DRC GOVT Accuses Chinese contract and local Officials of overcharging for Infrastructure work
The over-invoicing of infrastructure works noted in the agreement signed in 2008 between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the group of Chinese companies formed by China Airways Corporation and Synohydro would be the work of Congolese officials.
According to sources close to the case, the leaders of the Congolese Agency for Major Works (ACGT) and Moïse Ekanga, former official responsible for coordinating and monitoring the famous “mines against infrastructure” contract are indexed in this case.
In addition, Chinese companies accepted the revision of the Convention to correct the errors which caused the Democratic Republic of Congo to lose several billion dollars.
“The Chinese companies under pressure accept the revisitation of the Convention and reject the responsibility for the overcharging of the infrastructure works to the Congolese themselves”, inform sources close to the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF).
The Technical Control Bureau (BTC) reported that of the 822 million US dollars that were disbursed by SICOMINES for infrastructure works, only 300 million dollars actually landed in the Treasury.
According to this report, 522 million USD took a path other than that for which they were disbursed. This suggests that the managers of this ambitious road and other infrastructure development project throughout the national territory have excelled in shenanigans causing a loss of more than 500 million dollars to the Congolese State.
The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) denounced the “imbalances” of the Chinese contract signed in 2008 between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the group of Chinese companies.
According to the IGF, the Congolese State only received 800 million USD out of revenues estimated at 10 billion USD in the operation of SICOMINES.
The same document of the IGF informs that the Chinese have earned, during 14 years, about 90.9 billion US dollars against commitments to their charge of 6.2 billion USD.
According to the IGF report, “SICOMINES has mobilized, in 14 years, financing for a total amount of 4,471,588,685.14 USD and has only allocated 822,190,060.14 USD for infrastructure works, i.e. 18.38% of the total financing mobilized. »
The General Inspectorate of Finance also notes a glaring weakness and the modesty of infrastructure investments.
The IGF’s investigations also revealed the lack of visibility and impact of the works carried out and their unjustified selectivity in violation of Annex C of the Agreement of April 22, 2008.
To date, eligible work performed is valued at $534,902,461.66 and non-eligible work performed is valued at $287,287,598.42.
