CPDM Crime Syndicate: Biya regime paid CFA37bn in salaries to underperforming directors ⁰

Between 2020 and 2024, directors, deputy directors, and board chairpersons of Cameroon’s public companies and institutions received a total of CFA48.4 billion in salaries. This amount was paid according to the salary scale set by a June 19, 2019 decree, which outlines the categories, remuneration, allowances, and benefits for executives of public companies and institutions in Cameroon.

Out of this total, about CFA37 billion went to executives whose entities showed poor or even negative performance, as revealed by a report titled “How Much Does the State Spend on Public Entity Executives’ Salaries?” by Cameroonian academic and governance expert Viviane Ondoua Biwolé.

She argues that the state is wasting money by paying salaries to underperforming executives who have either lowered the value of their companies or caused them to stagnate. The former Deputy Director-General of the Higher Institute of Public Management (ISMP) analyzed the performance of the 112 companies in her sample based on the January 1, 2023, decree by the Minister of Finance, which categorized public companies and institutions in Cameroon.

“The 2023 classification either rewards performance or sanctions it by reclassifying public entities based on the average turnover produced over three years, from 2020 to 2022. This reclassification affects the remuneration of executives (directors, deputy directors, and board chairpersons). In total, 37 companies and 75 public institutions are affected,” she notes.

Based on this official document, Viviane Ondoua Biwolé reveals that, concerning public companies, only three improved their performance, while four consolidated their position in category 1. However, 21 companies stagnated, and six regressed. “From the above, it appears that the executives of stagnating and regressing companies cost the state more, without significantly producing the expected value, amounting to a total of CFA16.1 billion, compared to CFA2.2 billion for executives whose actions helped create value,” she notes.

The same observation applies to the 75 public institutions in the sample. Here, it was revealed that the executives of the six declining entities and 63 stagnant ones received a total remuneration of CFA20.8 billion between 2020 and 2024, compared to just over CFA1 billion for those of the three entities that managed to create value.

Furthermore, in her analysis, the founder of the consulting firm OBIV Solutions highlights that in Cameroon, 43 board chairpersons continue to hold their positions in violation of current legislation. “Despite this irregularity, these board chairpersons improperly received a significant sum amounting to a total of CFA634 million. (…) This situation highlights major dysfunctions in governance and the implementation of reforms initiated by the Cameroonian authorities,” she concludes.

Source: Business in Cameroon