Prof Fuh Calistus bags Most Performant Minister Award.

Prof Fuh Calistus was declared winner of 2023 Most Performant Minister of The Year Award. 

The award ceremony took place Saturday February 17, at Bengo Hotel, Ebolowa in the South Region. 

The award was received on behalf of Minister Fuh Calistus by the South Regional Delegate of MINMIDT, Morsia Lasou. 

The member of government was voted by The Guardian Post readers for implementing, to the letter, President Biya’s vision for the mining sector and multi-stakeholder engagements to transform Cameroon from a mining potential country to a mining producing country. 

Presenting the award, the Secretary of the jury, Theodore Mih Ndze, who doubles as Co-Publisher of The Voice newspaper, disclosed that majority voters backed Prof Fuh Calistus for the landmark transformation within the mines ministry, barely a year after he became interim minister. 

According to the jury scribe, the transformation of the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, MINMIDT, into an active and proactive ministry, has made it a pillar in the development of the country and in the attainment of President Paul Biya’s emergence vision by 2025. 

“Since taking over the ship of MINMIDT as interim minister, Prof Fuh Calistus has transformed the sector by translating President Biya’s instructions into concrete actions,” Mih Ndze said, adding that “his constant field visits to project sites and industries have been catalysing the sector and putting the country on the path of emergence”.

Kick-starting mining projects

When President Paul Biya’s instruction, relayed through a January 30, 2023, correspondence from the Secretary General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Magloire Seraphin Fouda, for Prof Fuh Calistus to assume office interim minister, it was seen as a big challenge to fit in and to hit the ground running.

In his first year as interim minister, the three mining projects announced by the President of the Republic during his 2022 end-of-year address to the nation have seen works effectively commence.

The Mbalam-Nabeba, Grand-Zambi-Bipindi and Kribi-Lobe iron ore projects have all kicked off thanks to the stewardship of Prof Fuh Calistus, whose regular field visits pushed the contracting companies into action.

With these projects ongoing, the first export of iron ore from Cameroon is expected to be made this year.

Government, through the interim MINMIDT boss, has announced a special prize for the first company between the three contending companies; SINOSTEEL Cameroon SA, Cameroon Mining Company and the G-Stones SA.

Besides these, Prof Fuh Calistus also pushed for the start of a fourth mining project in the East Region. The industrial exploitation of the small-scale gold mine in Colomine is being implemented by the Colomine Mining Corporation SA, COMINAR, which is a subsidiary of the Cameroonian gold mining company, Codias SA. 

In a recent meeting, Prof Fuh Calistus announced measures being put in place to restructure some medium term and long term mining projects to short term projects, with the view of their effective start this year or next year. 

These measures are in line with government’s ambition of transforming Cameroon from a country of mineral potential to a mineral producing country. 

Putting order in quarry sector

In the past, the mining sector was seen as one of the opaquest sectors and one that lived miles away from transparency. 

Despite being a country with huge mining potential, very little had been reaped from the sector partially due to the disorder that reigned. 

In compliance with the law of the land, the interim mines minister launched an offensive to instill order. The mines ministry, under the guide of Prof Fuh Calistus, engaged actors in the sector, notably industrial quarry operators, employers' associations and quarry product transporters' unions, to comply with the law, especially in the monitoring and payment of the Secure Waybill. 

The Secure Waybill, an innovation of the 2023 Finance Law, is an instrument for collecting non-tax revenues and ensure traceability of substances produced from the different quarries in the country. 

Also is 2023, Prof Fuh Calistus engaged mining operators to produce and execute plans to restore the environment after mining activities with severe warnings of shutting down companies that fail to comply with the law.

To ensure that these restoration plans are implemented, councils where mining or quarry activities are being carried out, have been empowered to monitor the activities. 

Ensuring conformity, standardising industries

The recent collapsing of buildings and other structures in major cities, have often been attributed to the quality of materials used. This worrying situation prompted government to take a series of measures. Since January 2023, Prof Fuh Calistus has placed emphasis on conformity and standardisation in the industrial sector. 

He embarked on working visits to Douala, seat of most industrial companies in Cameroon, to assess the standards, norms and conformity of manufacturing industries. 

Accompanied during the visits by officials of the Standards and Quality Agency, ANOR, and the Enterprise Upgrading Office abbreviated in French as BMN, the Minister inspected some plants of the iron and steel, and cement sectors.

He also held working sessions with the stakeholders to emphasise on respecting norms and standards, as well as seeking how to lower their cost of production. 

CIMEC 2024

In view of continuing efforts to boost Cameroon’s economy through the contribution of the mining sector, Prof Fuh Calistus recently announced the holding of the 4th edition of the Cameroon International Mining and Exhibitions Convention, CIMEC, billed for May 22 to 24 in Yaounde. 

CIMEC, which will coincide with the Organisation of African, the Caribbean and the Pacific States, OACPS, Council of Ministers, the dynamic minister mentioned, is geared towards making Yaounde and Cameroon to become an international benchmark exchange and negotiation platform in the mining sector in the sub-region. 

CIMEC will also be a unique opportunity to present the new status of Cameroon as a mining producing country to the international community, financial institutions, banks, insurance and lawyers to get involved in the mining industry in Cameroon.