|
Policy Area |
Objectives and Policies |
Strategies and Measures |
Timetable |
Technical Assistance |
|
| A. Management of public resources |
|
|
|
|
| 1. Budget |
Establish financial viability by generating a primary
surplus |
See sections below |
1998-2001 |
|
| 2. Revenue |
Simplify the tax system, strengthen tax administration
and auditing activities, reduce exemptions significantly, strengthen measures against evasion, and
consolidate the recent enhanced revenue performance |
Customs Administration |
|
| Computerize the system for monitoring the tax liabilities of taxpayers
|
December 1999 |
|
| Establish customs revenue units |
1998-2001 |
|
| Strengthen customs administration by continuing reorganization of
customs units, and providing them with adequate personnel and equipment |
1998-2001 |
|
| Complete the West African Economic and Monetary
Union (WAEMU) tax harmonization program |
Review tax and customs legislation in the context of adoption and
implementation of the WAEMU common external tariff |
December 1999 |
IMF/World Bank |
|
General tax directorate |
|
| Improve management of tax return system through
computerization |
1998-2001 |
|
| Recruit 75 additional full-time personnel, as well as 30 contractuals for
renewable terms of one month |
1998-2001 |
|
|
Tax exonerations |
|
| Implement recommendations of the review of procedures of tax
exemptions granted under the mining and petroleum code and the tax regime for the uranium
sector |
1998 |
|
| Do not renew exemptions envisaged by the Investment Code; exclude all
privatized enterprises from exemptions under the IC |
1998-2001 |
|
| Eliminate all discretionary exemptions |
1998-2001 |
|
| Set up an exoneration management system for petroleum products,
based on prior payment of duties and taxes refundable against submission of delivery
documentation |
December 1998 |
|
| 3. Expenditure |
Ensure a return to financial and accounting orthodoxy,
enhance the efficiency of government expenditure, and control the wage bill and size of civil
service |
Materials and supplies |
|
|
| Increase expenditure in real terms, if necessary, to improve efficiency of
tax collection agencies |
1998-2001 |
|
| For material and equipment expenditures intended for the health and
education sectors, see below |
|
|
|
Public investment program |
|
| Integrate into the cash flow the national counterpart funds for externally
financed public investment projects |
1998-2001 |
|
| Accelerate the government procurement procedures |
1998-2000 |
World Bank |
| Extend labor-intensive works to a number of public investment projects |
1998-2001 |
|
|
Expenditure management |
| Strengthen and ensure compliance with budgetary procedures: (i) ban all
exceptional procedures, specifically the advance payments (PPA); (ii) implement appropriate procedures to prevent any further accumulation
of
domestic arrears (see para. 22); (iii) introduce a mechanism
to manage expenditure on the basis of resources mobilized;
(iv) audit the Treasury; and (v) prepare Treasury accounts for
1988-97 and year-end expenditure audits [lois de règlement] for
1991-97 |
1998-2001
(i) 1998-2001
(ii) July 31, 1998
(iii) July 31, 1998
(iv) July 31-Sep. 1998; and (v) Dec. 1998 |
IMF/World Bank |
| 4. Arrears |
Improve relations with domestic suppliers and foreign
creditors |
Validate inventory of domestic arrears |
1998-99 |
|
| Implement a plan for clearing domestic arrears |
1998-99 |
|
| Implement a plan for settling external payments arrears |
1998 |
|
| 5. External debt management |
Ensure the sustainability of the external debt
burden |
Contract or provide government guarantees in respect of concessional loans only |
1998-2001 |
|
| Strengthen computer facilities and equipment at the unit in charge of
external debt |
1998-99 |
|
| B. Monetary and financial sector
policies |
Increase the efficiency of the banking system and
improve financial intermediation |
Continue prudent monetary and credit policies |
1998-2001 |
|
| Pursue implementation of reforms in respect of monetary policy
instruments adopted by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), including the
development of regional financial markets; ensure that interest rates reflect market
conditions |
1998-2001 |
|
| For Banque Commerciale du Niger (BNC), implement recommendations
of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU) Banking Commission |
1998-2001 |
|
| For Caisse de Prêts aux Collectivités Territoriales (CPCT),
implement recommendations of the WAMU Banking Commission regarding
restructuring |
1998-2001 |
|
| For Crédit du Niger (CDN), implement recommendations of the
WAMU Banking Commission's report of February 1997 and the measures adopted by the board
of directors under the supervision of the ad hoc committee |
1998-2001 |
|
| |
|
To restructure national postal and savings agency (ONPE), ensure the
liquidity of the postal services office (CCP) and the Caisse Nationale d'Epargne |
December 1999 |
|
| C. Civil service reform |
Improve efficiency of the public sector while controlling
costs and number of personnel |
Implement the civil service reform plan |
1998-2001 |
|
| Ensure that budgetary funding for total hiring (except for voluntary
teachers) does not exceed the savings generated by departures, excluding voluntary
departures |
1998-2001 |
|
| Harmonize the results of the civil service census and the payroll and civil
service databases |
July 31, 1998 |
|
| Implement an integrated database for civil service and
payroll |
December 31, 1998 |
|
| Implement departure program |
1998-2001 |
|
| Decentralize budgetary positions |
1998-2000 |
|
| Initiate the plan to redeploy personnel in the education sector and
expand the plan to redeploy health sector personnel throughout the national
territory |
1998-2001 |
|
| Establish special regulations to govern volunteer teachers, to be
administered by decentralized local governments |
1998 |
|
| D. Public enterprise reform |
Improve the cost-effectiveness and overall efficiency of the public
enterprise sector |
Through appropriate mechanisms, eliminate the cross debts, arrears, and
liabilities of entire public enterprise sector, particularly the 9 enterprises to be privatized (SNE,
NIGELEC, SONITEL, SONIDEP, Abattoir de Niamey, OFEDES, RINI, ONAHA, and
SPEHG) |
1998-99 |
|
| |
|
Implement measures aimed at ensuring regular payment of utility
consumption (water, electricity, and telephone) |
July 31, 1998 |
|
| |
|
Adopt severance package plan for personnel of enterprises to be
privatized, compatible with the financial situation of these enterprises; identify sources of
financing for the plan |
1998 |
World Bank |
| |
|
Carry out the privatization program for 9 public
enterprises: |
1998-99 |
World Bank |
| |
|
• Issue invitation to bid for SNE leasing/concession contract
|
Sep. 30, 1999 |
|
| |
|
• Issue invitation to bid for NIGELEC concession
contract |
June 30, 1999 |
|
| |
|
• Resume and carry out measures to privatize the management of
Abattoir de Niamey
|
Dec. 31, 1998
|
|
| |
|
• Issue invitation to bid for majority of SONITEL
shares
|
June 30, 1999
|
|
| |
|
• Privatize OFEDES, RINI (transfer of government-owned shares
to cooperatives), ONAHA (transfer to an economic interest group), and SPEHG |
1998-99 |
|
| |
|
• Transfer to the private sector the management of SONIDEP
storage facilities |
March 31, 1999 |
|
| |
|
• Adopt a regulatory framework applicable to water, electricity,
and telecommunications sectors |
Sep. 1999 |
|
| E. Private sector promotion |
Stimulate private sector activities; encourage the creation of industries
and small- and medium-scale enterprises; and create jobs |
Adopt policy framework program for private sector
promotion |
1998 |
|
| F. Agriculture and environment |
Promote sustained agricultural sector growth and food
security |
Adopt the agricultural sector growth strategy paper |
Sept. 1998 |
|
| Prepare and adopt plan for restructuring sector
institutions |
March 31, 1999 |
FAO/World Bank |
| Conduct a public expenditure review for the agriculture
sector |
July 31, 1999 |
World Bank |
| |
|
Update and adopt the irrigation development strategy |
January 31, 1999 |
|
| |
Strengthen natural resource management to ensure sustainable
development |
Adopt the National Environmental Plan for Sustainable Development
(PNEDD) |
Dec. 31, 1998 |
|
| G. Primary education |
Improve access to, and quality of, primary education,
1997/2002: (i) raise enrollment ratio from 30 percent to 38 percent; (ii) raise the share of enrollment accounted for
by girls
from 38 percent to 42 percent; (iii) reduce repeater rate for
classes at the end of the primary cycle from 37 percent to 20 percent |
Recruit 520 civil service teachers for October 1998 only
|
October 31, 1998
|
|
| Recruit 790 volunteer teachers on the basis of special regulations to be
administered by local governments |
October 31, 1998 |
|
| Recruit 1,210; 1,450; and 1,475 volunteer teachers on the basis of an
evaluation of the impact of hiring volunteer teachers and the impact in terms of raising the
enrollment ratio and enhancing the quality of education |
In October 1999; 2000; and 2001 |
|
| Revise and adopt the program, content, and the duration of teachers'
training; train the second cohort of volunteer teachers |
1998 |
|
| |
Improve efficiency of resource use |
Use initially allocated budget appropriation for annual recruitment of 520
civil service teachers in favor of volunteer teachers |
1999 |
|
| |
|
Provide additional financing for volunteer teachers by internal
reallocation of education sector resources originating from the following: |
1998-2001 |
|
| |
|
• Private education subsidy: (i) CFAF 83 million; and (ii) CFAF
158 million |
(i) 1998; and (ii) 1999; 2000; and 2001 |
|
| |
|
• Allocations for CEG: CFAF 131 million |
1999; 2000; and 2001 |
|
| |
|
• Allocations for secondary schools: CFAF 65 million |
1999; 2000; and 2001 |
|
| |
|
• Subsidies for higher education: (i) CFAF 113 million; and (ii) CFAF 305 million
|
(i) 2000; and (ii) 2001
|
|
| |
|
• Increase the budget by CFAF 215 million per year for educational materials and supplies
|
Starting 1998
|
|
| |
|
Increase the budget by CFAF 40 million per year for outlays on fuel and maintenance for vehicles used for primary
school
inspections |
Starting 1998 |
|
| |
|
Implement recommendations of the public expenditure review for the
education sector, and conduct annual internal review of government expenditure in the
sector |
1998-2001 |
|
| H. Secondary education |
|
Implement budgetary measures: reduce allocations in respect of the CEG and lycées
|
1999; 2000; and 2001
|
|
| |
Formulate strategy on post primary education |
1999 |
|
| I. Higher education |
|
Implement budgetary measures: reduce scholarships
Conduct national dialogue on higher education strategy |
Starting from 2000
1999 |
|
| J. Health |
Utilize sector resources more efficiently |
Update the computerized personnel database of the Ministry of Public
Health in light of the results of the civil service census and the sector's first redeployment (by
December 1998); then pursue the health sector redeployment plan (1999-2000) |
1998-2000 |
|
| |
|
Decentralize budgetary positions and their management
|
1998-2000
|
|
| |
|
Recruit 260 employees in 1998 to work in health districts; for
1999-2000, recruit a maximum of 260 employees per year on the basis of annual review of
personnel needs conducted in consultation with the World Bank |
1998-2000 |
|
| |
|
Increase nonwage current expenditure by 5 percent in real terms per year; in this category, increase by 8 percent each year expenditures for operating and maintenance of
transport
and technical equipment, and for maintenance of physical infrastructure; ensure realistic budgeting
of financing needs in respect of electricity, water, and
telephone, taking account of sector expansion |
1999-2000 |
|
| |
|
Develop action plan to privatize maintenance and repair services in
respect of the motor vehicle fleet (Ministry of Public Health) in 1998, and implement it by June
1999 |
1998-99 |
|
| |
|
Implement recommendations of the public expenditure review for the
health sector and conduct annual internal review of government expenditure in the
sector |
1998-2001 |
|
| |
|
Evaluate the sector's performance in drug costs recovery (1998) and
reduce publicly funded allocations based on progress achieved (1999-2001) |
1998-2000 |
|
| |
Improve the effectiveness of community participation |
Develop in 1998 a draft legal framework for local community
participation in the health sector; adopt and implement it in 1999-2000 to ensure administrative
and financial autonomy |
1998-2000 |
|
K. Transportation
and
urban
infrastructure |
Improve condition of road network, along with efficiency
and viability of construction and maintenance work |
Privatize public works equipment rental activities and establish the Road
Maintenance Fund |
1998 |
|
| Transfer road maintenance activities to the private sector |
1999 |
|
| |
Improve transportation conditions |
Complete restructuring of the national transportation company
(SNTN)
|
1998
|
|
| |
|
Liberalize maritime transportation and restructure the Nigerien Shippers'
Council (CNUT) |
1998 |
|
| |
|
Privatize and demonopolize the joint transit management institution
(OCBN) in consultation with the government of Benin |
1998 |
|
| |
|
Adopt severance package plan for personnel of the DMPT and DTP
(social safety net) |
1998 |
|
| |
Improve access to basic urban services |
Adopt a strategy aimed at improving management of urban infrastructure
development |
1998 |
|
| |
|
Conduct a study on developing simple tools for urban planning and
implement its recommendations |
1998-2000 |
World Bank |
| L. Mining sector |
Promote diversification of production and improve efficiency of existing
activities |
Conduct strategic research in Air, Damagaram Mounio, and Sud Maradi
to provide basic geological and mining information to the private sector |
1998-2000 |
|
| |
|
Compile and assemble research work on petroleum and mining
|
1998-99 |
|
| |
|
Restructure uranium sector |
1998-2001 |
|
| |
|
Identify areas with good potential for oil prospecting |
1998-2001 |
|
| M. Social safety net |
Reduce social costs of adjustment for most vulnerable
groups |
Extend job creation program to rural areas |
1998-2001 |
|
| |
|
Implement measures aimed at ensuring food security |
1998-2001 |
|
|
