Another Red Feather:

CSPH’s Okie Johnson Ndoh Wins Oscar Award

The Oscar Award for Management Excellence offered by Paris-based International Council of African Managers, CIMA, was handed Friday, in Yaounde, to the CSPH General Manager, by CIMA President, Senegalese-born SidiAbd Allah Sy. Okie Johnson is thus the 7th Cameroonian, and the 1st Anglophone to have won the prestigious Award, in 33 years of CIMA’s existence.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

CIMA President, SidiAbd Allah Hands Oscar Award to CSPH DG Okie Johnson

The Director General of the Hydrocarbons Prices Stabilization Fund, CSPH, Okie Johnson Ndoh, is the winner of the 2018 edition of the African Managers Leadership and Excellence Academy Award. Okie thus becomes the seventh Cameroonian, and the first Anglophone to win the Oscar distinction, which is awarded by the International Council of African Managers, CIMA.

                Other Cameroonians who had also won the CIMA Oscar Award include Finance Minister, Louis Paul Motaze; Tradex General Manager, Perriel Jean Nyodog; DG of the Douala  Ports Authority, CyriusNgo’o; DG of Standard Chartered Bank, Mathieu Mandeng, Francis Nana Djomou and Joseph Celestin Tinjou of Afriland First Bank.

                Handing the Oscar Award, during a dual ceremony to present the Award and New Year wishes to the CSPH DG, on Thursday, at the esplanade of the CSPH head office in  Yaounde, CIMA President, SidiAbd Allah Sy, said the organization’s Supervisory Committee found Okie Johnson worthy for the Oscar Award because of his exceptional patriotism, his high-level performance as GM of CSPH and above all, his commitment to nation building and contribution towards the emergence of Cameroon by 2035.

                SidiAbd described Okie Johnson as an “exceptional and astute manager”, who, apart from being the DG of CSPH, is also the National President of the Catholic Men’s Association of Cameroon, CMA.

                He exhorted the Oscar laureate to remain assiduous and committed to his exalting duties, reminding him that the Cameroonian people, and especially President Paul Biya, are watching him.

                Sidi used the occasion to extol President Biya, noting that it was upon his “wise advice” that CIMA was created in 1986, at the Mont Febe Hotel in Yaounde.

                Meanwhile, Okie Johnson did not conceal his joy after receiving the Oscar Award. He thanked CIMA for electing him for the international honor and distinction.

                Dedicating the award to the Head of State, President Paul Biya, the CSPH DG said the Award is a challenge for further hard work.         

                “I never knew that the little I have been contributing to my country would be recognized internationally....This Award gives me the impression that as Cameroonians, we are capable of bringing down mountains; we are capable of building a strong and efficient nation, a nation that is built by us and not by foreigners,” Okie said.

                He continued: “It is now clear to me that as managers, when we put the interest of the nation first, we are capable of contributing and giving smiles to the people...

Making good decisions and at the right time is a very important vector in management. When you are in a situation where you are the only one to take a vital decision, you have only yourself and your God to count on. When you put the interest of  the nation first, God will always inspire you to take the right decisions,” noted Okie, who recalled how he had to take the hard decision to bail out Sonara and Cameroon from the claws of the IMF. Okie noted how his one decision has saved the image and credibility of Cameroon vis-a-vis the IMF.

                Present at the ceremony to hand the award were the Minister of Trade, Luc MagloireMbargaAtangana, who doubles as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CSPH, the Minister of State Property and Land Tenure, Henri EyebeAyissi; the Board Chairman of Sonara, MrsNdoh Bertha Bakata and the DG of SCDP, MrsMompio, who only weeks ago, was the Assistant DG of CSPH.

                Created on 13 March 1986, at the initiative of President Biya and some other African Heads of State, CIMA organizes the Oscar Award for African Managers annually.

                 CIMA is “a platform for reflection and partnerships for participation in building a strong and winning Africa”. It brings together economic leaders, to harness resources and improve the effectiveness of public policies at the national, regional and continental levels towards supporting Africa’s growth.

                It organizes economic and business forums to reinforce the image of a Winning Africa.

                 CIMA organizes a gala annually, during which Awards are presented to business leaders who distinguished themselves in various areas of management.

                After the Oscar Award Thursday, workers of CSPH took turns to wish their GM a happy New Year. It was occasion for the Technical Adviser No 2 of CSPH, MrsEvouMekou, to present a balance-sheet of the company’s activities in 2018.