CONAC 2022 report reveals drastic drop in corruption.

The disclosure was made in Yaounde by the Chairman of CONAC, Rev Dr Dieudonne Massi Gams.

He was speaking while officially presenting Cameroon’s 2022 Anti-Corruption Status Report on October 27, in Yaounde. 

The report, which is the 12^th publication by CONAC since its creation, Rev Dr Massi Gams disclosed, shows that 2022 witnessed fresh impetus in anti-corruption activities carried out in the country. 

He cited intensification of conventional activities to investigate and prevent acts of corruption, in addition to a number of innovative initiatives that have enhanced the fight against the scorch. 

“In total, based on CONAC investigations…,the financial loss suffered by the State of Cameron as a result of acts of corruption and related offences amounts to four billion six hundred and twenty-three million four hundred and eighteen thousand nine hundred and eighteen FCFA (4, 623,418,918),” Rev Dr Massi Gams disclosed. 

“This is a significant reduction compared to 2021, when it amounted to forty-three billion, nine hundred and forty-seven million, seven hundred and ninety-four thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight FCFA (43,947,794,138),” CONAC Chairman added. 

Credits feat to increase involvement by stakeholders 

The fresh impetus witnessed in the fight against corruption in 2022, Rev Dr Massi Gams explained, was boosted by the number of stakeholders involved in the anti-corruption drive.

He said CONAC received 129 external contributions for the report, compared to 96 received in 2021.

“This is the highest number of contributions ever recorded for an Annual Report,” the Chairman stated. 

While expressing delight for the number and diversity of stakeholders and structures that contributed to the preparation of the report, the CONAC Chairman also mentioned the increase in the number of contributions from ministries from 27 in 2021 to 29 in 2022. 

Rev Dr Massi Gams, however, regretted the lack of contribution to the report as was the case in 2021 from the Ministries of Defence, Territorial Administration, Energy and Water Resources, State Property, Survey and Land Tenure and Secondary Education. 

Increased denunciations fruits of awareness campaigns 

Rev Dr Massi Gams also credited the drastic drop in the amount lost to corruption in 2022, to efforts made through a series of awareness campaigns carried out by CONAC to experiment its “Anti-Corruption Clinic”, enabling the institution to take its services closer to the population, and permitting them to follow-up their complaints more promptly. 

Fruits of such robust campaigns, he said, is evident in the number of denunciations, multiplication of Anti-Corruption Units in public administration and the creation of Integrity Clubs in schools and universities. 

“We hope that this trend will continue in the years ahead,” he said, while calling on Regional and Local Authorities, “whose commitment to the fight against corruption has so far been timid”, to step up efforts against corruption.  

Rev Dr Massi Gams disclosed that in 2022, CONAC received 7,061 reports, compared to 6,705 received in 2021, showing an increase of 356 cases of denunciations. 

He said a total of 2,603 of the reports were received via CONAC’s toll-free number 1517 with 3,472 received via administrative mail, 565 by e-mail and 401 through WhatsApp. 

CONAC Chairman, Rev Dr Dieudonne Massi Gams, presenting report to guests 

Most corrupt sectors named 

The CONAC boss went further to reveal that of the 3,472 denunciations received through administrative mails, misappropriation of public property emerged as the most prominent offence, with 1,135 occurrences. 

By sector of activity, Rev Dr Massi Gams disclosed that the largest number of complaints came from the State Property and Land Tenure sector, followed by territorial administration, finance, education sector and public contracts sectors. 

He revealed that most of the complaints about the State Property and Land Tenure sector relate to misappropriation of funds allocated to compensate victims of major state projects while those in the territorial administration sector touched more on unjustified collection of salaries, forgery, corruption in administrative competitive examinations and the installation of traditional chiefs who are not recognised by the local pupation. 

In the finance sector, he said complaints centred on the practice of “percentages” in payments and the misappropriation of funds for pensioners and career-related arrears while mismanagement of PTA funds and bribery in enrollment dominated the education sector added to irregularities in the contract award process in the public contracts sector. 

CONAC on investigation offensive 

Several of the aforementioned denunciations, Rev Dr Massi Gams disclosed, resulted in investigations conducted by CONAC, through its Rapid Intervention Actions, RIAs, or Control Missions, which focused on verifying allegations on a series of issues.

Investigations on the complaints, he said, indicate the State incurred financial losses of two hundred and forty-nine million one hundred and thirty-one thousand seven hundred and twenty-three FCFA.

Sanctions galore 

The CONAC Chairman said through their efforts, sanctions, ranging from warnings to dismissals were slammed on 18 state employees by 22 State authorities. 

Rev Dr Massi Gams added that 77 private companies were also excluded from public contracts for two years, 34 other companies suspended from all logging activities; added to 121 students suspended for examination fraud in universities and other higher institutions of learning.

Court judgments ranging from fines, prison terms ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, the CONAC boss detailed, were also handed to many whose guilt was established in cases of corruption. 

Cross section of personalities at ceremony 

More still to be done 

To win the fight against corruption, Rev Dr Massi Gams said those involved need to be endowed with “necessary ethical and technical capacities”.

He reiterated that all anti-corruption related actions must be in line with the methodological framework prescribed by the National Anti-Corruption Strategy that has been in place since 2011. 

Full implementation of the Prevention, Education, Conditions, Incentives and Sanctions, PrECIS tool, of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, Rev Dr Massi Gams was upbeat, “will provide a solution to the problem of corruption in our society”. 

“Every senior administrative official should therefore embrace and implement it effectively,” he appealed. 

Rev Dr Massi Gams said more emphasis on the fight against corruption will be laid in rural areas in order to involve them in the national fight against the scotch.  

The report presentation ceremony, it should said, was attended by a cross section of State officials, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society, media practitioners among others.