Benin launches hotline for public service customers

Benin's government on Monday launched a hotline, 135, to enable Beninese public and foreigners to make enquiries on the services offered by public institutions.

Besides this strategy that is aimed at improving the quality of services offered to people seeking services in the public institutions, the government has equally decided to set up information centers that will help to accelerate response rate by institutions.

Speaking on Monday in Cotonou during the launch of the 2015 edition of the Public Service Month, Benin's Labour and Public Service Minister Aboubakar Yaya said the government's objective of introducing the new strategies was to place the interests of the customers and users at the center of public service, and to establish a real partnership between the latter and administrative institutions.

He said the public service month is a period of intense exchange of views between the administrators and members of the public.

"One group should stop abusing its power, while the other should abandon the passive attitude and become true partners of the entire public service," the minister affirmed.

A report released recently by Benin's Economic and Social Council revealed that time wastage in Benin's public administration costs the country between 10,000 to 13,000 jobs every year and in monetary terms, about 122 million U.S. dollars annually. Endi