Gabon Holds Talks with State Unions on Civil — Service Files. Libreville, Gabon — The government held its first all-union meeting on 6 February since the 2023 military transition, focusing on outstanding personnel files that have fuelled repeated strikes, according to local reports. Minister of Public Service Laurence Mengue Me Nzoghe and her budget counterpart Marc Abeghe hosted representatives of every recognised state-sector union in Libreville “to listen and give planned responses,” an official communiqué.
No timeline or written accord was issued. Civil-service unions first walked out over unpaid allowances and stalled promotions in 2019; grievances widened after the 30 August 2023 coup, when the ruling Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions pledged to “clean” the payroll. Unions interpret the phrase as a potential purge of temporary or inactive staff.
One union delegate, speaking after the meeting, told local media that workers would “evaluate concrete acts within 15 days,” underlining that strike action could still resume if individual files remain blocked.
The meeting produced no public figures on the number of irregular cases or specific budget allocation, and independent observers noted that prior “regularisation” drives, often linked to IMF-backed reviews, mainly streamlined payrolls rather than expanded job security. Further details are expected as ministries prepare individual file reviews over the coming week.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
