At open door days: MINDEF showcases military might, encourages youth to pick careers in corps.

This was the focus of a three-day Open Door Day, which the Ministry of Defence, MINDEF, organised at the Yaounde 101 Military Airbase as part of activities to mark the celebration of the 51^st edition of the National Day. 

This year’s National Day was celebrated under the theme: “Defence forces and Cameroonian people in harmony to safeguard national unity, bedrock of a strong and prosperous Cameroon”.

The three-day event, which started May 17, was officially closed on the eve of National Day on May 19 by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo. He was accompanied in the process by the Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze. 

Also present were the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Galax Etouga; the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa; top brass of the military and representative of the police boss.

The event unfolded under the watchful eyes of military officials from Egypt who were invited by the Head of State to witness the National Day celebration as well as those from Nigeria who are in the country for a study trip as well as other guests and huge crowd of population of Yaounde. 

Ministers Beti Assomo and Louis Paul Motaze, alongside top defence and security brass and guests, took turns to visit the various exhibition stands of the different departments of the military, para-military and security services where they were briefed on field operational strategies.

They made stops at the exhibition stands of the Division of Communication, that of the Defence Headquarters, Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR, Air Defence Artillery Regiment, Field Artillery Regiment, Military Engineering Corps, Signals Battalion of the Department of Signals, Electronics and Data Processing, the Military Operations Command, Air force, Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority, CCAA, Cameroon Navy, National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade, Customs Department, International School of Security Forces, EIFORCES, National Security (police) among others. 

Objective of MINDEF open door day 

Harping on the objective of the open door day, the Head of the Communication Division at the Ministry of Defence, Navy Captain Atonfack Guemo, said it is an annual tradition aimed at consolidating the army and nation concept.

He said the open door day has as main objective to make the defence forces better known to the general public, through presentation of their various obligations, missions and potentials and to consolidate the concept of popular defence. 

This, Atonfack said, would help arouse vocation among the youth, encourage them to pick up careers among the various corps through the presentation made on the different trades in the armed forces, career profiles and recruitment channels.

“For the Cameroonian youth, this open day is an excellent opportunity to better understand the military and security systems,” he said. 

The event, Atonfack added, is also to assure Cameroonians that the ministry is forever ready to guarantee their security across the nation, through the display of the different hardware and material used to carry out their republican missions. 

“Through the various stands, they will crave your indulgence to have the opportunity to see and learn more about the name, nature and use of the equipment which come from all the components of our defence and security forces,” Atonfack said.  

He explained that the presence of the Police and Customs in the 2023 edition, demonstrates on the one hand the excellent inter-sectoral synergy between the security and economic administrations, engaged on all fronts to protect territorial integrity alongside the army, in order to guarantee the free movement of people and goods, and on the other hand the importance of governmental interactions to consolidate Cameroon's resilience in a gloomy global economic context.

Atonfack said aside the unity and security aspect of the military, they are also into engineering, health, social and many others sectors. 

The closing ceremony was also used to award sports and artistic prizes to winners of the different events organised by the ministry in prelude to the National Day. 

Athletes hail innovations at 2023 Cross MINDEF 

Prior to the closing of the open door day, the ministry also organised this year’s edition of the race dubbed Cross MINDEF. The three category race saw the participation of officers drawn from across the five Joint Military Regions kicked off at 6 a.m. at the esplanade of the Yaounde Military Stadium.  

The kickoff of the 11^th edition of Cross MINDEF was given on behalf of the Minister by the Secretary General at MINDEF, Said Kamsouloum. The first category of the race was 2.8 kilometres for physically challenged officers and war victims.

The second category measuring 14.8 kilometres was for the abled officers below 35 and the last category was a sports walk measuring 3.7 kilometres for officers above 35 years. 

MINDEF scribe, Said Kamsouloum, also presided over the closing ceremony at the esplanade of the Military Headquarters Brigade. The race was a total success as no case of an injury was recorded in the process.    

In the category of those with visual impairment, Bekate Mvondo Stephane emerged winner, while in the category of young officers with amputations, Sitanze Kenmogne emerged first winner as Ndzana Valentin won in the category of senior officers with amputations. 

In the female category for officers with disabilities, Messa Gael emerged first while Mboro Bella won the 14.8 kilometre race in the female category. 

In the male category for the 14.8 kilometre race, Nyame Roland won in the category of those aged 35 and above while Abbo Youssao emerged winner in the category of those less than 35 years old. In total, the First Joint Military Region emerged overall winner in the first position followed by the Second and Third Joint Military Regions respective.