Abuja – Bribes and delays increased significantly across African borders during the 2010 survey period conducted by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-West Africa Trade Hub.

This was contained in the 14th Improved Road Transport Governance (IRTG) report on road governance, jointly published by USAID and the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), made available on Sunday.

The report stated that the delays more than doubled during the October to December 2010 survey period.

According to the report, truckers importing and exporting goods stop at numerous check-points, delaying their delivery times.

In addition, bribes paid increased transport costs, amounting to an unnecessary increase in the cost of goods to customers, it said.

The report noted road harassments faced by West African truckers and shippers through the number of control points, the amount of bribes and time of delay.

It stated that truck drivers reported delays of 25 minutes per 100 km compared to the 2009 report which showed about 12 minutes of delay for every 100 km travelled.

The highest delays, according to the report, occurred in Senegal with 28 minutes per 100 km and the lowest in Togo with 14 minutes per 100 km.

The report also showed that bribes increased by almost 13 per cent, from 64 dollars to 72 dollars per 100 km.

It stated that Ghana continued to show the lowest level of about two dollars per 100 km and Cote D’Ivoire having the highest of about 14 dollars per 100 km.

The report showed that the number of checkpoints where drivers experienced delays and bribes remained virtually unchanged.

It also stated that Senegal and Mali continued to have the highest density of checkpoints of 2.42 per 100 km and 2.39 per 100 km respectively.

The report stated that road harassment on interstates corridors across West Africa cost states tens of thousands of dollars a month.

This challenge, the report noted, obstructs the path to sustainable economic growth.

The report advised West African states to take necessary action by working with local governments, civil society organisations and private sector partners in reducing road harassment on their main corridors.

Adopting this measure, it said, would enable them to achieve good road governance for sustainable economic development. (NAN)

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