A pro-New Patriotic Party (NPP) group is calling for the immediate removal of Gloria Farmar Mercy as head of the Customs Division at the Tema Harbour.
The Concerned New Patriotic Party (NPP) Loyalists group through a press statement published by pro-NPP Asaase Radio cite political allegiance and incompetence as basis for their call.
They claim that Ms. Farmar aside from being a known National Democratic Congress (NDC) activist also lacked the requisite knowledge, experience and leadership temperament to head operations at the highly-sensitive revenue hub.
The group's statement, signed by one Bernard Asiedu Acheampong, demanded that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo withdraws the appointment or risk failing to meet government's revenue targets for the year 2023.
They did not give any details of how the accused is connected to the NDC save to state that she was a known activist.
Ms. Farmar's last appointment was as head of customs at the Takoradi Harbour, a position that the group said they had equally opposed unsuccessfully.
“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,” the statement read in part.
“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.”
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
SARA
Signage at Customs Headquarters