Togo First
Over 10 years, the UNDP spent about €2.3 million on environmental protection in Togo
Recently, seven Togolese NGOs received around CFA145 million from the UNDP, under the Global Environment Facility’s Microfinance Program (PMF/FEM).
With this funding, the PNUD invested €2.3 million or CFA1.5 billion in environmental protection in Togo, over 10 years.
Projects backed by the institution cover the preservation of mountain ecosystems, preserving community forests, developing rural forests, promoting ecotourism, collecting and recycling plastic waste, as well as teaching about sustainable land management practices.
In the long run, these projects aim to reduce poverty and make populations more resilient to global warming effects.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Germain Méba re-elected as president of the CCIT
On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Germain Essohouna Méba was re-elected as the head of the chamber of commerce and industry of Togo (CCIT).
His re-election happens at a time the private sector is expected to play a major role in the development of the national development plan (PND).
During his first mandate, the private sector’s activity grew with for example its participation in the Business Forum organized by Togo in Hangzhou, China, last September, the first international import fair of Shanghai, and also signing an agreement with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
There were also various fairs organized in the country, including for example the Grande Quinzaine Commerciale de Lomé, which helped business owners get closer to their customers.
The CCIT's new office has seven members.
Octave A. Bruce
Togolese experts are attending an ECOWAS workshop on elaboration and development of clean energy projects
Since last Tuesday, various national clean power experts gathered for a four-day workshop on the elaboration and development of climate change resilient projects with low greenhouse gas emission. The workshop’s goal is to improve Togo’s eligibility for the Green Climate Fund.
It is the first of many that will be organized in all 15 ECOWAS States, to ease their access to the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund.
“Togo has been on the right path for some years now, since it was one of the first countries to seek and get funding from the Green Fund,” said Déthié Soumare Ndiaye, one of the workshop’s trainer. Looking at the efforts it keeps making, “the country should very soon, raise climate funding more efficiently,” he added.
Let’s recall that the Green Fund is a UN mechanism which aims to transfer from richer to poorer countries, funds for projects that will help counter climate change.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Togo develops commercial dispute management platform to speed processes for lawyers and bailiffs
Judicial officers, lawyers and bailiffs notably, now have the possibility to initiate online procedures with commercial chambers via Forsetti commerciale, the commercial platform developed by Pero Groupe, a software development firm.
An information meeting was hosted on January 11, 2019, at Maison de l’Avocat. It was initiated by the national programme for justice modernization (Programme National de Modernisation de la Justice -PNMJ) and the business council (Cellule Climat des affaires) which was represented by Sandra Ablamba Johnson (photo), state secretary and coordinator of the business council. The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the bar association of Togo, Me Rustico Latévi Lawson-Banku.
The aim of this meeting was to share information on updates to the commercial dispute management platform, notably, additional features for the processing of commercial records being used at the lower court of Lomé court of appeal.
According to Ulriche Fiacre Aihou, CEO of Pero Groupe, the new features will help lawyers and bailiffs refer to the commercial chambers online, pay legal fees online via Flooz and Tmoney, as well as check the progress of the case. The CEO also promised that soon, these fees could be paid with bank cards.
A new system for automatic SMS or email notification to the parties or their counsel, about the case, is also added. In addition, the dispatching of the files to the judges will be made according to an automatic system.
The initiative helps take into account, the business men’s worries as far as promptness and security are concerned. It is also aimed at improving the business environment.
Séna Akoda
Togo: Government to soon start biometric census of the population
In Togo, the government should soon start a biometric census of the population, under its e-ID Togo project.
“The project is at the pre-launch stage. Preliminary studies have been completed. The firm that will carry out the project is almost selected and its development strategy is defined by authorities”. This was revealed to Togo First by Kanka-Malik Natchaba, who heads the coordination of the presidential cell in charge of executing and monitoring key projects (CPES).
According to a document released at the end of 2018, the project is expected to commence this month.
In effect, it plans to provide everyone living in Togo, citizens or not, a single biometric ID. This way, the government would have reliable information on the residents for a better provision of social and public services.
The biometric ID system is based on India’s Aadhaar model and should integrate safely to the State’s database for a reliable identification.
Also, it aligns with the e-Gouv project which aims to digitalize State services, another project whose goal is to develop a digital industry in Togo.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers to invest $31 million in BBOXX to electrify Africa
BBOXX just got a $31 million financing from Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM).
These monies will allow the British group to set up two million solar units by 2022, thus providing electricity to more than 10 million people in Africa, including Togo through the CIZO project.
According to Mansoor Hamayun (photo), CEO and Co-founder of BBOXX, the financing agreement “shows the commitment of BBOXX to raise more funds and attract more investments into the off-grid sector, by partnering with major global firms”.
The AIIM funding adds to a series of operations that helped BBOXX build strategic partnerships with major firms such as EDF in Togo, to boost access to large-scale energy. The French giant, let’s note, has powered more than 10,000 households in 2018.
Let’s recall that Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers is one of the most important private equity fund managers in Africa, focused on infrastructures. It is a member of Old Mutual Alternative Investment with a portfolio of more than $2.1 billion.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
Financial controllers are being trained on result-oriented management in Kpalimé
On Monday, a four-day workshop on result-oriented management was started in Kpalimé by the ministry of economy and finances. This session trains the staff of the national directorate of financial control.
It falls under the Project to support and mobilize resources and boost institutional capacities (PAMOCI).
In detail, the financial controllers will be taught about new public management tools, relative to projects and annual performance reports.
This will help them better appreciate budget sustainability and results of implemented projects. Subsequently, it would ensure a better budget control, and effective assessment of legality, regularity and conformity of financial operations and transactions.
This workshop will be followed by another planned on January 21 to 25.
Launched in 2014, and financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the PAMOCI aims among others to streamline public spending and boost technical and human capacities of tax and customs administrations, in order to achieve a sustainable increase in national revenues. It should be completed in June 2019.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi
From one year, exemption period for TPU payment has been increased to two years, for newly created businesses
In Togo, firms paying the Single Professional Tax (TPU in French) are exempted from paying this tax in their first two years of activity. This was revealed last Monday by the tax commissioner himself, Ahmed Esso-Wavana Adoyi.
Exemption period in 2018 was only a year but it has been extended in line with incentives initiated by Lomé to cut charges paid by young entrepreneurs when starting their business. Last year, the initial exemption pushed the number of new businesses created by persons in Togo to 7,512 which represented 71% of all firms created that year.
The TPU is a tax paid by craftsmen and microenterprises operating in the informal sector and backed by public entities like the DOSI. It is paid to the government or local communities (for businesses whose turnover are equal to or less than CFA30 million). It concerns only individuals whose annual turnover is equal or lower than 60 million CFA, regardless of their business. It should be highlighted that under the previous tax code, the turnover set for firms paying this tax was set at CFA30 million.
Also, by paying the TPU, firms concerned no more have to pay income tax, annual minimum tax (IMF), business tax now a patent, 3% tax on wages and value added tax (VAT).
Fiacre E. Kakpo
Gozem and Total Togo team up to teach drivers how to be eco-responsible
Lomé’s first moto-taxi reservation service, Gozem, just partnered with Total’s subsidiary in Togo to teach drivers in the Togolese capital (taxis and bike drivers) about eco-responsibility and how to better utilize their vehicles.
“Through this partnership, Total and Gozem want to inform drivers about the importance of adopting simple, yet effective, habits, thus improving the efficiency of their vehicles while preserving the environment,” reads a statement secured by Togo First.
Throughout January, Gozem workers will be at various Total stations across Lomé to teach drivers about eco-responsible habits.
“The project’s goal is to boost urban transport’s dynamism and make transport in Lomé more ecological,” according to the statement.
“Gozem is proud to support professionals of this sector and provide them with the necessary tools to improve their working conditions,” said Farouk Tchabana, Chief of Operations at Gozem.
For his part, Frédéric Rivière, MD Total Togo, declared : “This partnership with Gozem is a great opportunity for Total to strengthen its bonds with its customers in Lomé”
Séna Akoda
Dapaong solar plant to provide energy to 700,000 households and small companies
Once completed, the $15 million Dapaong solar power plant will provide clean energy to about 700,000 households and small companies in Togo.
Financed by the Abu Dhabi fund for development, the project is aimed at "reducing poverty, increasing income generating activities and suppling energy to health and education service providers"
According to Adnan Z. Amin (photo), outgoing Director-general International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), this project will "create jobs, empower women and boost local communities".
The 30 MW plant is part of three projects worth $31 million. The project will be steered by Togo’s agency for rural electrification and renewable energy.
Ayi Renaud Dossavi