Mozambique: New public sector hirings capped at 4,880 this year

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Mozambique: New public sector hirings capped at 4,880 this year

4:19 CAT | 14 Feb 2024

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Notícias]

Mozambique will be able to hire 4,880 new public employees in 2024, of which 2,800 will be teachers and 1,294 health professionals, as provided for in the decree that regulates budget execution to which Lusa had access on Wednesday.

According to the government document that establishes the rules for implementing the 2024 Economic and Social Plan and State Budget (PESOE), the education sector is authorized to hire 2,909 workers, including 2,803 for general education, 48 for technical teaching, 24 for higher education and 34 for professional training.

In addition to health (1,294 workers), agriculture will be able to hire 455 employees and justice administration bodies a further 222, namely 14 for the Constitutional Council, 52 for the Supreme Court, 52 for the Administrative Court and 52 for the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic.

“The filling of vacancies (…) for magistrates, court officials, assistants to court officials, civil servants in the general regime career, is [to be] preceded by the necessary competitions, with preference being given to the mobility of public servants who have participated and been approved in the aforementioned competitions,” the decree establishes.

Despite limiting new hires for the public service to a total of 4,880, the decree establishes that “admissions are permitted in cases of vacancies arising from situations of retirement, dismissal, unlimited leave, dismissal, expulsion or death”, as long as only one admission occurs for every three vacant places.

Among other aspects set out in the document, “the creation, review or restructuring of professional careers and functions” that “have the purpose of raising salary levels” is prohibited.

Lusa reported in January that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants the Government of Mozambique to provide a “life test” for all public servants by June this year, as part of the technical and financial assistance program for the country.

READ: TSU: Mozambique pledges to adopt ‘corrective measures’

The information is contained in the recent IMF report that completes the Fund’s third assessment of the implementation of the 36-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program with Mozambique, which, despite being approved, thereby allowing new disbursements, identifies three objectives scheduled for 2023 “which were not fulfilled” by the government.

Among these measures is the review in parliament of the Public Probity law, scheduled for June, 2023, and which should now be completed by next March, and the public availability of information on the beneficial beneficiaries of companies that enter into contracts with the state, planned for the end of December and now rescheduled for September this year.

The third measure that remains to be fulfilled is the completion – originally by last September – of “the general audit and ‘proof of life’ of all public sector employees”.

This delay was, according to the document, justified by operational difficulties, it now being agreed that it will be completed by next June.

READ: Mozambique: Implementation of the TSU “was more costly than expected” – IMF

Mozambique: Additional tax on rental income, broadening of VAT base promised to the IMF

The most recent data, previously released by Lusa, shows that the Mozambican state’s operating expenses increased by 9.4% in the first nine months of 2023, to 237,414 million meticais (€3,392 million), mainly driven by increases in salaries.

According to the economic and social balance of the execution of the State Budget from January to September by the Mozambican Ministry of Economy and Finance, this performance corresponds to 78.9% of all state operating expenses planned for this year, valued at almost 316,919 million meticais (€4,520 million).

The largest item is personnel expenses, which grew 16.1% compared to the same period in 2022, to almost 146,365 million meticais (€2,091 million), representing 78.9% of the total budgeted for the 12 months.

Source: Lusa