In a circular dated January 12, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Bidjere Bindjaki, ordered the immediate closure of all WhatsApp groups and similar messaging platforms used for professional purposes. This measure applies to both internal exchanges and communications with external partners.

The reasons given: Security and Traceability

The ministry justifies this radical decision by the need to protect the institution against several abuses:

1. Lack of legal framework: These informal exchanges are not based on any regulatory framework.
2. Security deficiency: The use of private messaging compromises the confidentiality of sensitive data and exposes the administration to cybersecurity risks.
3. Traceability problem: Unlike official channels, WhatsApp does not allow for reliable and structured archiving of instructions and administrative documents.

A setback for union protests

Beyond the technical aspects, this decision appears to target protest movements . Numerous groups of customs, tax, and treasury officials served as platforms to denounce nepotism, cronyism, and favoritism in appointments. By banning these spaces, the ministry seeks to regain control over internal communication and limit the organization of online union activities.

Sanctions and new guidelines

The circular is clear: only professional emails are now considered valid.

"Any exchange, instruction or transmission of documents made outside of professional email addresses will be considered null and void and will not bind the administration," warned Bidjere Bindjaki.

Directors general and heads of departments are personally responsible for enforcing this directive. Any offender will be subject to severe disciplinary measures , in accordance with applicable regulations.