Gabon has just adopted a series of measures in line with the recommendations of the Task Force on the Restoration of Public Finances. This is one of the important decisions made at the cabinet meeting on November 16, 2018.
Chaired by Vice-President Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou, the Council of Ministers set in motion the recommendations of the Task Force. This working group, which met for one month, throughout May 2018, had released a roadmap on the reforms needed to restore the balance of public finances by 2020.
The note released since June 2018 starts from a rather alarming diagnosis of a public service that absorbs 59% of the State Budget where the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) sets a cap limited to 35%.
Often budging, these agencies tended to overlap and, for some, were empty and without prospects for sustainability. Added to this is the weakness of governance, causing slippages in management.
An interministerial council had considered the recommendations of the task force which were subsequently adopted by the Council of Ministers. This participatory approach was then endorsed by the General Secretariat of the Government in charge of implementation.
To redress the bar, immediate action was taken on November 16, 2018 in the Council of Ministers. Thus, the majority of personalized public institutions (PPE), or 60%, are undergoing urgent changes.
Of the 115 personal health facilities (PPEs) diagnosed, 70 are affected by delisting, amalgamation or change of activities and scope of action.
In practice, 15 PPEs have been removed. Most of them are agencies without optimal organization and without prospects. In terms of mergers, the housing sector sees the National Real Estate Corporation (SNI) absorbing the National Social Housing Corporation (SNLS). Both agencies had similar missions.
In the same vein, the Agency for Collection and Marketing of Agricultural Products, which has similar powers to the Agricultural Development Agency (ADAG), sees its missions delegated to the latter. In the field of Sport, the National Commission for the organization and management of events and events of a national and international nature, the FNDS and ANAGEISC, which have additional powers, have their missions delegated to the National Office of Sport.
Savings at the key
In addition, 11 agencies are experiencing changes in scope. The reformed EPP are attached to 7 ministries which cumulate many guardianships: Agriculture, Fishing and Sea, Waters, Forestry and Environment, Water and Energy, Sport, Culture and Tourism, Urbanism and Economy. These Cabinet decisions exclude future CPE reforms in the Health and Education sectors.
In the long term, these reforms will make it possible to achieve savings of around CFAF 3 billion a year. Savings will be realized on overall salaries for contractors, bonuses related to positions of responsibility for affected employees, mission operating costs, vehicles, fuel etc.
Part of the staff is composed of civil servants. These will be handed over to their original administration. As for the contractors, they will see their rights liquidated in practical terms.
Gabon continues its momentum which allows it today to obtain convincing results and to invest in priority measures as it was the case with their broad plan of restructuring of the education which had seen an ambitious plan of renovations schools.