DRC: “the Congo is not for sale” warns the the public against Gertlers YABISO project
During its exchange of vows ceremony held this Thursday, January 14, the campaign “Congo is not for sale” (CNPAV), dwelled on the YABISO project, initiated by the Israeli businessman Dan Gertler. For this NGO synergy, Gertler’s project is the work of financial embezzlement.
“We are alerting the general public to know that Dan Gertler is under American sanctions, which is why his transactions for the YABISO project will be done in euros. A sign that he cannot use US dollars, ”said CNPAV member Jimmy Kande.
Therefore, the CNPAV calls on the competent authorities to open an investigation into the activities of Dan Gertler in the DRC.
“To political and administrative officials to open an investigation into the activities of Dan Gertler in the Congo; to order the mining companies KCC, MUMI and Metalkol to suspend the payments of royalties to the latter pending the conclusions of the investigation, because this money is that of Gécamines and therefore of the Congolese people ”, recommends the Congo is not to sell.
Jean-Pierre Okenda, member of Resource Matters, a member structure of CNPAV, declared, during his intervention at this activity, that “Dan Gertler has been at the heart of corruption in the mining and oil sector for more than 20 years” . According to him, this Israeli businessman “is making Gécamines and the government lose a lot of money”.
He is surprised that despite the American sanctions weighing on him, his activities continue to operate peacefully in the DRC.
The CNPAV is committed to continuing its fight focused on the fight against corruption
The “Congo is not for sale” campaign announces that it will continue its fight focused on the fight against corruption during this year. She remains convinced that the revitalization of the Court of Auditors will effectively contribute to the fight against corruption in the DRC.
“We wanted to take stock of the various files of the CNPAV and called on the population and our partners to a general mobilization to fight corruption in 2021. The President of the Republic has promised to revitalize the Court of Auditors. We continue to expect a lot of results in this direction, ”said Jimmy Kande.
For his part, Jean-Michel Mvondo, executive secretary of RECIC (Civic Education Network in Congo), a member organization of the CNPAV, stressed the importance of revitalizing the Court of Accounts.
“The Congolese Court of Auditors has no jurisprudence because it has not counted any judgment since it existed. It looks like a knife that can’t cut a banana, ”he said.
CNPAV recommendations
In addition to questions relating to Dan Gertler and the revitalization of the Court of Auditors, the Congo is not for sale calls on the political and judicial authorities to open, in accordance with the statements of the President of the Republic, a judiciary on suspicion of corruption during the last elections of senators and governors as well as those observed during the breakdown of the FCC-CACH coalition.
To the ministers of mines and of the portfolio, to publish all the contracts of state-owned companies in the extractive sector in accordance with the laws of the Republic and the rules of the EITI.
