Awa Fonka wins Cameroon's Best Governor Award.

It is a rating of a distinguished jury that oversaw the vetting of laureates at the Cameroon English Newspaper Publishers Association, CENPA, award. The august ceremony took place at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel, July 25.

The event, which drew guests from within and outside the country, had in attendance several members of government. Other personalities from different walks of life, such as leaders of civil society organisations, traditional rulers, business magnates, community actors among others, lived the historic moment.

The rating of the celebrated civil administrator was greeted with joy and acclamation. 

According to the strict CENPA award jury, Governor Awa Fonka bagged the award for his “distinct administrative practicality, dynamism and openness in administering the cosmopolitan population of the West Region to achieve massive development, enhance peace, living together and national unity”.

The Inspector General at the West Governor’s Office, received the award on behalf of the hardworking Governor Awa Fonka.

It is a recognition that ties with the spectacular parcour of Awa Fonka’s stainless career in serving the Cameroonian people.

As Governor of the West Region, Awa Fonka is a man already living the reality of his legacy. Under the guidance of the Head of State, President Paul Biya, Governor Awa Fonka, has made his mark in putting the West Region on the map of peace, development, living together, national unity and national integration.

Awa Fonka is not new to putting his experience to work in the most delicate of circumstances to make the West Region a bastion of what represents Cameroon in very good facet.

He holds unique records in coordinating government development projects that have given the West Region a new outlook. 

From projects that stood out during the hosting of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, which Cameroon hosted and others that have a direct bearing on the wellbeing of the population, Governor Awa Fonka worked tirelessly to see them meet expected standards.

He further showed his administrative knowhow in the face of the influx of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, of the Anglophone crisis into his administrative unit.

Governor Awa has shown mastery in building the bonds of togetherness and unity that have helped people fleeing insecurity to settle in the West Region and continue to enjoy the dividends of Cameroon’s unity.

In specific areas such as squabbles among Chiefdoms and tensions around succession issues, Awa Fonka Augustine is the man who has quenched deadly cracks to restore normalcy.

On the way of life, he has infused a system of self-reliance and orderliness in the psyche of the population on responsible living. 

Awa Fonka is mostly known and loved across the West Region for being the people’s Governor. He has remained accessible to all without discrimination.

When some traditional rulers had a misunderstanding with the Catholic Diocese of Bafoussam recently, it was Governor Awa Fonka Augustine who smartly intervened and talked peace. 

Today, there is total calm and collaboration between the Catholic Church and the custodians of tradition in the West Region.

What the West Region is enjoying under Governor Awa’s leadership is not different to his inspiring track records in other areas where he has served in same capacity. 

Awa Fonka forever inspiring 

The native of Akum in Mezam Division of the North West Region was born on April 11, 1959, in Akwa Douala. After a brilliant academic course, he studied civil administration at the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM. He is of the batch of 1996.

His first duty post as administrator was Mundemba in Ndian Division, where he served as First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer, SDO. He was later raised to a Divisional Officer, DO. 

In this capacity, he served in: Nwa, Donga Mantung Division, Wum Central, Menchum Division; Oku and Jakiri Subdivisions in Bui Division, Babessi, Ngokentunjia Division all in the North West Region.

He also served as DO of Poli Subdivision of the North Region, Tiko Subdivision in the South West Region. 

President Paul Biya later raised him to the rank of SDO of Mbam and Kim Division of the Centre Region in 2010; from where he was appointed Governor of the Far North Region on March 12, 2012.

Governor Awa Fonka’s role in helping government to push back the Nigerian lslamic sect, Boko Haram, from the Far North Region are still indelible. 

After the Far North Region, Awa Fonka was posted to the West Region as Governor in 2014. He has been serving here since then and producing matchless results. 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0: 3190 of August 05, 2024