At inauguration: Minister hails UBA for co-financing Douala varsity’s Professionalisation Complex.

The member of government made the remarks Friday April 14, 2023. Prof Fame Ndongo was speaking on the campus of the University of Douala while inaugurating the newly constructed state-of-the-art professionalisation complex of the higher institution.

The architectural jewel which was co-finance by UBA Cameroon through a loan of two billion FCFA was realised within two years. 

The inauguration marked the accomplishment of the desire which the Rector of the University of Douala, Prof Magloire Ondoa, had nursed since his appointment three years ago. 

The minister said the project could not have been accomplished without the willingness of UBA Cameroon management to grant a loan worth two billion FCFA to university authorities. 

The loan, Prof Fame Ndongo said, had optimise the University’s ambition to send out graduates who can fit into the demands of the job market.

Minister Fame Ndongo said they had been doubts that a state institution could achieve such great project in just two years, but such fears were allayed by the Rector of through the supports it got from UBA Cameroon. 

The minister described the support from UBA Cameroon as "light in darkness". He went further to laud UBA Cameroon for their multifaceted contributions in the education sector in the country.

"I have come to see the light that is shining in the city of Douala. As said before, many had termed this impossible, but those who brought the construction of this professionalisation complex to fruition, were not of little faith, UBA Cameroon believed in them without any shadow of doubt and now we have come appreciate that light, this is prove that State Universities can also do it," the higher education minister said. 

Minister Fame Ndongo also said the support of the financial institution towards the development of human capital in the country is unwavering. 

Douala varsity executing Biya’s call for professionalisation 

Prof Fame Ndongo said the completion of the professionalization complex is a is perfect execution of the appeal of the Head of State for the education to be professional. 

He reminded his hearers that the Head of State, H.E Paul Biya, had in his address to the youth in 2010, called for the transformation of the curriculum of State and private universities to become more professional. 

This, the minister said, would contribute not just to boost the employment of the youth but also in the training of future job creators especially with the new era development in digital and artificial intelligence. 

Enter Douala varsity Rector 

Speaking at the ceremony, the Rector of the University of Douala, Prof Magloire Ondoa, appreciated the Prime Minister, Head of Government, for believing in him above all odds and for signing the decision permitting him to lobby for loan. 

He also thanked Sawa Chiefs for their benedictions to the project, noting that it is for this that the complex has been baptised after their son and academic don, Prof Ngando Pondo.

The architectural jewel which cost a total 3.9 billion FCFA took 24 months to be completed. It consist 16 buildings, an 800 persons capacity conference hall, 10 offices, 88 toilets, surveillance camera system, standby generator amongst other facilities.

UBA Cameroon MD pledges to do more 

In his keynote address, the Managing Director, MD, of UBA Cameroon, Jude Anele, congratulated the Rector of the University of Douala, Prof Magloire Ondoa, for his undying zeal towards improving the competitiveness of the Cameroonian varsity students in the job market.

"It takes more than courage to achieve such. You had the courage to believe in UBA two years ago, by signing an exclusive agreement with the bank in order to facilitate and centralize payment services within this great institution. You believed in the promises of this same bank, to accompany students in their professional insertion," Anele said

He told guests at the ceremony that UBA Cameroon now counts about 400 professional internships offered to students of the University of Douala of which a hundred have been converted into permanent employment contracts. 

The bank’s MD said all these have been made possible because Prof Ondoa had "not failed to believe in UBA's willingness to support the university institution in the development of its projects, especially infrastructure"

He then used the opportunity to call on the operators in the business world to support universities as much as they can in terms of capacity building, as on the updating of procedures, or even the exchange of views on the training of tomorrow's workers. 

"We at UBA Cameroon believe in the development of human capital because when it comes to the resources of any nation, the most important resource is human resources. So anything which focuses on human capital development is primary. Wherever we operate, we actually focus on education both at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. So in Cameroon, we are banking many educational institutions of which the University of Douala is one," Anele noted. 

The bank, through its MD, further reiterated the willingness to do more through the "UBA CAMPUS program” in creating an ecosystem that will participate in the digitalisation of the university's services and other related services.

Anele assured that this will be done through capacity building, professional insertion, support of entrepreneurial projects especially through the Tony Elumelu Foundation program that offers each year to youth, a nonrefundable financing of up to $ 5,000 and mentoring opportunities. 

The UBA CAMPUS project, he added, intends to expand to all Universities, with of course the support of the all universities in the country. 

High-profile authorities grace ceremony 

The ceremony unfolded under the watchful eyes of the Ministers of Sports and Physical Education, Prof Narcisse Mouelle Kombi; Employment and Vocational Training, Issa Tchiroma Bakary; Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe; the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Justice, Jean Dedieu Momo.

Also present was Douala City Mayor, Dr Roger Mbassa Ndine; the Secretary General at the Littoral Governor's office, Aboubakari Tchiotou; the SDO for the Wouri, Benjamin Mboutou, and a host of traditional and state authorities.