In Matadi, in the heart of Kongo-Central, the National Transport Office (ONATRA) is at the heart of the news for a very specific reason: the concession of the port of Matadi to the American firm Africa Global Logistic. This government decision provoked a protest movement by ONATRA workers, who gathered en masse to express their disagreement with the project. Dressed in red, a symbol of their determination, these workers demonstrated through the streets of the city, submitting a memorandum demanding the pure and simple cancellation of this contract deemed “Machiavellian”.
The mobilization of ONATRA workers raises essential questions in terms of the consequences that this concession could have on the country and the local population. Armand Ossase, head of the National Intersyndicale of ONATRA, highlights the fact that thanks to the payment of debts owed by the government to ONATRA, this company could recover without needing to cede the port of Matadi to a foreign company.
The planned date for the implementation of this concession project is set for the beginning of June 2024, leaving little time for the authorities and workers to make their voices heard and try to obtain a cancellation of this contract.
This mobilization of ONATRA workers underlines the importance of social dialogue in making strategic decisions for the country. It is essential that the provincial and national authorities take into account the legitimate demands of workers to guarantee a peaceful future for ONATRA and for the population of Matadi.