Mauritania government increases wages to fight corruption

The Mauritanian government decided the increase of wages of ministers at a rate of 700%. Finance ministry sources said that the monthly payment of the minister increased from $ 520 to $ 3500.

The sources did not explain the reasons of this great increase, but the local papers stressed that the decision aims to limit administrative corruption and stealing the public funds.

The opposition accused senior officials in the government of corruption and stealing public funds. A court in the capital Nouakchott accused of corruption in 2004 four of government officials and obliged them of returning back one million dollars they stole from the program for "supporting victims of the drought."

Worthy mentioning that the government increased the minimum rates of wages by 400% as from January this year. It also announced a monthly allowance of $ 30 for public workers.

Mauritania hopes to be a rich country after sea oil sites were discovered. It is expected that the production will start in these sites by the end of 2005.

News Agencies