The ENAM scandal is yet to settle. Popular Action Party of Hon Ayah Paul Abine has sent a detailed reaction concerning the scandal. The SG Mr. Akoson Raymond writes:

• Handpicking the unqualified and academically weak is dangerous for the economy. The repercussions of such unscrupulousness are untoward;
• The Republic of Cameroon lost 6,000 billion francs CFA between 2000 and 2009 because of admissions of dullards into ENAM. 6,000 Billion francs CFA could provide 500,000 jobs with a monthly take home pay package of 100,000 francs CFA for the next ten years. This is the same thing as providing jobs to ALL inhabitants of Bamenda or to more than half the population of the entire Adamawa Region based on the 2010 Projections of the 2005 Census Results.

The Cameroon media is currently awash with the outcry over the publication of results of the Entrance Examination of ENAM’s 2016 Session. What keeps the leadership of PAP awakes all night is the economic plight of Cameroonians. PAP is determined to always remain a positive critic – we seek ways to always remind, on the one hand, the Cameroonian people on the PAP alternative and to advise this failure and embarrassment of a regime through such publications on the other hand. This explains our belated reaction.

The Facts of the ENAM Corruption Scandal

PAP spots a number of unscrupulousness, double-dealing, fraud, misconduct and crime after having gone through the official results signed by the Director General of ENAM, Mr. Linus Toussaint Mendjana and published on August 10, 2016:

1. The Case of a certain ATANGANA Joseph Yanick

ATANGANA Joseph Yanick’s name appeared on two separate lists for the same cycle; it appeared on the list of those who had ‘successfully passed’ the Entrance Examination into the General Administrative Division (name number 26) as well as on the list of those who were ‘successful’ for entrance into the Economics and Finance Division (name number 11).

PAP is aware that the written part of ENAM for entrance into the different divisions for a particular cycle (Cycle A or B) takes place concomitantly. How could Mr. ATANGA Joseph Yanick have been successful at some exam he didn’t sit in for?

2. ENAM is Family Corporation for the Governing Elite

While president Biya advised the youths of Cameroon to try their hands in agriculture, his friends and aides prefer otherwise – to get their children into ENAM through unorthodox means. A careful perusal of the list of ‘successful’ candidates reveals surnames of children and close relatives of the high and mighty in Yaounde. They include inter alia:

• Abate Edi’i Aurelle Manuella, ranked No. 1 in alphabetical order in the General Administration Section, naturally links to John Abate Edi’i, current Governor of the North Region;
• Abba Ali comes second and could quickly be related to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali;

• Beti Assomo Estelle Melissa is the daughter of the current Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo;

• Bidoung Yves Kevin is a relative of the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Pierre Ishmael Bidoung Mpkatt;

• Mebe Ngo’o Alain Didier Serge following a CPDM explanation simply resembles that of the Minister of Transport Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o.

The Economic Repercussions

There are repercussions of wanton proportions when the brightest minds of a country are relegated to the background for less qualified individuals. Recruitment and selection of students for training to take up public service tasks have an important role to play in ensuring performance and positive/negative outcomes in the Public Sector. Selection of students for further training occurs not just to replace departing Civil Servants or add to a workforce but rather, it must aim to put in place servants who can perform at a high level and spur growth for the country. Inappropriate selection decisions such as what we see at ENAM can be distressing for teachers who have to deal with unsuitable and very weak students; produce mediocre public servants that reduce Public service effectiveness and invalidate development strategies.

That is why on July 3, 2013 an international NGO – the African Network for Financial Justice, REJ-A, published, on the BUSINESS IN CAMEROON website (http://www.businessincameroon.com) — its ten-year long (2000 – 2009) finding; that, the Republic of Cameroon lost 6,000 billion francs CFA between 2000 and 2009 because of problems faced in collecting revenue. Yes, you got the figure right – 6 Trillion francs CFA. They blamed this, amongst other reasons on wrong tax brackets, poor interpretation of the tax code and other errors in tax calculations.

Take a minute and reflect on what 6 Trillion Francs CFA could do. It could provide 500,000 jobs with a monthly take home pay package of 100,000 francs CFA for the next ten years. This is the same thing as providing jobs to ALL inhabitants of Bamenda town or to more than half the population of the entire Adamawa Region based on the 2010 Projections of the 2005 Census Results.

When you recruit an academically weak mind for training in lieu of the more apt, qualified ‘brainboxes’ this is what you get in return; garbage in garbage out.

PAP’s Recommendations:

• We call on the Government of Cameroon to cancel the ENAM results of the 2016 Session;

• Cameroon must once and for all evolve from the traditional anachronistic recruitment and selection process to a more modern 21st Century approach. How? Create a more strategic Public Sector Human Resource Management outfit; we must genuinely introduce Strategic Human Resource Management to the Public Sector if we were serious to become emergent by the target date of 2035. No need to emphasize the far-reaching positive consequences in creating a Human Resources Management Ministry and merge with the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Management – to replace the current plethora of education ministries and the Ministry of Public Service and Administrative Reforms. Ever thought for a minute what the benefits would be to begin raising public servants from secondary school? This would, to a large extent kill disturbing proportions of career uncertainties faced by students; orientate and counsel students towards pursuing specific career options based on their academic strengths, passion for the discipline and other competencies.

AKOSON A. Raymond,

PAP Secretary General