hence, whatever appointment the government does, should inure to the party’s chances.

Mr. President, we can assure you that with Ms. Farmar as head of Customs at Tema Port, your government will not achieve its revenue target in 2023.

Withdraw Gloria Farmar’s appointment NOW!

……….. Sign…………
Concerned NPP Loyalists

Bernard Asiedu Acheampong

Source: Daily Mail GH