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From the early years of Cameroon’s independence in the 1960s, her political leaders in place quickly became conscious of the need to bring some amelioration. Changes have been brought on administrative working techniques and the costs of running the administration which absorbs almost all the state budget. In this light, two structures are made responsible for this issue of improving the management of the State. The first is the Ministry of Planning and Territorial Development that draws up the development plan and supervises the execution of regional planning projects. The General State Inspectorate is the second and carries out higher control of public services at the administrative and financial level. MINFOPRA (Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reform) has as main function to oversee the organization and the implementation of the administrative reform main plan.

Evolution of the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reform (MINFOPRA)

In the year 1978, decree n ° 78/954 of April 21, 1978, had provisions for organizing the services for the SCOM of the Administrative Reform Division (DRA). This later became the Studies and of the Administrative Reform (DERA) according to decree n ° 88/1051 of August 21, 1988. It was aimed at organizing the Ministry of Public Service and State Control to which the DERA was initially attached. During one of the National Development Plans, the Administrative Reform Division endeavored to take steps forward. With an increase in its staff and material resources, the division now better pursues and develops the major actions within the framework of the administrative modernization. The Administrative Reform Division undertakes a general and regular survey of organizational and reform constraints encountered by public bodies and ministries. This is in line with the missions brought-up to the National Committee for Administrative Reform, (CNRA) which was called to exist by decree n ° 78 / 361 of August 24, 1978.

Decree n ° 94/160 of August 16, 1994, had provisions on the coordination of the Ministry of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform (MINFOPRA). It included the creation of the Permanent Secretariat for Administrative Reform (SPRA) and its missions were defined. The structure as such replaced the DERA.

In 1997, article 5 paragraph 7 of Decree No. 97/205 of 7 December 1997, on the organization of the Government specifies that in matters of organization and administrative reform, MINFOPRA stands in the Council of the Government, through the intermediary of the SPRA. The SPRA is thus an advisory organ for the renovation of the administrative device. It is differentiated from the traditional Scientific Organization of Labor that is rather centered on the study of procedures and structures within ministries and state entities. After this came decrees n ° 2004/320 of 08 December 2004 and n ° 2011/408 of December 9, 2011, on the structuring of the Government to consolidate Government Council mission assigned to MINFOPRA until today.

Presently, the head of the SPRA has the rank and power of Secretary-General of the Central Administration. This is different from other managers who succeeded one after the other at the head of the SCOM structure until the coming of the SPRA.

Missions of Administrative Reform

In 2012, article 5 Decree No. 2012/537 of 19 November 2012 organizing MINFOPRA provides the duties of the SPRA as given below:

  • the organization and overseeing of the implementation of the administrative reform main plan;
  • the drawing and implementation of measures to update the Cameroonian public administration;
  • monitoring cooperative works in administrative organization and reform matters;
  • the analysis of government actions in matters of administrative organization and reform, in the different sectors of public administration;
  • the layout and introduction of techniques and processes for accelerating data processing;
  • the systematization of the organization of management, procedures, and  structures methods;
  • surveys aimed at decreasing the acquisition and maintenance cost of equipment;
  • the participation of State personnel in the constant search of means to improve on the efficiency of administration

Besides the main missions given above, the following are included in its range of activities:

  • the creation and amelioration of good governance efficient tools;
  • the systematization of administrative formalities and procedures;
  • promotion and up-date of e-government;
  • development and adoption of efficient performance standards;
  • advisory support provision to administrations;
  • provision of training for professional managers

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