In the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Togo’s road corridor is the second-best performing. This is according to the 2020 report of Observatoire des pratiques anormales (OPA) released last Thursday in Lomé.

The document was published during a workshop organized by the National Committee for Facilitation (CNF), under the chairmanship of the Ministry of Road, Air, and Rail Transport. In effect, the meeting helped share the report’s content with concerned actors, collect testimonies and recommend solutions to abnormal practices observed along the corridor.

The study is based mostly on the number of control stations on the corridor, illegal fee payments, and delays at the stations.

"This 46th report of the observatory of abnormal practices summarizes the data collected during the year 2020, indicating a persistence and especially an intensification of abnormal practices on some corridors and an improvement on others," said the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Road, Air, and Rail Transport (MTRAF).

In detail, for the Lomé-Ouaga Corridor, "illicit collections fell from 12,185 FCFA in 2019 to 8,598 in 2020. Border control time improved from 163.1 minutes in 2019 to 154.1 minutes in 2020. The number of checkpoints decreased from 20.6 in 2019 to 17.6 in 2020. Looking at these figures, we must continue working to improve these indicators, in line with the government’s objectives," he added.

Tadjudini Dermane, Director of road and rail transport in Togo, declared based on the information found in the report: “the Togolese corridor is in a good place behind the Benin corridor, but ahead of other corridors of the union.”

Let’s recall that Lomé and the World Bank signed a $120 million financing agreement to ease movement along the Lomé-Ouagadougou-Niamey corridor.

To fight illegal, unreported, and unregistered fishing (IUU) fishing, Benin and Togo surveyed their respective waters last week. The three-day operation closed on Tuesday and led to the interception of a vessel and four pirogues which were diverted to the Port of Lomé. 

The move is part of the PESCAO project, which is backed by Norway. PESCAO aims to help improve fishing governance in West Africa while detecting possible infractions related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU).

At the closing of the operations, the Minister of Maritime Economy, Fisheries, and Coastal Protection, Edem Kokou Tengue, thanked the different actors involved and promised the support of the government in the fight against illegal fishing.

"The damage caused by IUU fishing to the economy and the environment is enormous. The figures of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the FAO are frightening, but should not make us give up," Tengue said, assuring the commitment of his ministry to the fight against illegal fishing.

As a reminder, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, illegal fishing represents 37% of the catches in the Gulf of Guinea and generates costs of $1.3 billion each year. Globally, these losses are estimated at $23 billion.

Last Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport launched the pilot project for road security PPRSR in Kpalimé. Through the project, the ministry intends to boost road security by organizing driving license examinations for over 7,000  two and three-wheeler drivers nationwide. It will also raise users’ awareness about traffic regulations and the consequence of some of the driving behaviors. The ultimate goal is to significantly reduce road accidents by 2025. 

The project supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) was initiated because of the worrying spike in road accidents with its related consequences, Minister of Trasport  Affoh-Atcha-Dédji explains.  

Indeed, according to figures from the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection, 3,815 road accidents were recorded in the first half of 2021. Those accidents claimed the lives of 346 residents and left 4,721 injured. During the same period a year earlier, only 2,627 road accidents were recorded with  241 deaths and 3,734 injured. 

Esaïe Edoh

The Togolese Employers’ Council (CNP-Togo) recommends the creation of a CFA50 billion financing fund to revive SMEs and SMIs. According to the recommendation which was made in a study on how Covid-induced health measures impacted businesses in the country, the fund would mainly target businesses that were greatly affected by the pandemic. 

In detail, beneficiaries will get 3-6 year loans at an interest rate of 3.5%.

CNP-Togo claims that “the State can set up a CFA20 billion fund to support the recovery of the national economy.” The tripartite fund (State-CNP-Banks)  should help sustain the employment and production levels of SMEs through financial assistance.

The support should come in a context where “it has become more difficult for businesses to access financing,” CNP-Togo adds, a context “where the uncertainty arising from the crisis increased the risk of cash shortage and sparked a general fear of risk.”

In addition to the fund, the CNP recommended five more measures. They include launching an exceptional loan scheme for small businesses, securing a State-guaranteed cash flow loan; postponing tax and social security deadlines, setting up an unemployment insurance scheme for entrepreneurs, and setting up a support mechanism for exporting companies.

Let’s recall that, in line with ambitions to restart the Togolese economy post-Covid, the government regularly meets with various key actors of the economy, the private sector notably.

Esaïe Edoh

In Togo, the national social security fund is the institution in charge of retirement and disability pensions. Those who want to benefit from these pensions must be at least 60 years old - which is the legal retirement age in the country, or have a disability preventing them from continuing professional activities.

The procedure is free and gets completed within 60-120 days. Usually, the pension represents 20% of the average monthly salary of the applicant.

Retirement and disability pensions are governed by Articles 41 and 47 of Togo’s February 21, 2011, Social Security Code.

Description:

Retirement and disability pensions are replacement incomes representing a set percentage of the beneficiary’s salary. They compensate for inactivity by age or disability.

Eligible persons:

Insured individuals above retirement age (60), those above 55 years who have applied for early pension, or those with disabilities preventing them from carrying out professional activities.

Cost of the procedure:

Free

Processing time:

60-120 days

Required documentation:

• Filled and signed application form
• Insurance booklet or social security card
• Mandatory retirement decision for civil servants
• Payslips (all the 1977 payslips for civil servants)
• Bank details
• Two (02) passport photographs

Insured individuals applying for the disability/early retirement pension must add the following documents :

• A medical certificate from the attending physician
• A certificate from the employer (for early pension)

Additional information:

The monthly amount of the age, disability, or early retirement pension is equal to twenty percent (20%) of the average monthly earnings. This proportion is increased if the number of contributed months exceeds one hundred and eighty (180).

A workplace accident can be defined as an accident suffered by an employee at his/her workplace while carrying out professional duties or during work-related trips. In some countries, accidents occurring on the way to or from the workplace are considered workplace accidents and entitle employees to compensation.

In Togo, employees can report workplace accidents if their employer delays the procedure. To do so, the concerned employee has to contact the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) within 15 or 30 days after the accident.

The procedure is free and can result in a total or partial refund of medical expenses. The employee can also benefit from indemnities, like disability benefits.

Workplace accidents are governed by Article 49 of Togo’s February 21, 2011, Social Security Code.

Who can submit the request:

Employees affected by workplace accidents or occupational disease, their relatives, or even witnesses

Cost of the procedure:

Free

Processing time:

The accident must be reported within 15 to 30 days after it happened

Name of the Office:

National Social Security Fund (CNSS)

Address: In front of the University of Lomé

Contacts: (+228) 22 53 55 00 / 22 25 96 96

Fax: (+228 ) 22 51 99 26

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Required documentation:

• Two (02) copies of the filled and signed workplace accident report
• Two (2) copies of the Initial Medical Certificate (IMC)
• Two (2) copies of the final descriptive certificate (CFD)
• Tier 1 of the accident report booklet duly filled by the employer, the attending physician, or the pharmacist
• Payslips of the three (03) months before the month in which the accident occurred.

Additional information:

For additional information on this procedure, kindly refer to Article 49 of February 21, 2011, Social Security Code.

Togo is strongly committed to fighting deforestation. That is why the country regulates the exploitation of natural wood on its soil and that is also why a pass is required to transport natural wood or teak wood across the territory.   

This special authorization is delivered by the Directorate of Forest Resources (DRF). Prices range from CFAF20 to 650 per log depending on the wood type. 

Usually, the pass is issued within three days for simple woods and four for teak wood. The document, which is for personal use only, is valid for 72 hours only. 

Eligible persons: 

Any interested party 

Cost of the procedure: 

• Raw or trunk of teakwood: CFAF500 per unit

• Teak poles: CFAF150 per unit

• Teak perch and post: CFAF20 per unit

• Unpolished teakwood: CFAF100 per unit

• Whitewood plank: CFAF250 per unit

• Chevron : CFAF250 per unit 

• Redwood plank: CFAF650 per unit 

Processing time:

• Three (03) days for natural wood’s transit pass

• Four (04) days for the first application for a teak transit pass. After the first application, the processing time becomes two (02) days for subsequent requests. 

Validity: 72 hours

Where to submit the request?

Name of the office: Directorate of Forest Resources

Address : 52, QAD Kozah road, 01 B.P. 355, Lomé, Togo

Contacts : 22 21 46 04/ 22 21 40 29

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web portal: www.environnement.gouv.tg

Required documentation:

• A valid cutting permit

• A transit pass request addressed to the director of forest resources

Like several countries worldwide, Togo launched various programs to develop sustainable cooking technologies. Regardless, all over the country, people still use firewood and charcoal every day, due to cultural and lifestyle reasons.

To regulate the sector, authorities introduced a pass for the transportation of charcoal and firewood nationwide. To obtain the pass, actors must submit a request to the regional delegations and prefectural agencies of the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources. If required conditions are met, the pass is issued immediately. It costs CFAF100 and CFAF200 respectively for 100 and 200 kilograms of charcoal. As for firewood, the cost is CFA100 per stere.

Eligible persons:

Any interested party.

Cost of the procedure:

• Bag of 100 kilograms of charcoal: CFAF100

• Bag of 200 kilograms of charcoal: CFAF200

• Firewood: CFAF200 per stere

Processing time:

Pass issued immediately if required conditions are met.

Where to submit the request?

Name of the office: Regional delegations and prefectural agencies of the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources

Address: Depends on the applicant’s geographic location 

Contact: 22 21 46 04/ 22 21 40 29

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web portal : www.environnement.gouv.tg

Required documentation:

None

To protect the environment and fight global uncontrolled deforestation, wood imports are regulated by several countries, including Togo. 

To import wood into the country, a permit is required. The said authorization allows the transportation of forest resources from one country to another. Applications are to be submitted to the Directorate of Forest Resources (DRF). The free permit is usually issued within two months, for a validity period of two months as well.  

Eligible persons: 

Anyone

Cost of the procedure :

Free

Processing time: 

 Two (02) months

Where to submit the request? 

Name of the office: Directorate of Forest Resources:

Address : 52, QAD Kozah road, 01 B.P. 355, Lomé, Togo.

Contacts : 22 21 46 04/ 22 21 40 29

E-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Web portal: www.environnement.gouv.tg

Required documentation:

• A stamped request addressed to the Minister of Environment and Forest Resource

• Certified copy of the economic operator’s card

• Certified copy of the tax certificate

• Certified copy of the company card

• Contract binding the supplier and the importer

Additional information

Contacts of the regional delegations:

• Maritime Regional delegation in Tsévié : +228 98 33 77 53

• Plateaux regional delegation in Notsé : +228 99 17 60 39

• Centrale regional delegation in Sokodé : +228 98 61 67 70

• Kara regional delegation : +228 99 10 88 46

• Savane regional delegation in Mango : +228 99 94 07 24