Cameroon: A GM in office for 43 years despite legal prohibitions

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Cameroon is one of the countries on earth with good laws which are never respected. Despite the provisions of the 1999 law which States that, a general manager and his deputy shall be appointed either by a 2/3 members of board of directors or presidential decree for a period of three years renewable twice and not more than nine year in special situations, some Beti indigenes, tribe men of mr Biya still go against this splendid legal framework put in place. The record holder of them all is Ernest Ela Evina, the general manager of the national center for studies and mechanization of agriculture (CENEEMA) in Cameroon.

Mr Ela Evina has been at the helm of this very important center since creation in 1972 giving him 43 years in the same office. Some observers say this is unique in the world even as the center's set objectives are still far from being attained nor matter the noise made by the Yaoundé government that the country has embraced second generation agriculture that entails the use of machines. The unpopular GM, mr Ela Evina received new tractors from the government by year 2000 aimed at boosting the agro sector in the country but to the greatest dismay of all and sundry, these tractors were distributed to ministers and top ranking officials in Cameroon and today, most of these machines are lined up in the packing lots of these top barons and in bad state most of them from the Beti tribe meanwhile these tractors are highly needed in the north west and northern regions for the cultivation of rice and maize.

However, mr Ela who has been forgotten in his post is said to be the remaining official who was appointed by Cameroon's former president Ahmadou Ahidjo. Apart from mr Ela's disturbing record, another GM who has won mr Biya's heart is Adolphe Moudiki, who has been discretely at the head of the national oil and gas company ( SNH) for 24 years. Mr Moudiki is a magistrate and former justice minister.

Amongst others who are actually working in absolute illegality as per the 1999 lwa in its sections 47 sub 1 include; Pierre Ekoule Mouange, GM of the Douala stock exchange market has been in office for 12 years, on his part, Michael Ndoping GM of the cocoa and coffee interprofessional board is still there after 11years, Mekoulu Mvondo another tough Beti mafia has ruined the national social insurance fund ( CNPS) for close to 10 years today with no major results to boost of as the enterprise is rather rocked with terrible scandals of embezzlement. This gross disregard of the law and longitivity in office, is said to be the raison d'être of the heavy inertia that characterises the 34 year old regime of Paul Biya.