In Togo, representatives of the public administration, economic operators, and trade union leaders, began on March 17 in Adétikopé (a northern suburb of Lomé), a workshop to draw a draft collective agreement for sea traders.

The works, launched by Ismaël Komi KODJO, Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Maritime Economy, Fisheries, and Coastal Protection, will last three days. Stakeholders present at the meeting should agree on a first framework document taking into account the living and working conditions, placement, contracts, vacations, training, conflict management, social guarantees, and retirement of seafarers and other workers at sea.

For the government, this is an intermediate step before the final adoption of a new legislative framework in the sector. "The collective agreement of seafarers takes into account all the problems related to marine work. The document that will come out of this meeting will be subject to another validation workshop before its final adoption by the government," said Matchonnawè BAKAI, Director of Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

Meanwhile, unions are pleased with the recognition of status. "This is about showing respect to the maritime heritage by promoting decent living and working conditions for seafarers and improving transport at sea," said Paulin Beguedou, captain and president of UMATO (Union of Seafarers of Togo).

The collective agreement, it should be noted, will consolidate the maritime legislative framework governing the law of December 13, 2006, on the code of sea labor and that of October 11, 2016, on the code of the sea trade in Togo.

Klétus Situ

Togo's power utility, Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (CEET), and the cement producer Cimtogo - subsidiary of the HeidelbergCement Group - have issued two separate press releases denouncing scams featuring their brands.

The CEET said some ill-intended individuals have been, supposedly on its behalf, promising people it will launch or accelerate the process to get them connected to the grid, in return for money, in cash form or via Flooz and Tmoney.  

It's a scam! warns the utility after receiving many complaints from the fraudsters' victims.  It then reminded the public that all payments relative to connection, or the installation of meters and others are made at the CEET's cash offices, with no extra fee charged. The CEET also issues receipts for all its operations.

In the same vein, CIMTOGO warned its customers against a fake promotional campaign called "Gift Cement" that is going on.

The company noted that "it is not the initiator of this campaign and is neither closely nor remotely associated with the initiators, under any partnership. Also, it stresses that it recognizes only its partners, holders of approvals for all wholesale of its products throughout the territory."

Séna Akoda

Togo is extending the State of Health Emergency, for the fourth consecutive time since it was first declared by President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé on April 2, 2020, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The decision was approved by the national assembly after a request was submitted by PM Victoire Tomégah-Dogbé on March 16, 2021.

"We remain concerned about protecting our people and we urge everyone to make the necessary efforts to slow down the spread considerably so that our country can resume its march towards progress," said Yawa Tsegan Djigbodi, President of the National Assembly as the state of emergency was being extended.

Concretely, the measure empowers the President of the Republic to legislate by ordinance, thus assuming, for certain reasons, including the speed with which the decisions necessary to manage the pandemic are taken, the responsibility that is normally shouldered by the National Assembly.

The State of Health Emergency is extended at a time when there is a rebound in the number of cases in Lomé, the capital city.  

As of March 16, 2021, Togo has recorded 100 new cases of infection. According to data available, 127 new patients recovered on Tuesday while one new death was recorded.

Séna Akoda

The Togolese government plans to map out its fishing areas to boost industrial fishing. This was disclosed by Kokou Edem Tengue, minister of fishing and maritime economy. 

The move is part of a larger project to modernize sea fishing in Togo. In the framework of the latter, the authorities are seeking a firm to conduct related feasibility studies. 

The same project should identify the number and types of fishing ships needed to exploit fish resources available in Togolese waters. Also, it will recommend facilities for disembarking and storing fishing products. Various industrial fishing sites and their profitability threshold will be revealed by the study as well. 

The modernization project aligns with the government's ambition to boost agriculture's contribution to the GDP. This, in a context where more than 20,000 people work in the fishing sector and it contributes nearly 4.5% of the GDP. 

Séna Akoda

With support from the German cooperation GIZ, the Togolese National Administration School (ENA) will spend CFA 800 million on a strategic plan covering the 2022-2025 period to boost the performances of public officers. 

The strategy, submitted for approval on March 15, revolves around three major axes, notably: improving the governance of the ENA, improving teaching methods, and seeking partnerships and work contracts.

In this framework, the ENA will boost its institutional capacities and adapt courses to the needs of the public administration in terms of qualified human resources. “Our main mission is to provide the State with qualified and competent workers,'' said Prof Adama Kpodar, director of ENA. 

The strategic plan will be drawn by the Centre de Recherche et Ingénierie en Gestion de l’Environnement et du Territoire Consulting et Service (CRIGET-CS). The same institution was appointed to assess shortcomings in the public administration and the performance of its officials. 

Séna Akoda

The government of Togo will organize general assemblies in the husbandry sector. These assemblies will gather all actors engaged in the sector to reflect on reforms likely to boost the country’s output, and especially tackle the 45% deficit in meat products at the national level. 

Indeed, the country records a shortfall in this area despite production in sub-sectors like poultry and small ruminants having improved with the PASA. The latter also helped increase its beneficiaries’ income by 50%. 

“Despite the special attention the State pays to husbandry, there is still much to be done,” said Antoine Lekpa, Minister of agriculture, livestock, and rural development, last week at the launch of regional workshops dedicated to livestock promotion. 

The projected assemblies will be the occasion to analyze the husbandry sector and recommend solutions to overcome the shortfall in meat production the country faces. 

They should ultimately lead to the elaboration of a development strategy for husbandry, which directly aligns with the government’s 5-year development plan (2020-2025).

Séna Akoda

The African Development Bank (AfDB) recently published its 2021 Africa economic outlook report. Titled “From Debt Resolution to Growth: the Road Ahead for Africa,” the 200-page document dives into the issue of debt and assesses the performances of African economies amid the ongoing pandemic. 

Togo, according to the report’s authors, should record a rapid economic recovery. They state that as the pandemic weakens and the economy recovers, the country’s growth was forecast at 4.3% and 5.6% in 2021 and 2022 respectively. This performance should be driven by agriculture, and increasing investments in transport, energy, and industries. 

Inflation up, public debt under control

After rising from 0.7% to 1.6% in 2020, according to the AfDB, the inflation in Togo should keep going up, reaching 1.9% this year and 2.1% in 2022. Meanwhile, the budget deficit is expected to improve slightly, from 4% of the GDP in 2021 down to 3.4% next year. 

As for the public debt, the Abidjan-based Bank does not seem concerned, asserting that the country’s risk of debt distress is moderate. The AfDB explains its projection by “the recovery of the economy and public investments as well as the payment of deferred maturities.” However, it expects a slight increase of the debt-to-GDP ratio to 60%, as against 57.8% in 2020, nearly 69% in 2019, and 80% in 2016. 

Klétus Situ