The Sunday News
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has said the Government is considering expediting the operation of the proposed National Ports Authority (NPA) to manage the country’s borders.
He said the creation of such an authority was long overdue and will help improve border efficiency and management issues to enhance the ease of doing business. Prof Ncube made the remarks on Friday while responding to Beitbridge East Member of Parliament Cde Albert Nguluvhe who had raised concern over the state of affairs at Beitbridge Border Post.
Prof Ncube visited the port of entry with officials from his ministry and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) managers to familiarise with operations at the border post.
“As a ministry, we have noted the concerns from the local Member of Parliament for Beitbridge East (Albert Nguluvhe) and I will engage other line ministers in Cabinet so that we operationalise the National Ports Authority,” he said.
“It is very critical that we have a responsible authority to co-ordinate border activities and address operational and administrative issues on the go. As it stands all stakeholders are doing a pleasant job to ensure that we curb intrusive leakages, promote regional and international trade so that we can be able to raise enough revenue to fund Government commitments. However, things could be even better with someone managing the affairs and co-ordinating issues under clearly defined roles.”
Prof Ncube said Zimbabwe’s ports, especially Beitbridge play a very key role to regional and international trade and hence the need to improve on all aspects of efficiency. Zimra is collecting around $170 million at the border post weekly. Additionally Beitbridge contributes 31 percent of Zimra’s total revenue.
According to Cde Nguluvhe the state of affairs at the border post was worrisome considering that it was not clear who does what in terms of operations and administrative issues. He said though the border stakeholders were doing exceptionally well under difficult conditions, it was critical for the Government to re-organise the border operations.
In 2014, the Cabinet approved the setting up of the NPA to co-ordinate operations and attend to teething challenges at the port of entries on the dot, just like what is happening with South Africa, the country’s biggest trading partner. However, five years down the line the NPA is yet to see the light of the day due to alleged red-tape in some corridors of Government.
According to the proposal, the NPA will fall under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, and will be charged with running affairs at all the country’s entry and exit points. Such a port authority will deal with operations, administrative, security, health, among other issues.
Some of the stakeholders at the border posts currently include; Department of Immigration, insurance companies, Zimra, police and the army (with varied branches), prisons, Air Force, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Environmental Management Authority, Forestry Commission and Veterinary Services.
