Sahel Reporter

The Gabonese government has drawn a hard line in the sand. More than 1,400 state employees have been formally dismissed for abandoning their posts, following a sweeping accounting and biometric audit ordered by the transitional authorities to clean up public administration records. The move has triggered a nationwide debate about fairness, accountability and what happens next.

Billions of CFA francs recovered every year

For years, many individuals continued to collect their monthly salaries without ever showing up for work. Some were living abroad, others held simultaneous jobs in the private sector, and some had simply walked away from their desks long ago.

By removing these 1,473 absent agents from the payroll, the Gabonese state will save more than 11 billion CFA francs (roughly 16.7 million euros) annually. According to the government, this money will be redirected toward projects that directly benefit the population, such as hospital renovations, school construction, and the recruitment of genuine teachers and healthcare workers.

Strict controls, but verification is still ongoing

While many citizens have welcomed the decision, expressing frustration with years of wasted public funds, some unions are urging caution. They want assurances that no regular worker has been dismissed by mistake due to a technical glitch in the database.

The ministry has stated that questionable cases will be reviewed individually. However, the state warns that anyone who received salaries without working could face legal action to repay the undue amounts.

A necessary cleanup with an eye on the future

This large-scale operation reflects the current authorities’ determination to restore order in the country’s management. But dismissing absent workers is only part of the solution: the challenge now is to ensure these bad habits do not return and that every public franc is used for Gabon’s development.

By Anne Nkeng — Société et culture