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The Committee notes the information supplied in the Government’s report and the attached documentation. It would appreciate further information on the following points.

Article 8, paragraph 1, of the Convention. Deductions from wages. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the consignments and loans provided for in section 75(1) of the Labour Code pertain to specific posts involving the handling of funds and that the consignments and loans earn interest for the depositors and ensure their solvency. In view of Decree No. 94/197/PM of 9 May 1994 on wage deductions, the Committee wishes to draw the Government’s attention once again to the fact that section 4(1) of the Decree allows individual contracts to provide for part of the wage to be consigned. The Convention, however, requires the types and extent of permissible deductions to be prescribed only by national laws and regulations or fixed by collective agreements or arbitration awards. The Committee therefore requests the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to bring its legislation into conformity with the Convention on this point.

Article 12. Payment of wages at regular intervals. The Committee understands that Cameroon is facing difficulties regarding the regular payment of wages, particularly in the teaching sector, where there are now wage arrears of between ten and 40 months. The Committee requests the Government to specify the sectors of activity and the number of workers affected by this problem, the total amount of the arrears and the average delay in payment. Please also indicate the measures taken or envisaged to end such practices and ensure regular payment of wages in future.

Part V of the report form. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide general information on the application of the Convention, including, for instance, extracts from official reports of the Labour Inspectorate showing the number and nature of the infringements reported, information on the practical difficulties encountered in implementing the Convention, etc.