Cameroon: Prime Minister Yang Philemon closing in on ghost workers

The story of the bloated Cameroon Civil Service and the financial incidence to the State purse is not new, with efforts to rein in culprits and their accomplices dating back to the mid eighties. However, each time the attempt is made to stem the scourge, the tricksters seem to become wiser by developing new techniques. Consequently, the State monthly wage bill has continued to rise exponentially without a truthful corresponding increase in the number of workers. And so, it was no surprise to watchers of the Cameroon Civil Service after it was announced in 2015 that at least 2,000 people were collecting undue salaries and allowances from the State.

Of particular concern were teachers who continued to collect teaching and research allowances long after being assigned to other positions outside of the classroom. Earlier in late August 2015, the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms published over 10,000 names of suspected ghost workers, giving them a week to clarify their situation. Those who failed to do so were going to have their salaries cut, the Ministry warned. The measure was in line with the transition from the current management of State employees with two softwares - the Integrated Computerised System of Human Resources, SIGIPES and Antelope.

The new system will merge the two softwares. It is against this backdrop that Prime Minister Philemon Yang instructed that only civil servants recognised by their user ministries be transferred to the new computerised system, SIGIPES II. The Permanent Secretary of Administrative Reforms, Chancel Ako Takem, explained that the 10,000 workers could not be identified as belonging to any ministry. He therefore urged them to meet Directors of Human Resources in their ministries to clear the air.