The activities of three single points of goods clearance (GUD) and three branches of Congo postal bank (BPC) were officially launched, on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 January 2019, at Impfondo, Mokabi and Bétou, in the Likouala division, by Henri Loundou, cabinet director, representing Calixte Nganongo, Minister of Finance and Budget. 

The opening of single points of goods clearance (GUD) in the city of Impfondo and in the localities of Mokabi and Bétou will help simplify goods clearance procedures to economic operators and other customs users, modernise customs administration and secure State revenues.  “This launch is a relief for users as well as for Likouala customs administration, in general, and for the Impfondo city customs administration, in particular, that still handle manually customs clearance operations, without being able to connect to the Sydonia world information system”, said Henri Loundou. 

The three GUDs are located in the buildings housing the branches of BPC, as a partner in the customs administration modernization process. These branches are “combined” because they are dedicated to GUD operations, on the one hand, and to the traditional activities of a bank, on the other hand.  " The one-stop customs clearance, grouping at a single point the customs clearance formalities, contribute, no doubt, to secure State revenues and facilitate the life of customs users, in general, and to economic operators, in particular”, said Henri Loundou.

In his turn, Calixte Médard Tabangoli, Director General of this bank, partner to process of customs modernization, noted that each branch that has been inaugurated is not only dedicated to the operations of one-stop customs clearance (GUD), but also to traditional activities of a bank, consisting in making deposits, transfers of funds, withdrawals, etc.

“The customers of Congo Postal bank, in this northen part of Congo, will now have access to quality financial services. The Likouala civil servants will now receive their salaries at the same time as those in Brazzaville and all the other areas where our bank is located”, Mr. Tabangoli said. “Automated Teller Machines will soon be available in these three branches, offring electronic card holders the opportunity to make withdrawals at any time”,he added. Adding that with a network of 23 physical branches, the Congo postal bank has the largest banking presence in the country. It continues its installation, thus justifying its status of community bank”.

Users' satisfaction

“I am very happy to see a bank set up here Mokabi. As a teacher at the Mokabi school, I will no longer make trips to Impfondo or Brazzaville, to collect my salary as a civil servant” , Beatrice Babiri said.

“We used to go to Ouesso or Impfondo to do our bank transactions. For our society, the GUD-BPC partnership suits us. There will be transparency and safety in our revenues. We had problems with the transfer of checks that went astray. Today, I believe that with the computerization of operations, we will not have any more problems. It is a joy to receive this jewel”, an agent of the forestry company Mokabi S.A, exclaimed. 

Same story for the managers of logging company Likouala Timber, installed at Bétou. " We are excited about the installation of GUD in our locality. This will facilitate our transactions. The one-stop customs clearance comes to end the paperwork that is required of us during these customs operations.  From now on, we will not have to go to Owando or Brazzaville to make our customs payments”, they said.

 For posterity, it should be remembered that the splendor of the inauguration ceremony of the 3 GUD and 3 branches of BPC was enhanced by the presence of Pascal Mouélé, Secretary-General of Likouala division; Franck Siolo, cabinet director, reprresenting the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Digital Economy; Jean Faustin Efototo, deputy mayor of impfondo city, and local, civil, and military authorities.

I recall that 11 GUD in total have already been installed in Congo. In particular: two at Brazzaville and three at Pointe-Noire, in 2017 ; one at Ouesso; one at Pokola; one at Ngombé (in Sangha); one at Dolisie (in Niari); one at Sibiti (in Lékoumou) and one at Nkayi (in Bouenza), in 2018. 

The Press office of the Ministry of Finance