The Congolese state, an employer of tax officials, owes them a total amount of 172 billion Congolese francs (CDF), or about 104 million US dollars, counting for the guarantee premium minimum guaranteed « surplus value » This is one of the main reasons for the strike that has been observed since last weekend at the General Tax Directorate.

Indeed, in previous negotiations with their employer, the DGI officials say they accepted the government’s constraint to pay 6% of the arrears of the capital gain for the year 2018 in two installments.

« The total of 20% represented 192 billion Congolese francs. But faced with the requirement of our employer, we agreed that he will pay first, in two installments, the 6% of the total amount to 35 billion Congolese francs. If it has released the first tranche of 20 billion CDF, the balance of 15 billion CDF has not expired. We sent him unsuccessful warnings, which is why we decided to use our strike rights, « said an agent of the DGI.

Before the strike is lifted, the tax officials are demanding not only that the balance of CDF 15 billion be paid to them but also that the remaining 14% of the arrears of 2018, the equivalent of CDF 157 billion, be paid to them. disposition. This represents an overall rating of 172 billion CDF.

This premium is due to the tax officials in case of exceeding the level of assignments receipts to mobilize. Thanks to a recent ministerial decree, the rate of application of this bonus has been reduced by the government. It went from 20 to 6% of the surplus mobilized.

For the year 2019, official reports indicate that assignments were exceeded from January to April, by which time the peak of 200% of achievements would have been reached. And this is the only month of this year for which the government paid the capital gain at the rate of 6%.

The social tensions that rose a notch last April partially contributed to low revenue mobilization. It suffices to note that for the month of May and June, the assignments of receipts to be mobilized have not been reached.

The innovation brought by this ministerial decree of May 2019 is to pay the « added value » at the end of each month during which the performance was carried out unlike in the past when it was necessary to wait until the end of a quarter.

There is also the reduction of the gap in the award of the bonus between a director and a bailiff at the DGI. And this, with the aim of favoring the working class. « If the director of the DGI receives 200,000 CDF [125 USD], the bailiff will receive 100 000 CDF [62.5 USD], » said the vice president of the DGI trade union delegation intervening at Radio Okapi.

The latest news, the strike continues in the tax administration while the union delegation calls the officers and agents to calm so that this decree does not suffer any disturbance.

If for the 157 billion Congolese francs nothing has yet been decided at the level of the employer, this is not the case for the 15 billion CDF of the second tranche expected since last May. According to a communiqué from the trade union delegation addressed to the agents and executives of the DGI, this balance of the capital gain should have been paid since July 9, 2019.

Emilie MBOYO