Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

2004 Category 2: Cameroon
Africa
Cameroon
2004 Category 2 Winner
The AQUARIUM Project of Sigipes
Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reform
Cameroon
Description
Simplifying the process of human resources management, promoting transparency
and minimizing corruption in public services.
The Problem
The government was faced with a variety of issues, including problems related to
administering and paying employees, and managing individual personnel and general
human resources.
The Solution
In 2000, the Cameroon Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reform (MIN-
FORPA) launched a project named AQUARIUM of SIGIPES to decentralize the
management of civil service personnel and enable civil servants to obtain information
related to their payments, leave, etc. AQUARIUM of SIGIPES is an electronic
space (physically symbolized by a public room) where SIGIPES makes information,
payments and administrative files available.
This innovation has not only simplified the process of dealing with personnel cases,
but also promoted transparency and minimized the incidence of corruption
among public servants. The project is part of the overall reform of Cameroon’s
public administration aimed at modernizing the civil service in order to increase
flexibility, accountability and transparency. There are four main principles behind
this initiative:
• Boosting efficiency and achieving results that match the expectations of public
service users;
• Implementing good governance in public service;
• Raising the responsibility and responsiveness of civil servants; and
• Rationalizing public sector organisations and the management of their employees.
Note that SIGIPES is a working tool for civil servants whereas AQUARIUM helps
public service clients access information on their profession and payments from anywhere,
either Cameroon or abroad. AQUARIUM operates as down-top architecture
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