Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2007, publiée 97ème session CIT (2008)

Further to its previous observation, the Committee has been in receipt of the report of the joint technical committee, which was set up in March 2006, to study the possibility of unfreezing the salaries of civil servants and to evaluate the amount of accumulated wage arrears in the public sector. As regards the wage debt, the technical committee estimated that public employees, including fixed and short-term staff as well as support or project personnel, experienced serious problems with the regular payment of their wages during two distinct periods, i.e. from 1992 to 1993 and again from 1998 to 2003. According to the technical committee’s report, this prolonged situation of non-payment of wages reduced civil servants to destitution and misery practically depriving them of access to even essential consumer goods. The technical committee concluded that the overall wage debt for both periods amounted to CFA70.05 billion (approximately US$143 million) and formulated three alternative proposals concerning a possible time framework for the partial or total settlement of such debt.

While taking due note of the findings and recommendations of the joint technical committee, which confirm the gravity and extent of the problem of unpaid wages in the public sector, the Committee notes with concern that the Government’s report does not contain any indication as to the follow-up action it intends to take. In the light of the findings and recommendations of the joint technical committee established to determine the amount of accumulated wage arrears in the public sector, the Committee urges the Government to take the necessary steps in order to implement a time-bound plan for the final settlement of all outstanding wage payments.

In addition, the Committee understands that the Government has recently received financial assistance from international institutions and donor countries, such as the European Union, the African Development Bank and the Government of France, in part to help its arrears clearance operations. The Committee asks the Government to provide detailed particulars on any arrangements which may have been put in place or envisaged as regards the use of the foreign assistance in tackling the ongoing wage crisis.