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AfricaApril 3 2005

POLYCARPE ABAH ABAH, Minister of Economy and Finance, Cameroon

Polycarpe Abah Abah knows that he will not enjoy the political capital of strong election results forever.
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Polycarpe Abah Abah, Cameroon’s abrasive minister of economy and finance, has wasted little time giving teeth to the government’s promise to crack down on corruption and inefficiency. Appointed in December last year, following President Paul Biya’s landslide victory in October elections, Mr Abah Abah has implemented aggressive measures to curb corruption and waste, going as far as locking out late-arriving employees.

Corruption runs to the heart of Cameroon’s public administration. An audit of the ministry of finance turned up more than 500 employees suspected of a wide range of crimes, including the collection of salaries for non-existent “ghost” workers. Reports suggest such fraud has been perpetrated for years and on a large scale.

Mr Abah Abah is under pressure from the IMF to perform. A delegation that visited Cameroon in February made it clear that the IMF would only sign a new economic programme with Cameroon if the government executed the 2005 budget satisfactorily. Discussions centred on a timetable for remaining privatisation in addition to strengthening public finances and structural reforms.

After poor execution of the 2004 budget accentuated the country’s economic woes, Mr Abah Abah has pledged to adhere strictly to the budget in the first four months of 2005 in the hope that Cameroon would be able to take up negotiations with the IMF over a new loan facility. This is a prerequisite to reaching Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative completion, permitting debt relief at the beginning of 2006.

Despite uneasiness in many quarters, Mr Abah Abah shows little sign of relenting and, although only in office for a short time, he is proving far more effective than his predecessor, Michel Meva’a Meboutou. Mr Abah Abah’s polices are not radical, just better implemented than those of Mr Meboutou.

The haste and vigour with which Mr Abah Abah has embarked on his campaign to eliminate corruption and improve pubic sector efficiency is testament to the government’s genuine will to reform. He knows that he will not enjoy the political capital of strong election results forever. Seizing this opportunity is also crucial, as Cameroon’s near-term economic prospects depend on IMF assistance.

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Read more about:  Africa , Cameroon