New Work Card Triggers Debate
A fresh administrative document labelled the “work card” began circulating this week among Congo-Brazzaville’s public-transport drivers, introduced by the Congolese Employment Agency. Within hours the Federation of Transport Professionals’ Unions of Congo, FESYPTC, challenged the move, warning of economic and institutional ripple effects (FESYPTC statement, 5 Dec).
Ngatsé Itoua Mbola, FESYPTC’s secretary for economic affairs, argues that the card, which carries a compulsory fee, lacks a clear legal anchor in the current Finance Laws. He fears it may burden thousands of drivers still recovering from pandemic-era revenue shocks and recent fuel-price volatility.
Media coverage of the initiative, largely favourable to the drive for formalisation, has nonetheless highlighted the unusual speed of implementation. ACPE offices in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire reportedly began issuing cards without a transitional pilot phase, fuelling concern inside transport collectives (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 6 Dec).
Legal and Fiscal Context
FESYPTC’s core argument is that tax measures must be enacted by Parliament and embedded in the annual Budget Law. Because the work card fee appears only in an internal ACPE circular, the union maintains that the measure could be vulnerable to legal challenge in administrative court.
Government sources underline that the card seeks to consolidate labour statistics, ease social-security enrolment and fight informal employment. They insist that enabling decrees derive from both the Labour Code and the 2023 National Employment Strategy, approved by Cabinet earlier this year.
Practitioners acknowledge that formalisation raises fiscal revenue in the medium term, yet stress the need for predictability. “Our business models rely on stable licensing costs,” explained a Brazzaville bus-company CFO, requesting anonymity. “Any surprise levy, even moderate, distorts cash-flow forecasts and complicates fleet-financing talks.”
Operational Implications for Drivers
Most professional drivers already carry a licence, an insurance certificate and often a municipal badge. Mbola fears a fourth card will multiply road-control checkpoints, slowing urban mobility. He warns that delays could erode passenger trust and sap productivity across the logistics chain.
Union surveys estimate that a typical bus driver spends nearly one working day each month queuing for document renewals. Adding the work card could raise compliance hours by 17 % and indirect costs by CFA 20,000 yearly, according to FESYPTC’s internal economic note shared with members.
However, ACPE counters that the new credential consolidates several data points into a single QR code, potentially reducing roadside inspections once digital readers are deployed. A pilot scan at Talangaï terminus reportedly cleared buses in under two minutes, significantly below current averages.
Institutional Coordination Challenge
Beyond fees, FESYPTC points to overlapping mandates between the Employment Agency, the Ministry of Transport and municipal traffic services. The union sees the work card as a symptom of fragmented governance that can deter private investment in rolling stock and smart-mobility solutions.
Analysts recall that transport oversight was split in 2021 among three ministries after an administrative reform aimed at accelerating project delivery. While the policy improved turnaround times for port permits, it left land-transport responsibilities partly diffused, creating grey zones for compliance.
Officials argue that inter-ministerial coordination has improved, citing the Joint Transport Taskforce that convenes monthly. Still, stakeholders agree that a clearer roadmap is necessary to reassure financiers eyeing mass-transit concessions in Brazzaville and the deep-sea port corridor.
Proposal for National Dialogue
In response, FESYPTC calls for nationwide États généraux of land transport to define a shared vision, from strategic corridors to driver welfare. The union wants all ministries, agencies, employers and worker groups at the same table under the auspices of the Prime Minister.
Such forums have precedent: the 2014 Energy Roundtable unified tariff methodology and unlocked US$1.1 billion in grid investment within two years. Transport economists therefore view a similar exercise as a pragmatic path to align regulatory, fiscal and social objectives.
FESYPTC emphasises that dialogue would not suspend the work card indefinitely but could re-sequence its rollout, integrate it with digital licensing and adjust fees to drivers’ income levels. ACPE has signalled openness to technical talks once formal invitations are issued.
Investment Outlook for Ground Transport
Despite the current debate, Congo-Brazzaville’s land-transport market retains growth fundamentals: urban population is expanding at 3.7 % annually, and supply-chain diversification linked to oil-service localisation is lifting freight demand. Market studies value the segment at CFA 220 billion by 2027, up from around CFA 150 billion today.
Investors will watch whether the work card evolves into a broader digital-identity platform, enabling e-ticketing, credit scoring and safer vehicle-financing structures. Regional banks already pilot pay-as-you-drive loans in neighbouring economies, contingent on reliable driver data – precisely what ACPE hopes the card can generate.
For now, stakeholders appear aligned on a pragmatic solution: refine the legal basis, clarify institutional roles and stage a phased deployment. A constructive approach could turn a contested document into a springboard for formalisation, efficiency and inclusive growth across Congo-Brazzaville’s vital transport arteries.
