Ministries asked to comply with cost-cutting plans

In an effort to expedite the elimination of contingency posts, the Ministry of Finance has instructed all federal ministries, divisions and their subordinate offices to adhere to a federal cabinet directive on cost-cutting. According to sources, only 15-16 of over 40 ministries and divisions have started the process more than two months after the cabinet made a decision in this regard, while others have shown lukewarm response. In a fresh memorandum this week, the finance ministry reminded all ministries and divisions of the cabinet’s Aug 27 decision mandating the elimination of all contingency posts. The new memorandum requires compliance reports to be provided. Contingency employees are not permanent, or in the officer cadre. Rather, they are hired for a specific term or a project with no long term rights, so it is easier to relieve them in the initial phase of right-sizing.