NamRA refutes staffing shortages, clarifies Ariamsvlei clearance processes

Some small Namibian businesses have reported severe clearance delays of imports through the Ariamsvlei Border Post, but the Namibian Revenue Agency (NamRA) says shipments with completed documentation should be processed within no more than two hours.“However, delays can occur where permits or approvals from other stakeholders are still pending,” said NamRA’s chief spokesperson Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze recently in response to an enquiry from Network Media Hub (NMH).Ndorokaze added that the border post has experienced a significant increase in trade volumes in recent months.“This is mainly due to complications on the transit route through Botswana, which has caused many importers and transporters to reroute their shipments through the Ariamsvlei border post,” he explained.He also dismissed complaints that NamRA is struggling to deploy enough officers to staff the border post.“Without disclosing the number of staff, NamRA operates on a four-shift system. We always maintain full shifts, especially over weekends when traffic volumes are relatively higher,” he emphasised.NamRA was responding to questions sent to the agency after Namibian importers specifically raised concerns about service delivery during the weekend of 26 and 27 April.“There were only three officers on duty, with most of them on leave. Documentation for pre-clearance was already submitted on Friday evening, but only a handful were processed because customs was understaffed,” a business manager, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed recently. “Officers are currently reviewing the documents. Please note that the system is also a bit slow,” the business manager added. Earlier last month, NamRA’s Asycuda – a computerised customs management system – was reportedly also offline.“No, during the weekend in question we had four officers on duty during the morning shift, while the afternoon and night shifts were manned by five officers each,” Ndorokaze told NMH. Inspection guidelines More severe delays are experienced when a specific shipment is flagged. Ndorokaze confirmed: “A significant number of shipments are referred to our Windhoek regional office for inspection. We apply a risk-based approach in line with best international practices, including the World Customs Organisation’s (WCO) Revised Kyoto Convention and the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement."He added that the Asycuda system "identifies high-risk shipments, which are then subject to further inspection. NamRA is currently reviewing its risk profiling measures to further enhance trade facilitation."Ndorokaze, however, underlined that delays are not the norm.“They occur only when there are communication challenges between Ariamsvlei, the referral office and the agents. Usually, flagged shipments are cleared as soon as the inspection report is completed and returned,” he emphasised.Moreover, he noted that perishable goods are prioritised for clearance to prevent spoilage. He acknowledged that since new inspection guidelines were implemented, the number of shipments being sealed and sent to Windhoek has increased.Couriers in Windhoek have also complained that inspection officers are not always readily available to facilitate clearance.“It can take up to two weeks before we can deliver to clients,” one courier said.

NamRA refutes staffing shortages, clarifies Ariamsvlei clearance processes

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-19

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NamRA refutes staffing shortages, clarifies Ariamsvlei clearance processes

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-19

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