Keeping His Promise:

Biya Hands Strategic Jobs to Women & Youths

The President of the republic Friday appointed new General Managers of Camtel, SCDP, ENAM and MIDENO. Unlike in the past, the new appointees are mostly women and young men.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

New GM of ENAM, Soumbou Angoula Bertrand

In what many have described as redeeming his pledge to the women and youths, President Paul Biya Friday signed several decrees appointing more women and youths to big and strategic posts of responsibility in the state machinery.

                Several Presidential decrees read on state radio, CRTV, on Friday, appoints Mr. Mohamadou Saoudou as Board Chairman of Cameroon Telecoms Company, Camtel; Mrs. Yah Judith Sonday epse Achidi as the new General Manager of Camtel; Mr. Ole Daniel Desire as deputy GM of Camtel; Mr. Soumbou Angoula Bertrand Pierre as the new GM of ENAM, Mr Arouna as deputy GM of ENAM and Mr. Matoya Clement Anye as the new GM of the NW Development Authority, MIDENO.

                Earlier on Thursday, the board of directors of the Petroleum Depot Company, SCDP, meeting in Douala, elected a new General Manager of the company in the person of Mrs Mompea Veronique. Before her new appointment Mrs Mompea was the assistant DG of CSPH.

                Two of the new GMs notably Yah Judith epse Achidi of Camtel and Mompea Veronique of SCDP are women, while the new GM and AGM of ENAM as well as the new GM of MIDENO, are young men. The new GM of ENAM, Soumbou Angoula, a category one Magistrate, is in his early thirties, while the AGM Arouna is in his forties. For his part, the new GM of MIDENO is also in his forties.

                By these appointments therefore, President Paul Biya has honored his promise to the women and the youths. Recall that in his inaugural address shortly after taken the oath of office on 6 November 2018, the president said “I understand the desire of the youths to also participate in decisions that affect them. I will make sure the youths participate in making the history of our country.”

                As for the women, President Biya said “I would ensure true equality of opportunities for both men and women; I would persist to devoting all my effort towards the empowerment of women.”

                By the appointments on Thursday and Friday therefore, President Biya has demonstrated to Cameroonians and the wider public his resolve to transfer power to the youths and women of Cameroon.

                It should be noted that according to official statistics, youths form over 70 percent of the Cameroon population, and the bulk of these youths are women and girls. Yet, there are complains in the country that the majority of those in positions of power are ‘old people’, mostly in their seventies and eighties.

                But the President now seems to be upsetting the Apple Cart by also appointing youths and women to positions of responsibility and power. During the last cabinet shakeup on 5 March 2017, Yves Galax, 41, was appointed to replace the ailing and aging Jean Baptiste Bokam as the Secretary of State for the National Gendarmerie.

                Also, some new GMs and AGMs that were appointed to some state corporations notably SODECAO and IRAD were in their forties.

                It is however, hoped that the women and youths so empowered will live up to the billing of the responsibilities and especially the confidence so bestowed on them this, so that more jobs and responsibilities of real power can be handed to these category of persons in the future, why not.