Handling maritime affairs: Douala Port Authority commended for fight against abnormal practices.

The Director General of ISSEA, Dr. Marcel Opoumba, and the Project Coordinator of Observatory of Abnormal Practices on Central African Corridors, OPA-AC, HRH Prof Ngonthe Robert, voiced the remarks on September 4, 2025. This was during a solemn ceremony for the presentation of the 2024 report of OPA-AC. 

The report was produced after a rigorous study carried out by the Sub-Regional Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics.  

Speaking at the event, the Deputy General Manager of PAD, Charles Moukoko Njoh, said the study, which for the first time extended its scope inside the Douala-Bonaberi port, assessed both customs clearance and truck transport operations.

According to the Project Manager at OPA-AC, Prof Ngonthe, the observatory’s work is critical to promoting transparency, security, and regional trade. Improved efficiency at the port, he said, translates into faster and cheaper movement of goods, ultimately lowering consumer prices and boosting regional economic growth.

“The logistics corridor begins at the port, not just on the road,” he stressed, underscoring the importance of tackling inefficiencies from their source.

Key findings in the study include; delays in transit reduced. It was said that the average corridor transit time, formerly 14 days, has now dropped to eight to nine days, as licensed customs brokers and other port stakeholders expressed satisfaction with the improved efficiency of PAD’s operations.

Regarding transparency measures, Dr. Opium a said notable progress has been made in goods handling, truck processing, and the facilitation of trade towards landlocked countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic.

Despite these gains, the report flagged challenges such as delays in the installation of GPS tracking beacons due to limited stock, and gaps in the digitisation of procedures like the international consignment note and transit title.

Strategic response

To address these bottlenecks, the report recommends the establishment of Clear Performance Indicators, KPIs, sensitization programmes and tailored training sessions for actors along the corridor.

These measures, Dr. Opoumba said. aim at reducing legal, operational, and strategic risks associated with abnormal practices, while strengthening transparency and competitiveness. The Douala Port Authority officials received the laudable performance index with much delight.

Joseph Nguene Nteppe, Chief of Corporation and Analysis at the PAD, said the  recognition consolidates PAD’s strategic tripod — Performance, Attractiveness and Competitiveness — and affirms its role as a driving force in facilitating trade and regulating maritime and para-maritime activities in the Central African sub-region.

"Improved efficiency at the port leads to faster and cheaper transport of goods, reducing costs for consumers. This will make the port more competitive in the Sub-region," Nteppe said.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3559 of Tuesday September 09, 2025