Inquiry team reveals 866 ghost civil servants

An inter-ministerial commission set up in May to investigate the size of the civil service in the Central African Republic found 866 ghost workers in the government's payroll, the prime minister's office reported on Thursday. The government could save up to 265 million francs CFA (US $481,915) every month by not paying the ghost workers. Quoting from a statement signed by the prime minister's communication counsellor, Marcel Mokouapi, state-owned Television Centrafricaine reported that the ghost workers were unearthed in 10 ministries. Investigations are underway in 10 other ministries, the television reported. Since overthrowing President Ange-Felix Patasse on 15 March, Francois Bozize's administration has paid civil servants their salaries every month. The transitional government Bozize formed has embarked on an anti-corruption war in revenue-generating sectors such as timber and mining.