(Business in Cameroon) - Louis Georges Njipendi Kouotou, who formerly chaired the Board of Directors of Cameroon Airline Camair-co, has been appointed Managing Director of the company, following a Presidential Order issued May 27. This makes him the 6^th MD in the space of 8 years.

Mr Kouotou thus replaced Ernest Dikoum who has held this position for about 3 years (since August 22, 2016). Dikoum was also Emirates airline’s Regional Director for Senegal and Guinea. Transport minister Jean Ernest Ngalle Massena Bibehe becomes the new Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Let’s note that Mr Kouotou, civil administrator by training, arrived at Camair-co on April 24, 2017 when he became Board Chairman, replacing Mefiro Oumarou who is now Minister Delegate to the Minister of Transport.

As a reminder, Camair-co has been facing financial difficulties since its launch in 2011. It benefited from a recovery plan, proposed in 2016 by US firm Boeing Consulting, that seeks to clear a debt of XAF35 billion, inject XAF60 billion, resize network to about 23 destinations, upgrade fleet and increase number of aircrafts to twelve. The plan also provides for the establishment of an on-site technical platform for aircrafts’ maintenance.

But the company is short of financial resources, not only to implement this scheme but also to pay salaries and debts. It owes employees several months’ arrears. Two out of six aircrafts are grounded due to a lack of money for maintenance and the air carrier no longer operates its regional flights.

Sylvain Andzongo