(Business in Cameroon) - In 2016, Cameroonian civil service employed 226,076 people, including 140,533 civil servants (grades A to D) and 85,543 contract agents (categories 1 to 12), representing 2.2% of the population. This was revealed by the World Bank in a report on the country’s public expenditures.

According to the document, the government hires a significant number of contract agents in addition to the technical workforce, mainly in category 8, which equates to grades B1 or B2 of the statutory law.

In 2012, contract workers made up 42% of the public service workforce. In 2015, following the tenure of some contract teachers, they represented 37% of public servants.

However, the bank wrote, although they represent a large share of public service staff, the contract workers do not benefit from “the same level of job security and incentives, since their salaries and bonuses are significantly lower than those of their civil service counterparts”.

Also, the state agents benefit from internal training that are not offered to contract agents. In an equivalent position, the latter receive a 20 to 30% lower salary.

As a result, according to the World Bank, the survey on personnel management in the Cameroonian civil service confirms that 90% of staff, particularly those that are not in management positions and contract agents, are not satisfied with their level of remuneration.

“This situation can only be detrimental to the quality of the services provided and the results,” World Bank concludes.

Sylvain Andzongo