(Business in Cameroon) - Accused of heavily importing labour from Vietnam, Viettel Cameroon, the number three mobile service provider, announced that its Vietnamese workers, currently the majority of its workforce, will return home around “three months after the opening” which is officially scheduled for September 18, 2014.

“We fully understand the concern that Cameroonians have about their jobs being threatened. But we would like to reassure Cameroon youth that Viettel’s foreign workers are only temporary,” promised Moïse Bayi, the Deputy Director General of Viettel Cameroon in a clarification published in the Cameroon government’s daily publication. 

Mr Bayi’s remarks follow anxiety expressed in the media by a member of the company’s board. Revealing persistent tensions within Viettel’s board, Jules Kenmy stated that the administrators and the Vietnamese company’s partner  are not in agreement about the human resources management policies being implemented by the company.

Indeed, he indicated that the Vietnamese partner is planning to bring in even producers, retailers and vendors for Viettel’s products (SIM cards, phone credit…). Cameroonian board members are opposed to the project based on the promise made at the signing of the concession contract in 2012 by Viettel Cameroon to the government to create 6,300 local jobs.