Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mimi Mefo Info (Editor)
Published on 2024-03-07 11:19:51
By Kate Bih
A total of 33 employees from the Bamenda City Council (BCC) have raised concerns over an unexpected reduction in their salaries, leading to protests and formal complaints against what they perceive as a unilateral decision made by the City Mayor.
The dissatisfaction among the employees arises from salary deductions that occurred in October, November, and December 2023, despite a recent 5.2 percent salary increase. Sources from within the BCC suggest that these deductions were linked to the employees’ length of service, resulting in some individuals experiencing a significant drop of nearly 60 percent in their basic pay.
The complaint filed with the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) of the North West prompted a crisis meeting involving the City Council staff, Council authorities, and members of the PIC.
During the crisis meeting aimed at addressing the escalating discontent, City Mayor Paul Achobong Tembang reportedly cited a decree signed by the Head of State that aimed at harmonizing salaries between Council workers and civil servants as the rationale behind the salary adjustments. However, the decree is still eagerly awaited.
The lack of inclusion of the salary reduction decision in the minutes of the 3rd ordinary session of the BCC board for the 2024 financial year, held on December 19, 2023, has raised accusations of a lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the Council authorities.
An expert familiar with the situation has highlighted the history of salary scales within local Councils. Prior to 2019, Councils such as the BCC operated on different scales, with some paying higher wages based on Council deliberations. The absence of a standardized scale for Council workers is now causing confusion and distress among the employees.
The workers are demanding better communication and transparency from the Council authorities. They have expressed frustration over the lack of dialogue and consultation regarding such significant changes to their livelihoods.
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Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
