The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in collaboration with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Business, has launched two Master’s degree programmes.
The new courses, Master of Science (MSc) in Customs Administration and Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Customs Administration, were launched at a workshop on the introduction of the new courses in Accra last Wednesday.
The programmes add the country to a few ones, including South Africa and Nigeria, who have similar courses in some universities.
While, the MSc in CSA is a one-year programme; the MPhil in CSA is a two-year programme with a research component. They are designed to provide an in-depth understanding of customs laws, policies, and procedures, while addressing the unique challenges in the subregion.
The first batch of students would enroll for the programme from January next year, with sales of admission forms opening for application from November to December this year.
The all-inclusive programme will employ both online and in-person mode of delivery; it would be opened to all Customs officials across the continent, security personnel, shippers, freight forwarders, logistics and supply chain professionals, officials at the Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Finance, accountants and the general public with research interest in the area of Customs.
Rationale
The Dean of the UCC School of Business, Professor John Gartchie Gatsi, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, emphasised that the aim of the programme was to help in the human development of the country and bridge the gap between industry and academia through collaboration.
“We need to collaborate with industry, we need to collaborate with government institutions, especially critical institutions and revenue generating institutions to sharpen the skills of revenue mobilisers for the country for the revenue collectors of the countries to do their work efficiently and effectively,” he stated.
Professor Gatsi indicated that the course would bring traffic to UCC and GRA as it would be open to custom officers within the West African sub-region, custom officers in Africa.
He added that the new courses would “attract a lot of people and revenue to participate in the programme as it was tailored for customs officers across the continent.
Commitment
In his address, the Commissioner of GRA Customs Division, Brigadier General Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo said the launch of the prorgammes were a “result of a shared vision to create an advanced academic platform to enhance the skills, knowledge, and competencies of customs officers, stakeholders, and the business community” globally.
Brig Gen. Ayorrogo said the institution recognised the need for specialised education to foster excellence and professionalism in the customs operations; hence, had over the years undergone extensive transformations, adapting to meet the ever-evolving demands of international trade and customs administration.
This, he added would help meet the global trends, technological advances, and updated customs regulations essential for officers, stakeholders, and partners to remain up to date with the latest customs procedures, laws, and policies.
The Commissioner expressed gratitude to the Board and Management of the GRA, UCC as well as the invaluable contributions of past commissioners and officers of Customs for their continuous support and commitment to the Customs Division’s growth and development and their strategic guidance in realising this vision.
Brig Gen. Ayorrogo urged the stakeholders to renew their commitment to building a Customs Division that would lead in efficiency, professionalism, and compliance that are essential attributes to meet the complexities of customs management and to support the country’s economic growth by promoting lawful, efficient trade.
Source: graphic.com.gh