“Togo did almost six times better than Mauritius” – Sandra Johnson
Monday, 05 November 2018 17:24 
(Togo First) - “Togo did almost six times better than Mauritius”. This was declared by Sandra Ablamba Johnson, Head of Business Climate Cell (CCA) and Advisor to the President, commenting on Togo’s score in the latest Doing Business report.
Indeed, Togo’s score rose by 6.32 points to 55.20 points while the score of Mauritius, first African nation on the 2019 Doing Business, increased by 1.29 points compared to the previous year.
After highlighting Togo’s performances regarding business facilitation in Africa –the country is ranked second most reformist nation across the continent and number one in WAEMU- CCA’s coordination emphasized major indicators on which the nation focused its reforms. “Taking business creation for example, we suppressed registration fees and stamps. Let it be recalled that the fees in question amounted to 2% and 4% in cash and kind respectively. Today, let’s say you want to create a company with a capital of one billion CFA…You do not need to pay anything. Also, minimum capital which was set at CFA1 million two to three years ago has been reduced to CFA100,000 and liberalized,” Johnson said.
As for property transfer right, the official indicated: “A single desk for property transfer has been opened while process related to the issuance of a construction permit has been dematerialized. In the past, one needed to come to the town hall to apply for this permit. Now, regardless of the applicant’s geographic position, be it in France or Burkina, he or she can apply for the permit and get it once in Lomé”.
Commenting on bribes paid to intermediates while seeking land titles or similar documents, Sandra Johnson declared : “Today, not only are bribes not paid, issuance fees to get the documents, between CFA400,000 and CFA500,000, have been suppressed as well. Application is done online now”.
Last, “there is e-declaration,” she says. “Before, people had to go queue at the tax office to pay their taxes. Now, they can be paid online, from your office or anywhere else”.
Séna Akoda
