Cameroon orders 5,971 public officials to justify administrative status

Cameroon’s Ministry of Finance has ordered 5,971 public officials to justify their administrative status following an audit of border movement data. The investigation, aimed at cleaning up the state payroll, identified these individuals as potentially non-resident despite being listed as active employees.

As a precautionary measure, the salaries for September and October 2026 will be assigned to the Yaoundé I General Treasury-Paymaster rather than being immediately suspended. This allows affected employees a window to clarify their situation. To regularize their status, officials must report to the Directorate of Personnel Expenditure and Pensions (DDPP) in Yaoundé by October 31, 2026.

Required documentation includes a passport photocopy, an explanation for any travel outside the country, and an official certificate of effective presence at their post issued within the last three months. If agents fail to provide this justification by the deadline, they may be deemed to have abandoned their posts, leading to the permanent suspension of their salaries from the state payroll.