Commander of the Akanu-Noepe Joint Border Base, Chief Revenue Officer Thelma Enyonam Dotse, has raised concern over inadequate staffing at their borders, warning that the shortage allows illegal activities along unapproved routes.
According to her, there are more than 13 unapproved routes within the Akanu-Noepe stretch, yet the base currently operates with only 39 officers.
“We have a lot of porous borders around this place. We should have more than 13 unapproved routes,” she said.
“This is the situation we don’t have enough officers. I think I have only 39 officers under me,” she added.
She explained that because of limited manpower, officers cannot abandon their main posts to patrol these routes.
“We have different shifts and we have to make sure that we have people there,” noted Thelma Dotse.
“We need officers who will be able to be making there so that they will be going on patrols.”
She says she believes getting more officers will help the country generate more revenue, as goods are smuggled through the unapproved routes undetected.
She also said that smugglers often receive assistance from locals, who alert them whenever customs officers are nearby, allowing them to evade arrest.
“So we have to get enough officers that they’ll be able to man all the unapproved routes,” she stressed.
The Border Commander further appealed for shelters and logistics to support officers during bad weather, explaining that the lack of facilities sometimes forces them to abandon their posts.
“When they go and it is raining, the weather is bad, they don’t have anywhere to stay, so definitely they’ll have to leave the place when it’s raining,” she noted.
Referring to smugglers, she said “And it’s around those times that they do their thing. When they realize there’s nobody around, that’s when they come in with the customs goods.”
“We’re just praying that they give us more officers.”
