"(Business in Cameroon) - I have the honor to ask you to postpone the execution of the memorandum No. 005/DG/DRH/SGCR of January 8, 2021, appointing temporary staff at the Company Cameroon Telecommunications [Camtel] that presented irregularities.” This is an excerpt of the letter sent, on January 11, 2021, to Judith Yah Sunday (photo), general director of Camtel, by Mohamadou Saoudi, chairman of the board of directors of Cameroon's public telecom operator.
He adds that "if necessary, a consequent proposal, following the norms prescribed by the rules in force, should be presented to the next board of directors scheduled for the end of January [2021].”
This letter comes after another one dated January 11, 2021, from Minette Libom Li Likeng, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel). In the said letter, the minister opposed the launch of Camtel's mobile network, planned for January 13, 2021. Besides the strategic and technical shortcomings she pointed out, Minette Libom Li Likeng criticized Judith Yah Sunday for setting up “a task force of 170 staff (…) without providing any details on the missions or how the unit will be managed.” She then asked Camtel’s general director to clarify the appointment, which she considers as a breach of staff appointment regulations.
Staff representative
Let’s note that the Minpostel’s letter was sent in reply to the one she received, earlier this year, from Alfred Essam (Camtel’s staff representative) who reported the contested appointment.
"Under the pretext of appointing temporary staff to fill the gap left by some retiring managers, the memorandum simply appoints new directors and deputy directors. Otherwise, how else can we explain the arrival of people not yet recruited at Camtel to fill in for some managing roles? Does the term interim keep its meaning when sitting and lawfully appointed managers are removed?” Mr. Essam wrote in his letter.
He reminded that appointments for the positions of deputy-director and higher cannot be made without the approval of the board of directors. Then, he explained that systematically resorting to external expertise for management positions while some employees have the required skills for those positions will end up angering the staff that has so far worked hard to keep the company afloat.
S.A.