Togo: Togo issue biometric cards to public sector workers

Lomé, Togo (PANA) – Togo is to issue biometric cards to public sector workers in a bid to fight the phenomenon of ghost workers who have been swelling the government's payroll.

The card, which will be used by each recognized worker who is paid from the government budget, will be used for administrative purposes, drawing of salaries and application for loans in financial institutions, the minister of Public Service, Gourdigou Kolani, said on Saturday.

According to the minister, Togo would use the biometric cards control the number of public sector workers and also manage the wage bill that should not exceed 35% of the government's overall budget.

Despite the numerous measures and census carried out in Togo, ghost workers remain on the government payroll drawing salaries from the state budget.

An operation to fight against ghost workers launched between 1995 and 2000 did not yield positive results.

In the 2011 census under a programme to reform and modernize the country’s public service in a bid to control staff in the administration and the wage bill, 50,400 public sector workers were registered but ghost workers were included and this has continued to cost the government billions of CFAF every year.
-0- PANA FAA/IS/MSA/MA 13Sept2014