Government Postpones Payment of Overtime Debt to 2025
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Loading... - Duku Peprah
- 19 Dec 2024
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The Mozambican government has announced that it lacks the funds to pay education and health professionals for overtime worked in 2023 and 2024. During a press conference in Maputo following the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, Deputy Justice Minister Filimao Suaze acknowledged the financial shortfall but promised that half of the outstanding debt would be settled in 2025.
According to reports from the independent news outlet Mediafax, the government currently owes teachers approximately 2.9 billion meticais for overtime worked since 2023. While the government successfully cleared the overtime debt from 2022, the situation for the current years remains unresolved. Initially, the education sector claimed 3.61 billion meticais for overtime in 2023, but after government inspections, this figure was adjusted to 3.198 billion meticais. The government has committed to paying one billion meticais of this debt this month, with the remainder deferred to 2025, coinciding with the anticipated transition to a new government.
In addition to the education sector, health professionals are owed 270.29 million meticais for their overtime in 2023, a figure that has also been verified by inspectors. The total amount owed for overtime worked in 2024 is still under calculation and will be validated by the General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF). The government aims to address the overtime debts from 2024 in the following year.
To prevent the recurrence of overtime payment issues, the government is exploring mechanisms to facilitate monthly payments for overtime work. This initiative aims to ensure that such debts do not accumulate in the future, addressing a significant concern among educators and health workers.
The failure to pay overtime has led to rising tensions between the government and teachers. Recently, hundreds of teachers in Maputo city and province boycotted examinations for 10th and 12th grade students in protest of the unpaid overtime. In Beira, while teachers allowed the exams to proceed, they refused to mark them, highlighting the discontent within the education sector.
The government's acknowledgment of the overtime debt and its commitment to partial payment in 2025 reflects the ongoing financial challenges faced by Mozambique, particularly in the education and health sectors. As the situation develops, the government's ability to address these debts and restore trust with educators and health professionals will be crucial for maintaining stability and ensuring the continued functioning of essential services.
