Customs Surveillance Year launched in Cameroon

The Customs Surveillance Year has been launched in Cameroon with calls on Customs officials to protect Cameroon’s economic space while performing their duties as statutory revenue collectors for the State.

The calls were made April 2 by the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Finance, Pierre Titi and the Director General of Customs, Minette Libom Li Likeng while launching the surveillance year under the theme “Redynamising Surveillance Activities.”

While opening the workshop, Pierre Titi, personal representative of the Minister of Finance called on the Customs Department in Cameroon to brainstorm on developing appropriate coordinated operations that would be helpful in addressing security issues by checking the movement of dangerous good and weapons.

During the workshop that gathered Customs officials from April 2 to 4 at the CAF Excellence Training Centre in Mbankomo, outskirts of Yaounde, Minette Libom Li Likeng said they want to incite the reinforcement of professional practice in the aspect of Customs Surveillance in order to link up Cameroon Customs to world standards and sub regional security context.

She said despite its primordial rule as strategy revenue collectors and trade facilitators, the Customs administration in Cameroon is grabbling with security issues.

While chairing the closing ceremony on behalf of Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey on April 4, the Secretary General of the Ministry, Urbain Noel Ebang Mve reassured Customs officials that they have full backing of the government in the execution of their tasks to collect revenue for the state and protect the national economy.

He told the press that they want Customs officials to proceed with the surveillance of the national space by reinforcing the capacity of their collaborators in the domain of surveillance. “I want to say it was the right thing to do. We have many challenges to overcome in this aspect.”

The workshop enabled participants to elaborate scientific plans of collaboration, partnership and cooperation which Customs officials intend to use for the strengthening of surveillance. Speaking to the press after the closing ceremony, the Director General of Cameroon Customs, Libom Li Likeng Minette said the seminar was proof that they want to transform the image of the Customs administration in a methodic manner.

“I think this seminar is proof that we want in a methodic manner to transform the image of our Customs Administration. In the domain of revenue collection, it is certain that we are ameliorating our good performance but the other mission is that of protecting the business environment (space).

Here we mean people who watch and control. And with an environment that is not usually favourable, we came here in Mbankomo to elaborate strategies through training and capacity building, discipline, putting of means because without means, we cannot chase fraudsters, exchange information and protect Cameroon borders.

We promise to put in place these recommendations especially given that my collaborators emerged here with commitment to pursue the modernization of our administration.”