2018 Cabinet Reshuffle: Biya Responds to Anglophone problem of Marginalisation

• Creates special ministry in charge of Decentralization and Local Development

• Appoints Paul Atanga Nji as the first Anglophone to Head Ministry of Territorial Administration

• Nalova Lyonga  as first Anglophone to Head Secondary Education

• But Separatists describe the Appointments as a non Event     

The pen of the unpredictable president Paul Biya has once more spoken, while some families will be disappointed for the fact that their family members have been flush out of government, the Family of Atanga Nji Paul and Nalova Lyonga will be in total celebration as their members have been promoted to higher ranks in the 67 man government of president Paul Biya.

According to a presidential decree signed by President Paul Biya on Friday March 2^nd 2018, Mr Atanga Nji Paul former Minister of special duties at the presidency of the Republic is now the new boss of Territorial Administration replacing Rene Emanuel Sadi who also replace him at the presidency of the republic as Minister of special duties a post he previously held before his appointment as minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization in December 2011. Paul Atanga Nji becomes the first Anglophone to head the ministry of territorial administration since independent.  Another important position also given to an Anglophone is the ministry of Secondary Education. Dr Nalova Lyonga Pauline Egbe, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea and the present Board chair of the Douala General Hospital is the new boss of secondary Education ministry she replaces Ngale Bibeye Jean Ernest Massena who takes over the ministry of transport. Dr Nalova Lyonga Pauline Egbe is also the first Anglophone to head a ministry of education in Cameroon especially after the ministry of National education was break into two. Other Anglophones also appointed into the government are Eloung Paul CHE former Director General of the National Hydrocarbon cooperation appointed as deputy sectary general at the presidency of the Republic a post that has been vacant since the death of Agbor Tabi. Joseph Dion Ngute former Minister Delegate in the ministry of external relations in charge of Common Wealth appointed as the minister of special duties at the presidency, Paul Tasong appointed as minister delegate in the ministry of economy planning and regional development and Felix Manyo who is the former sectary General in the ministry of External Relation appointed as the minister Delegate in the ministry of External Relation in charge of relation with the common wealth. He is an Anglophone born in Mankon Bamenda.  

Except of Philip Ngole Ngwesse who was minister of Forestry and while life, no other Anglophone was flush out of Government.    Meanwhile other heavy weight ministers like Belinga Eboutou former Director of Civil Cabinet at the presidency of the Republic, Edgar Allen Mebe Ngo’o former minister of transport and Jean Baptist Bokam former secretary of state in the ministry of defense in charge of Gendarmerie were all flush out.

Meanwhile president Paul Biya break the ministry of territorial administration and decentralization into two by creating a new ministry known as ministry of Decentralization and Local development headed by Elanga Obam George as the first minister.

The latest appointment mad by President Paul Biya which many think has been long overdue has come to address two issues facing Cameroon. First the creation of the new ministry of decentralization and local development will speed up the implementation of decentralization as promised by the head of state in his New Year address that he will speed up the implementation of decentralization. This effective implementation will go a long way to end Anglophone grievances considering that many of his collaborators sees effective decentralization as the best way of solving Anglophone Crisis.  

President Paul Biya has also responded to the Anglophone problem of Marginalization by appointing two Anglophones to head the ministry of Secondary Education and Territorial Administration, ministries that no Anglophone has ever held before.

However Anglophone separatist have seen the appointments of Anglophones into high profile ministry as a non events, they called it a distraction and instead advice their supporters to focus in the achievement of their goals. “You can see Paul Atanga Nji, they insulted us denied that there was no Anglophone problem but now they are ripping from the fruit of the Crisis” one of the separatist activist said.

Paul Atanga Nji on his part said “President Paul Biya has always considered Anglophones when taking decisions concerning Cameroon and he is a testimony of that given that he is an Anglophone heading the ministry of territorial Administration”

However these appointments of Anglophone is seen as a good start and many hope that Paul Biya is coming to terms with the demand of Anglophones and many likely initiate the most needed panacea to end Anglophone crisis which is dialogue.

By Fonjah Hanson