In Togo, the public procurement regulator, ARCOP, met with the press and other concerned actors last Tuesday, December 20. On the occasion, the regulator unveiled its new legal framework. 

“The ultimate goal is to achieve a better quality of investments, attract more investors in the country, and allow the country to record the best growth performances for the good of the people,” said ARCOP’s director-general during the meeting.

Under the new reform, the ARCOP now covers public-private partnerships (PPPs) and is attached to the Presidency. Also, some of its departments have been transformed or replaced. This is the case of the public procurement provision commission which has been replaced by a cell for public procurement management; the latter is required to have a public procurement expert or specialist.

According to the ARCOP’s boss, the new reform aligns with current standards regarding public procurement.

Besides structural changes, the reform enabled a reduction in the completion time of most procedures. The regulator explained that the change should ensure greater efficiency in the procurement-awarding process and use of investment funds. For example, the average time for awarding contracts, initially 180 days, fell to 90 days. Similarly, the time limit for appeals dropped from 15 working days to 7 calendar days.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

After the West African Development Bank (Banque Ouest Africaine de développement or BOAD), it is the turn of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to financially help Togo implement its project to electrify 317 communities with mini-solar grids. The lender announced on December 19, 2022, that it would back the project with €3.73 million (a little more than CFA2 billion).

The financing was approved by the African Development Fund’s board on December 15, 2022, in Abidjan. It includes a loan of €2.73 million at a preferential rate from the AfDB and a $1 million grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA). 

The facility, according to AfDB, will finance the preparatory phase of the electrification project. Concretely, Togolese authorities will set up mini-grid companies in which the State will inject equity.

Commenting on the provision, Robil Nassoma, director-general of the Togolese Agency for Rural Electrification and Renewable Energies (AT2ER), said it is “a catalyst for private sector financing to make electricity available in the target areas across Togo’s five regions.”

For Daniel Schroth, head of AfDB’s renewable energy and energy efficiency department, the group, through the facility, supports Togo’s vision to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030. 

“This project will spur economic growth and reduce negative environmental impact by increasing renewable energy in Togo by catalyzing private sector investment in access to clean, sustainable energy for underserved rural populations in Togo,” he noted.

Esaïe Edoh

Construction works for asphalting and stormwater drainage systems in Togo’s Golfe 1, Golfe 2, and Golfe 3 municipalities were launched last Thursday, December 15, by the ministry for urbanism, housing, and land reform. The total cost for the works is CFA28 billion. 

In detail, the project involves building a 1.6 km-long underground collector to drain rainwater in the AUBA area (Lomé), asphalting and lighting 4.4 km of road - the Mobutu Boulevard (1.74 km) and the Auxiliadora Street (about 2.67 km). 

Besides, gutters with removable paving stones (for draining stormwater) will be built along 14 km of road in the AUBA area, and the following streets will be asphalted and lighted: Boulevard Houphouët Boigny, Avenue Tchaoudjo, Rue des Robinets, Rue des Handicapés, Rue Atlantique and Rue 1 Doumasséssé. 

In addition to these, schools will be built in the areas concerned, a fence will be erected around the 4th Lake and a green space will be developed there also. Then, the Golfe 1 municipality will benefit from a sports equipment rehabilitation initiative.

All these projects fall under the government’s roadmap and aim to “boost inclusion and social harmony, as well as guarantee peace”.

Esaïe Edoh

Lomé recently hosted the 7th annual meeting of the network of anti-tuberculosis programs in West and Central Africa. The four-day meeting started on December 14 and gathered 150 anti-tuberculosis experts from nearly 30 countries.

"We meet to discuss developed projects, assess progress and challenges, and plan for next year, said Prof. Dissou Afolabi, a microbiology expert and executive secretary of the Network. "Tuberculosis is a major public health issue, affecting the most productive segment of the population. If we do not invest in the fight against tuberculosis, we cannot have results at the economic level. That is why we have established this network since 2015 to develop strategies, share experiences and make resolutions to improve the fight in our space," the expert added.

Thus, the meeting’s main goal was to draw strategies that will help Togo better fight tuberculosis. It was launched in the presence of Midamegbe AKAKPO, Director of Cabinet of the Togolese Ministry of Health.

Tuberculosis is a major health issue in Togo. According to WHO, the incidence of the infectious disease was estimated at 36 cases/100,000 population with a mortality of 3.6 cases/100,000 population.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Prime Minister of Togo, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe, launched last Thursday, the second round of the African Women Excellence Program (PEFA). During the first round, 60 young women were trained.

"I encourage you to continue your journey bearing in mind that you are daughters of this country and owe it a lot. Show ambition and determination to answer the call, "Togolese come, let's build the city", the PM said at the launch of the program which is organized by ShAre, a structure specializing in training excellence at the international level.

"The PEFA is a training of excellence that aims to train talented young Togolese women for impact jobs and entrepreneurship," explained Maëla Gozan-Biyao, Country Director of ShARE in Togo. “Selection (Ed.note: of trainees) takes place in three stages. First, a written test assesses their analytical and writing skills in French and English. Next, they complete two phases of oral interviews, to assess how motivated they are to join the program, serve the nation and positively impact society,” Gozan-Biyao added. 

The first round of the program was also launched in Togo, backed by the Presidency and sponsored by the Prime Minister.

A part-time program that spans 18 months, the PEFA relies “on a modern pedagogy that integrates action-oriented and personalized learning”, according to ShAre.

In Togo, a similar program is the Presidential Program for Excellence, which is open to young students, both male and female, however.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi

The Inter-African Conference on Social Security (CIPRES) inaugurated its new headquarters in Lomé yesterday, December 15, 2022. It happened on the sidelines of the CIPRES’ 33rd session, which is currently taking place in the Togolese capital.

“All State members unanimously chose Togo to house the new headquarters of the CIPRES. We all know that Togo is a welcoming land and it is the occasion to thank Togolese authorities for providing us this plot to house our headquarters,” said Djukam Bouga, Executive secretary of the CIPRES, during the inauguration. 

The building is located in the heart of the city. Built on 2,700 m2 of land, it cost a little more than CFA1.5 billion.

Established in 1993, the CIPRES has 17 member States and aims, among others, to boost social protection, set common management rules, and promote the control of Social Security Organizations (SSO) and their management.  It also carries out studies and submits recommendations regarding the harmonization of social protection laws and regulations in member states.

In Togo, the social security fund (CNSS), the national health insurance institute (INAM), and the Retirement Fund of Togo (CRT) are all part of the CIPRES.

Esaïe Edoh 

Togolese authorities want to set up a specific entity that will oversee coastal protection in the country. In this framework, the ministry of public works just launched a call for expressions of interest to hire a consultant who will determine the legal, administrative, and scientific features of the entity. 

Consultants interested have until December 22, 2022, to apply. 

The planned entity will “handle issues related to integrated, efficient and sustainable management of the Togolese coast”, according to a document published on December 15 by Togo Presse.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the new body will be established under the project to rehabilitate the Lomé-Cotonou road and coastal protection and will be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Let’s recall that cross-border works falling under this project were launched last month in Aneho, by the Togolese Prime Minister, Victoire Tomegah-Dogbe. 

Esaïe Edoh

On December 8, 2022, the Millenium Challenge Corporation selected, at last, Togo to benefit from its new grant programs.  The decision, taken on the sidelines of the US-Africa Leaders Summit, was lauded by the Togolese Prime Minister, Victoire Dogbe.

“This funding comes at the right time to strengthen the investments made under the government's roadmap,” the PM said.  

Togo secured the first level of the MCC’s grant program, the Threshold in 2018. Subsequently, the African government went after the compact, which is more significant and can reach hundreds of millions of dollars. 

Since securing the Threshold, Togo ticked enough indicators to benefit from the compact but it wasn’t able to secure the program because of low scores on some indicators related to Political Rights, Human Capital Investment, and Fiscal Policy Quality. 

“Togo remains fully committed to sustaining a governance model that is focused on consolidating inclusive growth since we leave no one out,” said President Faure Gnassingbé, who was in Washington for the US-Africa Leaders Summit.

Besides Togo, The Gambia was also selected to benefit from its first compact program.

Fiacre E. Kakpo

Lomé will host on December 15-16, 2022, the 33rd ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the Inter-African Conference on Social Security (Cipres). This session will mainly focus on the extension of social protection to all strata, not only employees. Specifically, the conference will assess a strategy for expanding social coverage, submitted by experts gathered for a brainstorming meeting that was also held in the Togolese capital on December 13. 

According to Cheik Tidiane Tounkara, Chairman of the CIPRES’ Supervisory Committee, during the session, the ministers should adopt several strategies to achieve the goal in sight. These strategies, Tounkara added, would take into account the specificities of member countries, in a context where the social protection of people has proven a real challenge for the organization.

Speaking on the matter, Myriam Dossou-d’Almeida, director general of Togo’s National Health Insurance Institute (INAM), mentioned that the current crises shaking the world stress populations’ social needs and require more solidarity between humans, communities, and countries. The situation, she claims, justifies the importance of covering all social strata.

Across all of the CIPRES member countries, only about 10% of employees, civil servants, or people with monthly wages have social protection. This is according to data from the International Labor Office (ILO) relayed by the CIPRES.

The 33rd session of the CIPRES will take place in a context where Togolese authorities have,  for many months now, been working on implementing universal health insurance in Togo. 

Esaïe Edoh