Police Ordered To Impound Administrative Vehicles

By Joe Dinga Pefok

The police have been given firm instructions to impound, from February 1, administrative vehicles including those used by Ministers and Governors, which would not have the 2005 windscreen licence.
The only exception is administrative vehicles used by the military and forces of law and order.
This disclosure was made by a delegation from the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Yaounde, at a high-level meeting that held at the banquet hall of the Littoral Governor’s office, on January 25.

Isaac Jovonang, who was also the personal representative of the Minister of Economy and Finance, headed the delegation.
The meeting, which was on information and sensitisation on the 2005 Finance Law, was also to launch the execution of the 2005 budget in the Littoral Province.

Meanwhile, administrative authorities, Provincial Delegates and Directors at the meeting, looked embarrassed when told “a windscreen license for an administrative vehicle is paid for with personal money, by the person or authority who uses the vehicle.”

A loud exclamation of astonishment swept through the hall, while some Delegates and Directors questioned how on earth an individual should be the one to pay a tax for a state-owned vehicle.

But the delegation from Yaounde, which was reinforced by the Littoral Provincial Finance authorities, led by the Provincial Controller of Finance, Joseph Mbita, advised all the authorities in the Province with administrative vehicles to do everything to eschew public embarrassment or humiliation. This, they have to do by buying windscreen licenses before February 1, because nobody would be spared.

In his reaction, Littoral Governor, Gounokou Haounaye, told those grumbling that administrative authorities have not been spared. He said it was a sacrifice to be made by all.

Referring to the 2005 state budget, as a budget of grandes ambitions, the Governor urged all state employees in the Province to be prepared to sacrifice whatever is required of them in the 2005 Finance Law.
He said the sacrifices will be part of their own contributions to help the country reach the Completion Point of the Highly Indebted Poor Country, HIPC, Initiative, and thus support President Biya’s fight against poverty in the country.

Stringent Measures

Corroborating the Governor, the Finance authorities explained that many new measures in the 2005 Finance Law are mostly in accordance with recommendations of the Bretton Woods Institutions. They said the measures are meant to help Cameroon reach the Completion Point of the HIPC Initiative.

Mbita presented a list of 18 stringent measures that are to be strictly applied in the execution of the 2005 budget. The measures are aimed at increasing revenue collection for the state coffers, as well as curbing fraud, embezzlement and mismanagement of state revenue and material.

One of the measures is that no civil servant should go on mission for more than 100 days in a year. Anything more would not be authorised or paid for.

Also, in a bid to put an end to the over-costing (inflated bills), government projects or supplies, the government has prepared a document containing the maximum costs/prices of projects and supplies. All treasuries have copies, and no paymaster will authorise payment for any bill whose cost is more than the maximum amount fixed by government, no matter who awarded or authorised the contract.

Further more, all government credits not used before November 30, 2005, would be simply annulled by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Enterprises in difficulties and those under liquidation are not to be awarded public contracts. Government-sponsored seminars are to be reduced to the minimum number. Per diems will be reduced or not even paid in some cases.

Taxes will henceforth, be paid on money won by stakers in games. Throwing more light on this issue, the Finance authorities stated that whereas PMUC, for example, has all along been paying its taxes, stakers, who have over the years won hundreds of FCFA millions from the company, never paid a franc to the government.

Meanwhile, the Finance authorities said the Littoral Province, which hosts the nation’s economic capital, Douala, is to contribute more than 50 percent of the revenue to the 2005 state budget.

Comments

[neba funiba]

Two points in this article grab my attention. (1) Civil servants who use admnistrative vehicles are being asked to "sacrifice" and pay for official windshield stickers, which may not be too much to ask in times of financial shortfalls. Is buying a new plane biya's way of sacrifice? (2) I am very aware of aspects of the HIPC Initiative--The Initiative does not call for a government of largess and/or selective implementation of its requirements. What the neopatrimonial regime should do is to allow localities to elect their leaders (governors and mayors--disband DOs) who will be answerable to the people and not to one person. Also, as part of the move to decentralization, independent provincial councils should be set up to monitor the affairs of each province. This is Political Science 101--Why is this so hard to understand in Cameroon? Cosmetic changes meant to lure foreign donations do not serve any purpose.

[Courtney Eko]

In the then southern Cameroons,all administrative vehicles would be parked at the administrative garage or the police stations after work.In present day La republique,civil servants use their official vehicles like they own them.When you now ask them to buy windscreen licences,the 'ownership' is being legitimised.The state should be able to pay its own taxes.In international organisations operating in cameroon,management staff pay for all extra mileage as a cosequence of private use of vehicles.Indeed, why do simple things always become so complicated in Cameroon?

[Frank]

It will soon be 50 years, and we have no essential point of agreement with franco-cameroonians except geographical proximity. The ethinic similarities are irelevant to the operation of a country in 2004, meaning irelevant to feeding and educating everyone, providing health care, safety and a good economy. Time for them (francocameroonians) to go, don't you think, Mr Eko?