Zimbabwe seeks to plug boarder leakages

The government has availed more than US$600 000 towards improving monitoring systems and plugging leakages at the Beitbridge border post in a bid to boost revenue inflows.

While the border post is a cash cow for government, generating millions of dollars a day, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) is hardly meeting its target of US$1,2 million per day as sources revealed figures are currently hovering at an average of US$800 000.

It is against this background that the inter-ministerial committee responsible for ports of entry engaged Beitbridge border authorities yesterday to discuss ways of curbing corruption and smuggling activities that have resulted in the depletion of revenue inflows.

The Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Walter Chidakwa said mineral leakages are depriving government of the much needed revenue to fund capital projects and affecting the payment of civil servants salaries that demand 80 percent of state funds.

As part of measures aimed at improving the management of the busiest port of entry in Sub-Saharan Africa, the government will be the procuring metal detectors, lie detectors, motor bikes and fencing material.

Currently, training of operators on the use of CCTV equipment is underway.

The government is also working towards implementing the one stop border post concept to improve efficiency at the port of entry.