The Minister of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio, Christian Yoka, visited the General Directorate of La Congolaise des Eaux (LCDE) on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Brazzaville, where he met with its Managing Director, Parfait Chrisostome Makita, and his teams.

During this working session, the Managing Director first expressed his gratitude to his host for being the first Minister in charge of the public portfolio to visit the company since its creation in 2018. Parfait Chrisostome Makita then presented the company's alarming situation. "LCDE is a strategic instrument of the State, responsible for managing public urban and semi-urban water assets, specializing in the production, distribution, and marketing of water, as well as sanitation services. Its main challenge is to serve Congolese consumers," he explained.

Some alarming figures and challenges of LCDE

50% of subscribers are inactive, for various reasons, including the privilege granted to residents of the area affected by the March 4, 2012 disaster in Brazzaville; 50% of revenue absorbed by personnel costs; a plethora of staff transferred from the former National Water Distribution Company (SNDE), at a rate of 8.5 employees per 1,000 subscribers compared to the standard of 3 employees per 1,000 subscribers; the absence of a performance contract with the State; a subscription rate that has not been revised since 1994, the year of the devaluation of the CFA franc; The failure to fully implement the Pointe-Noire Drilling Project, despite the funding mobilized; a proliferation of private drilling, which alienates customers and creates pressure on groundwater; the failure to sign the State-LCDE Separation Treaty; the failure to collect receivables owed to the State, amounting to 3 billion CFA francs per year; and the tax burden;...

Difficulties

Among the difficulties highlighted by the Director General are the proliferation of private drilling, especially in Pointe-Noire; the instability of electricity supply in the structures; the increase in uncivil behavior, linked to large pipelines; recurring land erosion, which endangers large pipelines; the increase in sediment flow in rivers with the combined effects of climate change and uncontrolled occupation of the upstream watershed and the sanitary perimeter of water catchments (as in the case of Djiri in Brazzaville). Following the Director General's presentation, a few specific requests were made. These included the finalization of the sector's reform, including the management of the liabilities inherited from SNDE; the regular payment of 25% of the government's bills, the largest customer; and the handling of cross-debts.

A series of questions and answers followed.

In conclusion, Minister Christian Yoka took note of the various points presented and the requests expressed. He stated that this meeting was an initial contact, adding that "an action plan should be defined for the gradual resolution of the issues raised."

For the record, La Congolaise des Eaux was born from the ashes of the National Water Distribution Company, dissolved by Law No. 23-2018 of June 13, 2018, promulgated by the President of the Republic. Its creation, authorized by Decree No. 2018-297 of August 7, 2018, makes this company the first public limited company (société anonyme) managing public drinking water assets in Congo-Brazzaville.

The Communications Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio