The Supervisor of the Gbalamuya Custom, Mr. Ishmael Bangura, alias Bomba Ish, has finally broken silence.
The Custom’s boss, who was speaking to the media at his office in Kambia on Friday April 20th April 2018, disclosed to newsmen that that there are over 70 bypass routes which, according to him, traders are using to by pass custom.
He noted that because of his administrative skills, over the years, he has been able to encourage them to pay customs since according to him these monies are used by government to run the affairs of the state.
The customs boss further revealed that when he took over as supervisor in Kambia, business people plying the route did not want to pay tax but he encouraged them to see the need and pay taxes.
“Most of them are now cooperating although some of them are still using porous crossing points to smuggle goods that would create the badly needed income for the government.”
With all these challenges, Mr. Kamara noted, he has been able to meet the target given to him by his boss over the years while stating that his relationship with the traders remains very cordial.
He warned traders who are in the habit of using bypass routes to desist henceforth as they are putting in place very stiff penalties for any one caught bypassing custom routes, while showering praises on the Head of the Anti Smuggling Unit in Kambia, Mr. Benedict Kargbo, who, according to him, is having sleepless nights to pursue smugglers using bypass routes.
The Customs boss concluded by urging his detractors that the days of politics are over, underlining that everybody should now focus his intension to help the new government of Retired Brig. Julius Maada Bio, to succeed other than people finding faults on other people as it will take us nowhere as a Government.
Theophilus Senesie, a businessman dealing with mobile phones in Bo, narrated that Supervisor Ishmail Kamara is a down-to-earth, very good listener, dedicated to duty, result oriented and God-fearing.
Fatu Conteh, another trader who spoke to our reporter, stated that they now have confidence in doing business under Ishmail administration as before all their thoughts were hinged how to evade custom duty.