adminThe One Stop Border Post was commissioned in 2009 by President Mugabe and former Zambian president Mr Rupiah Banda.
Mr Tichaona Phiri, Chirundu Border Post station manager, said lack of adequate resources was making it difficult for them to operate effectively as envisaged under the One Stop Border Post concept.
“We have a shortage of accommodation that has made it difficult to have the required number of officers since we have had an increase in the volume of business.
“We need to have adequate staff (70 workers) so that we can operate 24 hours but we do not have the numbers to fulfil the required shifts to allow that,” he said.
About 48 workers are stationed at the border.
Mr Phiri said clearing agents were also facing shortage of office space and were using outdated information communication systems that were slowing down work.
“Clearing agents do not have adequate office space and are also using systems that are not compatible with ours and break down easily.
“Because of that they end up working during the night, slowing down work resulting in some trucks spending two to three days before being cleared,” Mr Phiri said.
Mr Phiri said they did not have a generator at the border post and encountered problems whenever there was a power cut.
He said there was no hospital at the border post with a small clinic with obsolete equipment catering for employees, community and the travelling public.
Assistant regional immigration officer Ms Stembeni Takawira, said illegal migrants were also taking advantage of the design of the security fence at the border to enter the country posing as Zimbabwean residents.
Police Officer-in-Charge at Chirundu, Assistant Inspector Noah Vimbe, said they were also facing transport and accommodation problems making it difficult to curb crime.
“We are operating without a vehicle and our officers as many as three families are sharing a four roomed house in the few places we have managed to acquire,” he said
Online Reporter