CONAC reveals 114 billion FCFA lost to corruption in 2023.

This was during a ceremony to present the 2023 Anti-corruption Status Report of Cameroon by CONAC.CONAC Chairman, Rev Dr Dieudonne Massi Gams, announced the figures. He said it shows an alarming increase in corruption and related malpractices in the country compared to 2022. 

Massi Gams said the figures are a combination of data from CONAC findings ad those of Budgetary and Finance Disciplinary Board and the Special Criminal Court. 

The anti-corruption organ said it exclusively carried out 16 investigations which revealed some 69 billion FCFA was lost by the country to corruption.

The Budgetary and Finance Disciplinary Board and Special Criminal Court, CONAC added, investigated 43 corruption cases to come up with other findings. 

Disturbing increase in corruption, related practices 

Per the CONAC figures, the most striking element recorded in the fight against corruption in 2023 was the alarming amount of money that the state lost.

The over 114 billion lost, the anti-corruption structure said, represents an increase of more than 109.4 billion lost compared to 2022. In 2022, the amount lost to corruption was a litter above four billion FCFA.

All-round problem

The CONAC report shows almost all sectors of the country suffered disturbing corruption in 2023. 

Sectors where corruption is on the rise, according to the report are;  transport, education, territorial administration, finance, telecommunications and public works.

Some major files handled, CONAC revealed, included the physical and financial control of the Mandjou-Akokan road construction project and allegations of misappropriation of public property at the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council.

CONAC said it also investigated alleged misappropriation of public property in Government High School Ntui, alleged falsification of bank receipts and the misappropriation of school fees at the Ebolowa Technical School of Agriculture in the South Region. 

The transport sector, it said, recorded numerous reports of fraud and corruption in driver’s license examinations and extortion by road safety officers.

Education sector one of most affected

The anti-graft body said it received an alarmingly high number of reports from whistleblowers about the education sector. 

Top among the complaints, the body revealed, were the misappropriation of Parent Teacher Association, PTA levies, bribes for admissions of learners and illegal increases in registration fees for official examinations.

The body said similar reports came in about the misappropriation of funds allocated for teachers’ allowances.

Illegal collections for civil status documents 

In terms of regional and local authorities, CONAC said it received complaints about illegal payments for the issuance of birth certificates and the extortion of users by some council workers especially the Municipal Police.

Hails collaboration from public 

Rev Dr Massi Gams in a statement during the event, hailed the population for increasingly collaborating with CONAC.

“The population is increasing coming to CONAC to denounce corrupt practices. This collaboration is what is needed by CONAC to succeed,” the chairman stated.

Denounces bodies refusing to collaborate 

The CONAC boss said, some institutions in the country have refused to collaborate with CONAC. 

This, he said, “should raise concern among stakeholders in these sectors of activity, which the National Anti-Corruption Strategy classifies as pillars of integrity, given their importance”. 

Over eight billion FCFA recovered 

CONAC, in the report, also revealed that the country recovered huge sums of money from different structures in 2023 despite the massive losses. 

The body says the national debt recovery body recovered a little over eight billion FCFA in connection to six court rulings. 

The Special Criminal Court, it said, recorded fines totaling over one billion FCFA across 11 proceedings. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3242 of Friday September 27, 2024