At swearing in ceremony: CONAC Coordination Committee members tasked to be rigorous in anti-corruption war.

The seven members were handed the assignment during an oath-taking ceremony at the Supreme Court in Yaounde on Friday, June 27. It was chaired by the President of the Judicial Bench of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Joseph Fonkwe Fongang. 

The new team consists of two women; Boulou Mireille and Mairama Ibrahima and a five men; Aboubakar Dewa, Achaleke Christian Leke, Adjabe Aristophane, Mani Koumda Martial and Ntouba Njombe Leonel.

The members were appointed in a presidential decree on May 19, 2025, for a mandate of three years renewable once. 

The swearing in ceremony was attended by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, the Chairman of CONAC, Rev Dr Dieudonné Massi Gams, and a host of other state authorities, family members and friends. 

Members urged to be brave, rigorous 

Speaking during the swearing in, the Advocate General at the Supreme Court, Magistrate Regine Esseneme, in her requisition, urged the members to be rigorous in the exercise of their duties.

She enjoined them not to blink or bend in their efforts to clean the country of all corruption and corruption-related malpractices. 

The Supreme Court official described corruption as a social scourge that is detrimental to the development and economic growth of the country and “undermines the legitimacy and transparency of institutions and hinders the efficiency of the administration, the enforcement of laws and regulations and the work of the judiciary”. 

“Ultimately, corruption is a threat to the stability and security of societies, undermining democratic institutions and values, ethical values and justice, and jeopardising the realisation of human rights, sustainable development and the rule of law,” she detailed. 

The magistrate said CONAC’s 2024 report, which revealed that Cameroon lost 114 billion FCFA to corruption and other related malpractices in 2023, is one of the major indications that highlight the country’s challenges with corruption and the need for the new CONAC Coordination Committee members to be relentless in the exercise of their duties. 

“In 2024, according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, where zero means high corruption and meaning 100 high integrity, Cameroon scored 26/100 and was ranked 140th out of the 180 countries assessed. This ranking represents a regression compared to the 2023 ranking, where the score was 27/100. This shows that the phenomenon is taking root or increasing in our country,” the Supreme Court official added. 

Appointment responds to CONAC’s calls for reinforcement 

CONAC Chairman, Rev. Dr Massi Gams, told pressmen at the end of the ceremony that the appointment and subsequent installation of the new members is a dream come true for the anti-corruption body. 

“It is a great day for us because we have gotten the response to what we asked from the President of the Republic. The first thing to note is the fact that he has taken to account the respect of gender as we have two women in the team,” the CONAC boss said.

He urged the new members to work diligently and ensure that they effectively execute their tasks and do so in line with the instructions of the Head of State, President Paul Biya. 

New members vow to use innovative approach 

Speaking during the ceremony, all seven members vowed to be brave, selfless and rigorous. 

They told pressmen in separate interviews that they will particularly strive to be innovative in their approach, with focus, among others, on ensuring that there is an increase in public interest on the fight against corruption.

“It is indeed a very honouring moment for us. I think it is a show of trust and indeed an honor for the many young people who have been working very hard to serve communities,” one of the members, Achaleke Christian, one of the new members, stated.

“It is a heavy task but I am sure that the trust that has been conferred upon us will be materialised with the experiences that we have and of course the mentorship that we are going to receive as we get this work done. With my background and those of my colleagues, we think that our innovation will be specifically around engaging prevention as well as ensuring that Cameroonians become interested in the fight against corruption,” Achaleke added. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3489 of Monday June 30, 2025