Cameroon's rich and powerful

“It all started with a list off 44 billionaires the US ambassador to Cameroon gave the President…” 

Le blog du Prési… [Fr] lists Cameroon's wealthiest and most powerful men.  The average profile: an octogenarian currently or formerly in government, who is likely to have seen the inside of a prison cell.

Je dois dire que, ne pouvant vérifier cette info, je la prends sans aucun étonnement, tant on connait la vitesse et l'ampleur de l'enrichissement de certaines personnes au Cameroun, surtout dans certaines fonctions. Et c'est amusant de voir le classement, puisque ces personnes auraient été classées par ordre décroissant de quantité de milliards. Et quand je vois troner en tête de ce classement le vertueux ex-Directeur des Impots, aujourd'hui MINEFI et la densité des hauts responsables anciens et actuels du même MINEFI, je me dis que Cameroun sait pourquoi il est pauvre, voire PPTE (Pays Pauvre Très Endetté). 

I have to say, not being able to verify this information, I take it without any surprise, as I know with what speed and what degree some have become rich in Cameroon, especially those in certain positions.  And it's funny to see the rankings, since these people would have been ranked in descending order…  And when I the virtuous ex-Tax Director, today MINEFI [Ministry of Economy and Finance] take pride of place at the head of this list, and the density of former and current MINEFI higher ups, all I can say is Cameroon knows why it is poor, not to mention PPTE (Heavily Indebted Poor Country).

Some of Cameroon's billionaires (in CFA):

  • Polycarpe ABAH ABAH, current Minister of Finance (MINEFI)
  • Alphonse SIYAM SIWE, in prison in DOUALA
  • Emmanuel ONDO NDONG, condemned to a prison farm for 50 years
  • Gervais MENDO ZE, Minister of Communication
  • Remy ZE MEKA, Minister of Defense
  • Pierre DESIRE ENGO, ex-Director General of Cameroon's social security agency, in prison
  • Edouar AKAME MFOUMOU, ex-MINEFI
  • Edouard ETONDE EKOTTO, under investigation for embezzling Port of Douala funds in the SIYAM SIEWE affair
  • Jean-Marie ATANGANA MEBARA, Foreign Minister
  • Marafat HAMIDOU, Minister of the Interior
  • Zacharias FORNJIDAM, current director of the naval yard
  • And the list goes on…

    On the advice of a reader, Prési…, also posts the ages of some of Cameroon's high-ranking officials.  

    On trouverait quelques jeunes sexagenaires qui viendraient abaisser la moyenne. Quand on vous dit que le Cameroun est un pays plein d'avenir. C'est Sarko qui va être content, lui qui veut faire travailler jusqu'à 70ans. Qu'il change de pays le gars; au Cameroun c'est déjà le cas! 

    I found some young sexagenarians pulling down the average.  And they tell you Cameroon is a country with a bright future.  Sarko would be happy; he wants to keep at it until he's 70.  That's already the case in Cameroon!  He should switch countries.
    1. Ferdinand Leopold Oyono – … – 79
    2. Jean-Baptiste Beleoken – Directeur du Cabinet Civil de la PRC- 76
    3. Simon Achidi Achu – PCA de la SNI (ex-PM) – 76
    4. Paul Biya – PRC [President]- 75
    5. Xavier Mbouyoum – President de l'ONEL (organe électoral) – 73
    6. General Pierre Semengue – Général d'armée – 73
    7. Joseph Charles Doumba – Ambassadeur itinérant (ex-SG RDPC) – 72
    8. General Asso'o Emane Benoit – Général de division – 71
    9. Hamadjoda Adjouji – Trésorier RDPC, PCA ARMP – 71
    10. Ombga Damasse – Conseiller technique PRC- 71
    11. General Rene Claude Meka – Général de Division – 70
    12. General Mambou Deffo – Général (DG de la Gendarmerie) – 70
    13. General Camille Nkoa Atenga – Général – 70
    14. Paul Tessa – President CONAC (Anti-Corruption) – 70
    15. Martin Belinga Eboutou – VIP, Conseiller Technique PRC (ex-Représentant à l'ONU) – 70
    16. Adolphe Moudiki – DG SNH – 70
    17. Cavaye Yegue Djibril – President Assemblée Nationale – 70
    18. Maikano Abdoulaye – Délégué du Gouvernement Garoua – 70
    19. Paul Pondi – President of the Civil Aviation Authority – 80+

    Les gardiens du temple

    1. Felix Sabal Lecco – President, National Council of Communication – 90+
    2. Jean Keutcha – Ambassador-at-large – 85+
    3. Marcel Medjo Akono – Ambassadeur-at-large – 84+
    4. El Hadj Ousman Mey – Chairman, CNPS – 83+

    8 comments

    Join the conversation

    Authors, please log in »

    Guidelines

    • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
    • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.