LRA Trains Customs Officers
Revenue reform ultimately lives or dies on the frontline officers’ competence. Customs officers refreshed valuation, classification, and rules-of-origin techniques. The stated aim is uniform enforcement across every single port of entry. Consistency, not slogans, builds a genuinely credible customs service. Better technique should mean fairer duties and steadier revenue. The program also drew in communication and taxpayer-service staff. That signals attention to public trust, not just collection. A second cohort is planned to widen the reach further. Training alone will not modernize the customs service. Systems, oversight, and integrity must follow the classroom work. Still, skilled officers remain the true precondition for any real reform.
MONROVIA: The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has intensified its customs modernization drive by completing a weeklong technical training program for frontline customs officers in Ganta, Nimba County, aimed at strengthening border management, facilitating legitimate trade, and boosting domestic revenue collection. The capacity-building initiative, organized by the LRA’s Customs Department, brought together officers from Customs Business Offices across the country to sharpen their technical expertise and improve the consistent application of customs laws and procedures at Liberia’s ports of entry.
The training focused on key areas of customs administration, including customs valuation, Harmonized System (HS) classification, rules of origin, and practical customs examination techniques.
The program was designed to enhance operational efficiency, improve compliance with international customs standards, and strengthen service delivery.
Building Customs Capacity
Recognizing the importance of public engagement, officers from the communication section and the Taxpayer Services Division (TPSD) also participated in the training to deepen their understanding of customs operations and improve taxpayer education and stakeholder outreach.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Assistant Commissioner for Customs Ports Operations Edwin F. Kendema praised participants for their commitment and active involvement throughout the program.
Kendema emphasized that continuous professional development remains central to the Customs Department’s strategy of building a modern, efficient, and responsive customs administration.
According to him, the initiative forms part of the LRA’s broader reform agenda to align Liberia’s customs operations with international best practices while strengthening border security, promoting trade facilitation, and increasing domestic revenue mobilization.
On behalf of the participants, Pandora Gbahn, Customs Collector at the Ganta Customs Business Office, described the training as timely and beneficial.
“This refresher training has strengthened our understanding of key customs procedures and enhanced our ability to apply them effectively in our daily work. We appreciate the facilitators for their dedication and are confident the knowledge gained will improve our service delivery,” Gbahn said.
Toward Uniform Standards
The first phase of the program trained 35 customs officers, with a second cohort of another 35 officers expected to undergo similar training as part of the Customs Department’s nationwide professional development initiative.
The LRA said the program is intended to standardize technical competencies across all Customs Business Offices, ensuring uniform enforcement of customs procedures and improving operational excellence nationwide.
Through sustained investment in workforce development, the Authority aims to build a highly skilled and accountable customs service capable of protecting Liberia’s borders, facilitating legitimate commerce, enhancing compliance, and supporting the government’s broader revenue mobilization and economic development objectives.