Joseph Lé, Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform (Minfopra), announced in an information note dated March 5 that the government has dismissed another 232 civil servants. This move follows the contentious phase of the Physical Headcount of State Personnel (Coppe) operation, launched in 2018 to tackle chronic absenteeism among public sector employees.

According to the new list of dismissed civil servants, reviewed by SBBC, teachers make up the vast majority of those removed from the public workforce this month. For years, the government has expressed concern over the growing number of teachers abandoning their posts.

In September 2024, Pauline Nalova Lyonga, Minister of Secondary Education (Minesec), confirmed these concerns, accusing school principals of shielding absentee teachers. She asserted that most of these “deserters” are now living abroad. Minesec officials argue that these absences severely disrupt curriculum coverage.

To curb the exodus of teachers to foreign countries, the government enlisted airport authorities to block their departures from national territory. However, this measure faced opposition from the Bar Association’s president, who spoke out against it in February 2024. “If I don’t want to stay in Cameroon and work, blocking me at the airport won’t make me stay,” said Atty. Mbah Eric Mbah in an interview, adding, “You don’t solve a problem by addressing superficial aspects.”

So far, a total of 4,556 state employees have been removed from the public service roster since the launch of Operation Coppe, which remains ongoing.

Source: Sbbc