Togo First
Presidents Gnassinbé and Ouattarah vow to tackle socio-political crises plaguing West Africa
The two leaders met in Abidjan on April 14 where they discussed West Africa’s political and security situation and how it impacts the region’s economic development.
Presidents Faure Gnassingbé and Alassane Ouattara mainly talked about fighting terrorism, especially in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. In this regard, Togo's Head of state declared: "The fight against terrorism can no longer be seen as a problem of Mali, Burkina or Niger alone. It is a sub-regional problem, an ECOWAS problem.”
Concerning the socio-political context in countries like Guinea, Mali and Burkina-Faso, and its impact on sub-regional integration and the lives of the people, Faure Gnassingbé said boldness and solidarity are key to dealing with it, definitely.
After they talked, the two Presidents said they were ready to cooperate with other leaders, notably ECOWAS leaders, through the Accra Initiative for the preservation of peace and security in the sub-region.
"With my brother Faure Gnassingbé, we have decided to pool our efforts to preserve peace and security in our sub-region, particularly in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso," the Ivorian leader tweeted.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo: Government allocates new monthly allowance for preschool and primary school directors
In Togo, the State will now allocate a new monthly allowance of 12,000 CFA francs to directors of preschools and public elementary schools. The information comes from a joint decree signed by Ministers Prof. Dodzi Kokoroko, Gilbert Bawara, and Sani Yaya, respectively in charge of primary and secondary education; the civil service and labor; and the economy and finance.
"The directors of pre-schools and public elementary school benefit from a fixed monthly allowance of twelve thousand (12,000) CFA francs," reads the official note dated Friday, April 15.
This new allowance for preschool and primary school principals concerns "civil servants appointed by order of the minister in charge of preschool and primary education," and is not linked to the number of sections, classes, pupils or teachers that the principals concerned supervise, it is specified.
This new provision, which takes effect immediately, comes one month after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the government and the actors of education. An agreement to put an end to "long years" of conflicts between the public authorities and the teachers who demanded better living and working conditions.
Togolese government caps transportation fees amid rising fuel prices
Just like in June 2021, the Togolese government, following its recent decision to increase the price of petroleum products, has established a new tariff schedule for intra-urban and inter-urban transport of people and goods.
The new tariffs in effect set the ceiling for the cost of transporting people and goods. Specifically, the adjusted rates for intra-urban transport of people, mainly in Lomé, vary between 300 FCFA and 500 FCFA, compared to 250 FCFA and 500 FCFA before the end of March. Intercity travel by car is priced between CFAF 700 and CFAF 10,000 from Lomé to inland cities.
The new cost of transporting goods is set at between CFAF 63 and CFAF 78 for goods with a weight/volume ratio of not less than 500 kg/m3. For other types of goods, the rate is set by mutual agreement between the carrier and the charterer.
These new tariffs must be respected by all actors, the Togolese authorities said, warning that violators will be subject to penalties under the regulations in force.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo’s National Agency for Volunteerism recruited nearly 8,000 volunteers in Q1 2022
In the first quarter of this year 2022, the National Agency for Volunteerism in Togo (ANVT), has mobilized 7,929 volunteers. This is 7% more than the agency's initial forecast of 7,361 mobilized volunteers, counting for temporary jobs. Over the same period, 57 jobs were created and 15 volunteers were trained.
These figures come from the government agency, as part of its ongoing quarterly review, aimed at assessing the level of implementation of the achievements of the Annual Work Plan 2022. The review also concerns the Regional Volunteer Centers (VRC), local branches of the institution.
As a reminder, the ANVT was created by presidential decree in July 2014, replacing the National Volunteer Program (Provonat). Since then, the Agency, which annually mobilizes volunteers in support of various development sectors, has enrolled more than 50,000 volunteers, including more than 25,000 women.
Togo becomes ATI’s majority sovereign shareholder
Togo has become the African Trade Insurance Agency’s (ATI) most important sovereign shareholder, after getting $22.06 million in financing from Germany’s development bank, KfW. This is major news given that the country only joined the institution in 2020, with the initial participation of $12.5 million–a loan it obtained from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The information was disclosed Tuesday, April 12, in Lomé, during a meeting organized by the Togolese Ministry of finance, KfW, and EIB. “Risk mitigation solutions for Togo and tools for promoting trade and investment” is the theme of the two-day event. Its focus: Get States and Togo’s private sector to better know the ATI, and better understand risk insurance, especially relative to investments or credit.
The ATI said it is ready to, through its risk mitigation mechanism, help Togo secure the funds it needs to finance projects that are part of its five-year roadmap. These include road and renewable energy projects, projects to build basic socio-economic infrastructure (social investments), according to Sani Yaya, Togo’s minister of finance and economy.
Agricultural projects are also a priority, in line with the ATI’s ambition to back the Togolese private sector.
The institution “seeks to collaborate and assist Togo in boosting its competitiveness. I, therefore, encourage companies and investors to turn to the ATI for their risk mitigation solutions.”
Togo, it should be recalled, has benefited from a subscription capacity of $305 million from the ATI. The latter indicates that other requests from the West African country, valued at $245 million, are currently being studied.
Séna Akoda
Hanoukopé market fire: the government will take all responsibilities, minister of trade says
During a recent visit to the Hanoukopé market, where a fire broke out last Sunday, the Togolese minister of trade, Kodjo Adedze, said measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. The official was with some of his peers, namely Adjovi Lonlongno Apedo, minister for women promotion, Myriam Dossou-d’Almeida, minister for grassroots development and youth employment, and Mazamesso Assih, minister of financial inclusion.
“We have seen the damage caused by this fire. We extend all of the government’s compassion to our sisters,” Adedze said, referring to women who lost their merchandise in the fire. “After this visit,” he added, “a report should be issued to make sure that adequate actions are taken to mitigate this fire’s impact.”
“The government will take all its responsibilities. That is certain,” he reassured while noting that losses caused by the incident are already being assessed.
The recent fire happened only a few days after another that hit Kpalimé’s old market, causing significant damage, on the night of March 24-25.
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) is interested in supporting Togo’s government roadmap, in three key areas
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) wants to help Togo develop projects falling under its 2020-2025 government roadmap. The head of the institution, George Agyekum Donkor, expressed this ambition on April 12, 2022, as he met with Togolese PM, Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé.
The Bank is looking to invest in energy, technology, and digitalization projects. “The government's roadmap (for projects, ed. note) in the energy, technology, and digitalization sectors aligns with EBID's financing initiatives. We are therefore here to bolster this partnership and to ensure that EBID can support Togo in these areas,” Donkor said.
“These types of meetings are necessary to improve our relationships,” he declared after the meeting.
The EBID’s headquarters is located in Togo. The institution regroups 15 ECOWAS member States.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo is set to update its immigration policy, to be more attractive
On April 12, 2022, Togolese deputies passed a bill revising the country’s immigration policy. The new law sets the general conditions of entry, stay, establishment, and exit of foreigners in Togo and should make it even more attractive for tourists and economic operators.
According to the parliamentarians, the vote to update the law whose first version dates from November 1987 aligns with “the desire to harmonize all these procedures and to take into account the new parameters, including the need to digitize procedures related to the application and establishment of the visa and residence card, hence contributing to the country’s modernization and strengthening its structures, per the third axis of the government roadmap.”
Yawa Tsègan, president of the National Assembly, said the new bill aims to be “the legal instrument that is most adapted to the policy dedicated to the management of migration flows in our country.”
For his part, the Minister of Human Rights, Citizenship Training and Relations with the Institutions of the Republic, Christian Trimua, noted that the updating of the texts responds to concerns related to the safeguarding of national peace and security which are threatened by terrorism and violent extremism, banditry, and illegal cross-border trafficking, among others.
“Foreigners will continue to feel at home, safe in a harmonious and peaceful city with all the Togolese people,” Trimua said.
The new law is composed of 32 articles grouped into seven chapters.
Esaïe Edoh
Togo issues a new draft decree to regulate public-private partnerships
During their latest council, on April 10, Togolese ministers issued a draft decree covering procedures related to the provision and execution of public-private partnerships (PPPs).
“This draft decree is aimed at strengthening the legal framework of public-private partnership contracts, and will facilitate the implementation of provisions relating to the award and execution of public-private partnership contracts,” according to the Council's statement. The draft “specifies the rules governing the preparation, award, control, execution and regulation of public-private partnership contracts concluded by the contracting authorities to meet their needs,” the statement adds.
The move happens in a context where Togo has been turning more towards PPPs to meet its development ambitions. For example, PPPs are preferred for infrastructure projects like Blitta’s 50MW PV solar plant or Adétikopé’s Industrial Platform (PIA).
The issuance of the new draft decree, it should be emphasized, has been on the table for some months now. In September 2021, Lomé revealed that it was working on a new legal framework for PPPs. The latter aimed to “support our country’s policy to constantly improve its business climate, and carry out big structuring projects easily,” the government said at the time.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo: Government suspends motor vehicle tax, a few days after deciding to reduce it
The motor vehicle tax, which is collected by the Tax Revenue Authority (OTR) has been suspended in Togo, the government announced on Monday, April 11.
Lomé in the corresponding statement said the suspension “aims to mitigate inflation’s impact on the transport of goods and people.” This, in a context where transport prices have soared due to the increase in fuel prices; an increase endorsed by the government last month to match the surge in world oil prices, consequential of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The decision to suspend the TVM was taken by the minister of finance, Sani Yaya, and the minister of road transport, Affoh Atcha-Dedji. The authorities were first thinking of reducing the fee but later opted for its suspension. An operation to monitor its effective payment should have begun this month.
Despite the move being lauded on social networks, it would prevent the State from earning nearly CFA2 billion in tax revenues. Under the 2022 finance law, the OTR was tasked with raising this sum; 85% of the projected revenues were supposed to go to the Société Autonome de Financement de l’Entretien Routier (SAFER), 10% to finance the budget, and the remaining 5% to the tax office.
Reintroduced in 2019, the motor vehicle tax was restructured. It helped the SAFER raise about CFA1.32 billion in 2020, and over a billion in the first half of 2021.
Fiacre E. Kakpo