Does Moov-Togo operate in a zone of no right? : Blocking of accounts by partners STTS and TDS, 4 billion invoices unpaid to Ericson, corruption, daily repatriation of receipts
Is the telecommunications sector in Togo facing serious discomfort? Obviously, things do not seem to evolve in the right direction at the level of the company Moov-Togo, bought for some years by Maroc Telecom. It must be remembered that Moov's ancestor in Togo was TELECEL before being bought by the emirates of the Etisalat group. It was the latter who sold the group to Maroc Telecom on the continent. The acquisition by Maroc TELECOM, which foreshadowed a brighter future for MOOV, its employees and partners, turned into disillusionment for both.
Morocco TELECOM's unorthodox methods, which not only do not concern itself with the best conditions of its employees, but also do not respect any contract signed by its partners, in particular STTS, TDS, SOMAC, TDIS in charge of distribution and ERICSON group, which is responsible for maintaining the equipment and maintaining the network.
MOOV-Togo Staff still looking for better working conditions MOOV-Togo
had a very busy mood last year, not because of a promotion that would have attracted customers, but because of a Strike initiated by the staff union. This was the first ever since the acquisition of the company by Maroc TELECOM. In a rosary of grievances transmitted to those who remained silent, we can note: "Deplorable working conditions, obsolete equipment, damped computers, congested server, printer and copiers inoperative, computer network infested, lack of anti-virus update, old vehicle and fleet, understaffed team, Vacancies, degradation of the quality of service in all the departments, maintenance of the premises and the air conditioning, insalubrious, premises, toilets broken down etc ". It is almost an air of apocalypse that rages in this society if we stick to the description of the staff. But in the face of this situation, the new masters in conquered territory had only contempt and disdain for the staff, hence the use of strikes to make themselves heard. More than a year later, the lines did not move too much, According to a union official. If the former Director was disembarked for a new more or less open, the fact remains that most of the claims, including increases in salaries and bonuses have not been followed up.
By taking control of the MOOV company two years ago, Moroccans carried out a veritable rampage of jobs to save money. Under the pretext of promoting the Togolese cadres, the new bosses landed the 14 heads of department that were in the company. Mostly foreigners and a few Togolese who were between 8 and 10 million CFA francs. While they were expected to name the Togolese in their places, with the same wages and advantages it is the great disenchantment. First, some departments were abolished and the few Togolese recruited found themselves with far lower salaries and increases at the limit of an insult. Between 2500 F CFA and 15 000. When the concerned ones wanted to protest, the first managers of the box merely to say that it is in fact transfer and not promotion. And yet the new heads of department are more charged than before. This resulted in cascading resignations and several cases (at least 15) before the courts. The former CEO of the company, Djibril Ouattara had to go through the justice box to obtain his rights. The same applies to the 14 heads of department disembarked to the hussar and another DG who are currently on trial with MOOV-Togo before the courts for refusing to pay the rights of dismissal.
MOOV-Togo and non-compliance with its commitments
It is "La Lettre du Continent" in its No. 755 of June 14, 2017, which reported a dispute between Moov-Togo and the STTS (Société Togolaise de Telecommunications and services), a subsidiary of the Ivorian Investment Corporation (SII). "Idriss Diallo has put its activities on stand-by in Togo. This decision follows a dispute with the telecommunications operator Moov, a subsidiary of the Maroc TELECOM group. According to our information, STTS was for several years exclusive distributor of Moov-Togo products, before a new management led by the Moroccan Abdellah Tabhiret, successor of the Ivorian Djibril Ouattara, decides to stop using STTS. The latter would consider pursuing Moov before the Togolese courts, The brother informed us online.
The history of this partnership and the terms go back to 2011, as can be seen in the memorandum sent by the Moov-Togo partners to the Minister of Posts and the Digital Economy. A document that did not follow up on the part of the ministry; And yet this distribution partnership has boosted the company's turnover from one billion to five billion a month. The STTS, Transcom, TDS and SOMAC were the partners of Moov Togo in the distribution of the products, according to the geographical demarcation in facsimile. Under the terms of the contract contained in the memorandum above, the obligations of both parties were clearly defined. But the new managers of Moov began by evading their obligations by releasing themselves from the payment of franchises (costs of renting the buildings of the partners and others); Significant amounts are levied on the partners in violation of the terms of the contract. For managers of companies that employ dozens of salespeople (150 to 200 per company), who have loads (wages, motorcycles, fuel, vests, etc.) and who have taken lines of credit from the banks of the place, The situation was increasingly untenable. Despite the 5 billion monthly income, Moov refuses to pay the debts to its partners. This situation led to the departure of STTS to which it owes more than 500 million. TDS also chose to take the door. These two companies are currently on trial with Moov in court and have managed to block his accounts at a bank in the place. To replace the two companies that slammed the door, Moov officials hastened to bring two companies from Benin who are currently operating on the ground without a contract.
Contracts with promotion agencies are also not respected. More seriously, Moov has to date more than 4 billion to its technical partner Ericsson, who intervenes in the maintenance of sites, including relay antennas, equipment, network. This partner is sometimes obliged to sabotage the network to be paid part of its invoices causing inconvenience for the customers.
Repatriation every evening of funds to Morocco.
Since the acquisition of the company, the new Moroccan owners have made no major investment in Togo. The grievances of the staff who observed a strike last year speak volumes about the age of the equipment and the network. And yet, monthly turnover has grown exponentially, from one billion 80 million to 5 billion per month. Like all the multinationals that plunder Black Africa, Moov officials each night return the proceeds to Morocco via the banks of their country in Togo. The most surprising thing is that after repatriating the funds, they still take loans from Togolese banks to pay the dividends to the shareholders. Unbelievable ! Speaking of shareholders, a regulation of ART & P (Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority), in particular Article 5 of the specification, requires Moov to transfer 30% of the share capital of the holder to physical and legal persons of Togolese nationality.
We recall this threat of license withdrawal from this company when it was still owned by the Atlantic Telecom Togo group. But nothing did, and the Moroccans, since their arrival, reluctant to yield the 30% of the shares to the Togolese. Worse, for the registration formalities, they refused to pay, pushing the presumptuousness to summon the OTR before the courts, a first in Togo. It is only recently that they began to pay the fees which are a small value compared to the purchase price of the company Atlantique TELECOM Togo.
What is the state doing about this scandalous situation?
This is a question that is both relevant and worrying, except to think that Togo is a no-man's land that Moroccans have discovered, and so they can do whatever they want. The memorandum of the partner companies sent to the Ministry of Posts and the Digital Economy has never been followed up. Negligence, contempt or complicity with the new masters of Moov? It appears, according to several sources, that the ministerial authority manifests a great sympathy towards Moov as Togocel. Is it a motivated sympathy? However, since his arrival in Togo, Maroc TELECOM has not complied with any regulations in force, as we have just described throughout this article. More, It uses corruption of magistrates in the disputes that oppose it to its partners before the courts. There must be a strong reaction from the State to stop the haemorrhage, especially the systematic repatriation of funds from all the multinationals set up in Togo.
Our moves with the company Moov to have their opinion on these numerous grievances brought against them by their partners have not been followed up. The same applies to the STTS Board. Good to follow
MEMO TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MINISTER OF ICT
(ON THE SITUATION WITH ATT - MOOV-Togo)
I- HISTORICAL
reminder, the partnership system (exclusive distribution) started in 2011. Before the implementation of this system , The achievements of MOOV Togo did not exceed more than one billion FCFA per month. Since the advent of this system, which has been promoted by private partners-mainly STTS and MOOV for the city of Lomé-, the achievements have more than quadrupled and this is undoubtedly due to the action of these exclusive distributing partners.
Indeed, it is the exclusive distributing partners who have been able to invest and deploy a substantial distribution network in the field, assuming all the commercial risks (flights, diversions, sales force traffic accidents, inclement weather ...). The cost of all these risks was deferred by A TT-MOOV on the Partners.
In a market that has become competitive, The partners contributed to customer loyalty and the availability of products through door-to-door marketing.
As the main obligations of the operator, MOOV had to:
- Assign each partner a zone of exclusivity,
- Ensure the marketing actions and make available to each partner the visibility equipment,
- Ensure the availability of products ,
- Provide partners with working capital in product value corresponding to the defined need of the allocated area,
- Remunerate the partner with a commission of 2% calculated on the amount removed and added to the removal carried out,
- Remunerate The partner by a 3% discount at the end of the month on the total purchases of the month, Despite the increase in turnover, the dividends received are falling. The partners immediately reacted. From June 2013 to the present, more than 20 letters were sent to MOOV without any reaction from him. II - CONCERNS. 1. Stagnation of the commissioning rate since the beginning of the partnership. When the partnership agreements were signed, the commission rate was set at 2%. Since 2011, this rate has not been subject to any increase, notwithstanding the increase each year, in the assigned objectives, which require more effort and investment in their implementation. Inflation and therefore the rise in prices obliging the partners (as trading companies) to increase their operating costs, including wages, Is not even taken into account. 2. Reduction in the drawback rate In 2013, the rate of turnover was unilaterally sailed. Against all odds, its allocation was sailed in the light of new allocation criteria, all of which led rather to an effective reduction of this rate. All the partners have lost on the rebate actually paid, instead of winning. The punctures made by MOOV were consequent. 3. Punctuation of patronage dividends On 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the change in the drawback rate from 3% to 3.2%, and moreover with a number of award criteria, resulted in a total More than 600 million CFA francs and at the same time, MOOV submits the partners to the provision of a bank guarantee which also costs bank fees. Remaining invoices have been sent to MOOV who until then has not honored them. 4. Method and Time for payment of the dividend The dividend paid to the partners is made in products (in EVD). This method is detrimental to the partners, insofar as the partner is obliged to sell the products, to recover the money (risk of loss and / or diversion at the level of the sales force) before facing these own expenses . In addition, the payment of the EVD dividend obliges the partners to transfer 5% of the amount to the POS who are the final distributors. MOOV does not compensate for these 5% which are then borne by the Partners, which reduces their net gain. There too, Invoices of remnants were sent to MOOV who until then had not honored them. 5. Splitting of the exclusivity zone Since November 2016, MOOV unilaterally redefined the exclusivity zones of TRANSCOM and STTS, reducing their respective areas by 35%. Since this action was neither concerted nor discussed, the turnover was reduced consequently, while the charges remained the same. III - PROPOSALS. On the basis of the foregoing, the partners of A TT - MOOV propose the following provisions: 1. Compliance with the clauses of the initial contract a. Respect of the exclusive area dedicated since 2011 and contained in the initial contract, b. Removal and payment within a week, c. Commission of 2% to the abduction, d. Discount of 3% at the end of the month (to be strictly observed, except in case of proven failure). e. Payment of the end-of-month rebate by check within eight days. 2. Regularization of previous situations ( a) Payment of invoices for% of rebates returned to points of sale, (b) Payment of the accumulated deduction on the 3% of the drawback due.
Comments
Post a Comment