A few weeks after the Head of State entrusted him with the management of the general directorates of customs and taxes, the Minister of the Budget, Public Accounts and Public Portfolio, Ludovic Ngatsé, made his first visit to these two main financial authorities on August 8, to encourage them to maximize revenue and replenish the public treasury.
The Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and Public Portfolio took advantage of his visit to get an idea of how these two general directorates operate. He reminded Guénolé Mbongo Koumou, Director General of Customs and Indirect Taxes, and his colleague in charge of Taxes and Estates, Ludovic Itoua, of the responsibility that falls on their administrations to replenish the State coffers, in accordance with the Finance Act.
” The Head of State wants us to have, very quickly, results in terms of customs and taxes to replenish the public treasury. Our performances in customs and tax matters are widely perceptible. It is with this in mind that I am registering to implement the measures decided by the Treasury and Resource Mobilization Committee in order to enable us to achieve the objectives set ,” stressed Ludovic Ngatsé.
To do this, the minister indicated that short, long and medium term measures have been taken to meet the expected challenge. The long term measures, he explained, are structural reforms that the administration has planned to hope to overcome the obstacles that are holding back the good momentum taken towards the maximization of public revenues, necessary for the country.
The short-term measures planned, according to him, concern all the technical provisions taken to combat bad practices used by executives assigned to the task, which encourage tax evasion.
” We must do our utmost to ensure that the results are noticeable, because our country needs sufficient resources for its optimal functioning. The Congolese expect a lot from us so that the treasury is replenished, replenished so that the State’s expenses are financed ,” he reminded them.
In this approach, Ludovic Ngatsé asked each general management to urgently develop a special work plan that would allow all the assigned objectives to be achieved. He also announced that certain exemptions will be removed in order to promote the increase in revenue.
Addressing the managers and executives of these two general directorates, the minister was educational, but very firm with anyone involved in the misappropriation of public funds throughout the fundraising process.” Without frustrating or scaring anyone, I will not pay the price in place of offenders. A series of assessments will be carried out to identify repeat offenders before taking action ,” promised the Budget Minister.
Regarding the grievances submitted to him by the two general directorates, Ludovic Ngatsé stressed that the government will do everything possible to guarantee them what is their right.
