The Noépé-Akanu juxtaposed checkpoint (PCJ), located 30 km east of Lomé (Togo) on the border with Ghana, will be operational from next November, the Togolese authorities announced. This, seven years after its official inauguration.
“As part of the effective operationalization of the Noépé-Akanu Juxtaposed Control Post (PCJ) and the redefinition of the Abidjan-Lagos corridor, the Commissioner General of the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR) brings operators to the attention of economic that from November 1, 2021, customs clearance operations for goods in transit, from or from Ghana to Togo or other countries are imperatively housed at the juxtaposed checkpoint of Noépé-Akanu ”, indicates a press release from the Togo financial authority.
“This covers goods loaded in ports, factories, warehouses or other similar facilities from Ghana. The same applies to the customs transit of goods from or from Togo to Ghana or other countries “, the same source specifies.
With regard to the traffic of various goods purchased on the Ghanaian or Togolese market, the press release concludes, customs clearance formalities are domiciled at the Customs Operations Division of Kwadjoviakopé and at the Customs office of Ségbé, located in Togo.
Commitments made on both sides
Long awaited, the announcement of the operationalization of this post inaugurated on November 3, 2014 by Faure Gnassingbé and John Dramani Mahama (then president of neighboring Ghana) follows an inter-state ministerial meeting held on October 8 between Togo and Ghana, both members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). This meeting brought together, among others, the Ministers of Public Works, Security, Foreign Affairs, and the Commissioner of Infrastructure of the ECOWAS Commission.
Several decisions were taken during this meeting: it involves, among other things, the establishment of a provisional management committee made up of all those responsible at the national level of border services, chaired alternately on an annual basis by the responsible for the customs of each country. Likewise, the Commissioner General of OTR and his counterpart in Ghana, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, have made a commitment to take appropriate action on the immediate needs of the post, in a fair and even manner. to contribute up to one million USD by each country, for the immediate implementation of the works aimed at making the site operational, before the end of the year.
Difficulties
Indeed, we learned from this meeting requested by Presidents Faure Gnassingbé and Nana Akufo-Addo, the post faces several logistical obstacles which are delaying the start of its activities, despite the meetings held since 2014 by the two parties: difficulties relating to the sustainable supply of electricity, water supply, internet connectivity and mobile telephony; interconnection of the customs IT systems of the two countries; operation and maintenance of the scanner, the weighbridge and other equipment; maintenance and day-to-day management of the site; as well as the strengthening of the security of the post located in Togo.
