Biya orders dismissal of absentee state employees after 2018 census ⁰

Cameroonian President Paul Biya has directed the dismissal of all state employees who have been absent without justification or suspended from the payroll following the 2018 Physical Headcount of State Personnel (Coppe). This decision, outlined in a circular on October 23, is part of the preparations for the 2025 state budget.

In the circular, President Biya orders the completion of the contentious phase of the Coppe operation by 2025, which will involve permanently removing all identified personnel from the state payroll. These individuals have either been absent without justification, resigned without reporting it, or passed away without official notification. He also called for continued efforts to clean up the payroll system, including removing employees who have resigned and closing salary or pension accounts that were improperly collected.

The 2018 census exposed thousands of irregular cases within the public workforce. By the end of the operation, 8,766 state employees were found to be in violation of payroll rules. Despite multiple warnings and notifications from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Public Service, only 601 of these employees responded to disciplinary hearings, according to a statement by Public Service Minister Joseph Lé on October 13, 2022.

As of early 2024, many employees still had not complied and remained suspended by their respective departments. Among them were 2,326 teachers who had been flagged for “irregular absence” following various reports, according to a January 17, 2024, statement by Secondary Education Minister Nalova Lyonga.

This latest directive from President Biya aims to finally resolve the issue by removing these non-compliant employees from the state payroll system.

Source: Business in Cameroon