PAD restates commitment to ensure continuity in port operations.

The commitment is contained in a statement, which the Head of Communication and Public Relations Division of PAD, Minlo Simplice Raoul, issued on February 13, 2026. 

In the detailed declaration, Minlo also addressed issues which the Cameroon Union of Enterprises, GeCAM, raised regarding merchandise scanning at the Douala-Bonaberi port.

He stated that PAD, “is constantly attentive to the concerns expressed by the business community” adding that “…fully assuming its role as the Port Authority of Douala, its mission is to ensure on a daily basis that the provision of public port services is balanced and adequate”.

Minlo said such a commitment takes into cognizant safety and regulatory guidelines and compliance requirements, competitiveness  and “security and regulatory compliance requirements”.

On concerns relating to reports of double payments raised by GeCAM, Minlo stated that: “…it is the unilateral decision taken by the Customs Administration, to no longer process declarations that constitute a real systemic risk to economic activities, and not the scanning of 100% of goods”.

PAD, he wrote, is convinced that no matter the circumstances, port clearance procedures should not be disrupted. 

He called on “…all actors in the logistics chain and foreign trade procedures to prioritise constructive dialogue and continuity of operations, in the best interests of foreign trade, national and Subregional economies”.

PAD, Minlo indicated, was taken aback with the statement of GeCAM, expressing concerns about the hitches relating to scanning of merchandise, instead of using traditional channels of “dialogue” and “consultation” that have been in place for long. 

He indicated that had GeCAM followed the path, it would “…have enabled it to gain a better understanding of the issues raised”.

Still on tariffs, he stated that what is applicable at the Douala-Bonaberi port, “…cannot be enforced without first being approved by the National Port Authority (APN), following a lengthy consultation and review process by the members of the Douala Port community”.

He restated that: “This is the case for the tariffs applied by the PAD since January 2019 for services offered to users of the Port of Douala-Bonaberi. The same applies to services offered by all private operators...”.

PAD’s basic mission, he emphasised, “is to ensure, in strict compliance with the laws and regulations in force, the safety and security of ships, import/export flows, port facilities and people, while also ensuring the attractiveness, competitiveness and operational performance…”.

Revisiting recent instructions from the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Dr Chief Joseph Dion Ngute, relating to the scanning of merchandise, Minlo wrote that measures are already being taken in line with the regulations in force.

He stated that: “PAD specifies that the measures and devices for non-intrusive control of all import/export flows, imports/exports, commercial and non-commercial, transit at the Port of Douala-Bonaberi, currently being reorganised, are fully in line with the directives of the public authorities, in particular those prescribed by the Prime Minister”.

What did GeCAM say?

Recall that on February 12, the President of GeCAM, Celestin Tawamba issued a note decrying what he said was an impasse at the port of Douala-Bonaberi. Tawamba had blamed the situation on the battle over which company is supposed to conduct the scanning of menchandise. 

On behalf of economic operators, he said the situation had resulted in double billing, delays and other frailties that are frustrating imports, exports and the entire business chain.

He had called for imperative measures to redress what he had raised. Tawamba threatened that if the situation is left on result, business persons will cease import, export declaration and Customs revenue calculations at the Douala-Bonaberi port beginning today.

GeCAM in its Thursday February 12 release had also called on authorities to ensure only a single company does scanning, put in place a public-private commission to evaluate the additional cost companies have suffered and full reimbursement.

The business owners also called for the suspension of tariff increases which had blamed on PAD pending an evaluation of their impact on the performance of companies.

Crisis in context 

At the heart of the crisis is a dispute involving the choice of company to handle the scanning of merchandise at the Bonaberi port. 

The two companies at the centre of the issue are; TransAtlantic D and Société Générale de Surveillance Scanning Cameroon S. A, SGS.

The Prime Minister on Thursday January 29, 2026 waded into the matter and ordered that SGS be reinstated as the company to handle scanning of merchandise. 

Transport Minister, Ngale Bibhe had said the PM held the view that, a contract which SGS signed with government in 2015 is valid till 2032 and so can’t be cancelled by another party.

Before the PM’s decision, officials at the Presidency of the Republic had on January 22, 2026 said TransAtlantic D should be allowed to handle scanning at the port.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3705 of Monday February 16, 2026