Physical inspection at EPST: Deputy Minister Aminata Namasia encourages inspectors to do their job properly

"Every employee must appear in person with documentation proving that they are actually working for us," said the Deputy Minister of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education (EPST), Aminata Namasia Bazego, during her surprise visit to the room where physical verification is conducted for staff and managers of the EPST central administration who receive the payroll management bonus, granted by the Government of the Republic in accordance with the Mbuela Lodge Memorandum of Understanding signed with the union federation. This work is being carried out by the ministry’s internal audit commission at the Technical and Vocational SERNAFOR Sections office in the Gombe district.  The visit by the EPST’s second-in-command is motivated by a desire to gain insight into the progress of the audit, especially in light of protests by a group of staff members who are boycotting this process—a behavior bordering on pettiness and concealing ill intentions. This attitude stunned Deputy Minister Aminata Namasia, who questioned the reason behind this refusal!   "We have learned that there are movements among staff members who do not want this audit to take place. I came down personally to ensure that the work is proceeding normally. I don’t see why certain staff members are making a fuss," she said. To date, the ongoing physical headcount has already identified 600 fictitious employees. The Deputy Minister of EPST encouraged the auditors to do their job thoroughly to ensure the reliability of the roster by the end of the process.   "We will continue with the verification process because we want to know the exact number of all staff and managers working in the EPST’s central administration. Staff members who do not physically report for verification with their files will be considered fictitious," she concluded. Christian BELLA