Cotonou, Benin - The 25 per cent increase in the salaries of employees of the Benin's Finance Ministry is a violation of the country’s constitution, the country's Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday. According to the Constitutional Court, the decree on the salary increase for the employees of the Finance Ministry violates the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, under which 'the state guarantees to all citizens equality before the law without discrimination of origin, race, sex, religion, political opinion or social position.' The Constitutional Court, therefore, rejected the discriminatory nature of the salary increase, arguing that the increases were not included in the 2011 state budget.

According to the Constitutional Court, the extension of this decision to all civil servants would lead to a payroll of 284.1 billion FCFA, with adverse impacts on cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).

For nearly eight months, employees of the Beninese Economy and Finance Ministry had observed a three-day strike every week, disrupting the management of public funds and nearly paralyzed regular operations across the country.

The strike led to a drastic decline in revenues and created serious difficulties for the government.

Toeing the line of the finance ministry workers, employees of 24 other ministries have also been observing a three-day strike per week to demand the immediate enjoyment of the same rights.

Pana 23/06/2011