BUSINESS
IVORY COAST – Transport company lays off 20% of its staff
Socotra (Société de Commerce et de Transit), is the name of one of the largest transport companies in Côte d’Ivoire. It has just fired 20% of its staff on Monday, May 4, 2021, or 51 employees out of the 250 that the company has.The reason for this massive dismissal is that at the end of March 2021, the workers of Socotra had decided to form a union to defend their interests but the management categorically refused the formation of this movement. So the workers jumped to the top by filing a strike notice, which resulted in their dismissal for insubordination.
51 Socotra employees were dismissed for fomenting a strike. They found themselves in front of the company’s premises on the Bassam expressway complaining about their working conditions and the regular delay in their pay. We work for two months, we get paid for a month. We don’t have leave, we don’t have gratuities, we don’t have a school loan. A driver can make 25,000, 35,000,” said Ouattara Youssouf, representing strikers.
Socotra employees wanted to set up a union to defend their rights legally and improve their working conditions.However, Samy Mehry, director of the company and also deputy mayor of Lakota, refused to see a trade union movement born in his company. He categorically refused us the creation of a union in his company,” says Ouattara Youssouf.
Subsequently, the 51 employees began a two-day strike but under the threat of the director of Socotra in this case Jessica Tiah. “Those who will, this day, decide to go on strike, you will suffer the consequences.” , she said in a threatening tone on a video addressed to the strikers.Then, at the end of the first day of strike, the 51 strikers, some of whom had been working in Socotra for 19 years, were dismissed for insubordination. ‘There were insubordination reactions towards the Director General, the Operations Directorate and all those responsible who were present at the meeting. In an atmosphere of turmoil in front of their union friends, raising their voices and shouting at the general manager. What we found unacceptable as an administration. The employee can only be subordinated”, according to the legal authority.
However, workers do not intend to let themselves be so easily done. They plan to counter-attack by filing several appeals with the Labour Inspectorate and the Ministry of Employment. Recall that in 2020, a survey conducted in 144 countries by the Trade Union Confederation of Rights ranked Côte d’Ivoire 4th in the category of countries where there are “systematic violations of workers’ rights.”
The presidency of Togo has announced that the project to exploit the manganese mine of Nayega, located in the Savanes region in the north of the country, is entering its operational phase. According to a statement issued on June 10, 2025, production is scheduled to start at the end of June 2025, with an initial volume of 4,000 tons per month, which should gradually double to reach 8,000 tons per month.
Keras Resources is the technical partner retained by the Togolese government to carry out this project. A statement from Keras, relayed by the presidency, details that the company signed a cooperation agreement in 2023 with the Togolese state, owner of the mine through the Togolese Manganese Company (STM). Under the terms of this agreement, Keras will receive a remuneration of 1.5% of the mine’s gross revenue for three years for its advisory services, as well as 6% for brokering services.
The reserves of the Nayega mine are estimated at 8.5 million tonnes, which would allow exploitation over a period of 11 years. The authorities of Lomé welcome the expected contribution of the mine to the national budget, a benefit that should be strengthened by the rigorous management of the generated revenues, as indicated by our colleagues from Agence Afrique.
With a growing global demand for manganese, particularly in steel alloys and renewable energy technologies, Togo is seeking to assert itself as an essential supplier of this strategic ore. This positioning could play a catalytic role for the national economy, always according to information from the Africa Agency.
Source: senego / Photo credit: Republicoftogo.com
The Gabonese government decided on Friday to ban the import of broilers in order to promote national poultry production and ensure food security, according to the final communiqué of the council of ministers chaired by the head of state, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.
The ban will be effective from 1 January 2027, thus leaving a period of 18 months (1 year and 6 months) for actors in the sector to structure themselves, invest and prepare to meet national demand.
“This measure aims to restore domestic poultry production, boost agricultural investment, reduce food dependency and strengthen the trade balance,” the government hopes. Gabon also hopes to foster “the emergence of a network of rural jobs, the rise in quality of products consumed locally and the creation of an economic ecosystem around this sector”.
The government has also planned a detailed operational plan to be presented within 45 days by the ministers responsible for economy and trade.
Libreville dreams of reducing its dependence on poultry imports and strengthening the country’s food security. In addition, the promotion of local poultry farming should have a positive impact on rural areas, generating jobs and contributing to the development of a vibrant poultry ecosystem.
Imported frozen chicken is the most consumed food in Gabon because of its low price and packaging ready to be thrown into a pot.
“The star of the freezer” is how Gabonese people refer to frozen chicken because it is often the only food, if not the default food, found in the freezers of Gabonese families.
Frozen chicken and meat are generally imported from Latin America and Europe. Their massive presence on the market has destroyed local production.
The Council of Ministers also announced a ban on exporting crude manganese from 1 January 2029. The objective is to promote local industrial development, create jobs and maximize the value of this resource, of which Gabon is the world’s second largest producer.
Sources: gabonactu.com
Mauritania is in the spotlight. On Thursday, May 29, 2025, Sidi Ould Tah was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), at the annual meeting of the institution held in Abidjan. He succeeds Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria, in office since 2015.
His election came after a hard-fought duel against Samuel Munzele Maimbo of Zambia, who finished in second place. The election, which was marked by major geopolitical and economic issues, took place against a background of high expectations regarding governance and development financing on the continent.
The Senegalese Amadou Hott, long perceived as one of the favorites, finishes in third place, followed by the South African Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala. Despite significant diplomatic support, notably for Hott, the momentum in favour of Sidi Ould Tah has prevailed in the last few rounds.
Former minister and general manager of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), Sidi Ould Tah is recognized for his experience and strategic vision. He will officially take office on 1 September 2025.
Photo credit: Forbes Africa
