Government suspends Patasse oil firm

An oil company in the Central African Republic, belonging to former President Ange-Felix Patasse, was suspended on Tuesday from transacting business in the country, state-owned Radio Centrafrique reported. In a ministerial decision, Mining and Energy Minister Sylvain Ndoutingaye said Trans Oil was no longer authorised to import, distribute or sell oil nationwide. He directed customs officials and security forces to implement the suspension. Patasse has been in exile in Togo since former army chief of staff Francois Bozize ousted him in a coup on 15 March. Patasse was reported to own several commercial companies dealing in timber, diamonds, cotton and oil. Trans Oil became the third company linked to Patasse to have been suspended by the government. Two other mining and timber companies he owned were suspended in April. The latest suspension is among the measures that the government has taken to fight corruption in the revenue-generating sectors such as mining, timber and oil. Mining is the country’s second revenue-generating sector, after timber. The payment of tax arrears by 11 timber companies in April enabled the government to recover US $2 million that it used to pay that month’s salaries for civil servants. The government was reported to be planning a meeting to lay down its policy on mining before mining activities could resume. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Gabriel Gbodou announced on Sunday on Radio Centrafrique that investigations were going on into embezzlement of government funds during Patasse’s administration. In April, the state prosecutor of Bangui’s Court of First Instance froze all bank accounts for 26 former ministers who served during Patasse's administration.