They clock 21 years in same office today.

Perhaps shocking for a global record and normal to the string of absurdities that have clouded the Cameroonian psyche, is the fact that a good number of ministers, appointed same day like former PM Inoni, have not changed portfolios! 

Today makes exactly 21 years since the Head of State handed certain ministries to the said members of government.

A lot has happened in the life of the nation in 21 years, with even the world itself undergoing several mutations but President Biya has not found reason to either appoint these persons elsewhere on send them on political retirement.

Among these record-breaking ministers, when it comes to occupying the same office, a thing mostly known of some Directors General, DGs, are four known names. 

They are: the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo; the Minister of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, Hele Pierre; the Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana; and the Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation, Dr Madeiline Tchuente. These four have headed their ministries for 21 uninterrupted years.

Observers say in typical Cameroonian style, this Monday is a special one for them, for clocking 21 years in the same office. 

Whether their longevity in service is a product of productivity, analysts say is a debate left for Cameroonians to assess collectively and individually.

Served three PMs, survive several cabinet reshuffles

In addition to having served in the same positions for 21 years as ministers, something which many say has never happened since independence, these members of government have survived several cabinet shake ups.

They are also serving under a third successive Prime Minister, Head of Government in the same position. They started where they are with Inoni as Prime Minister. 

While Inoni’s time expired as Prime Minister, after over five years, the quartet stayed on spot, surviving three reshuffles and started a new journey with Philemon Yunji Yang as Prime Minister.

Yang spent nine and a half years as Prime Minister, the longest serving under Biya, with four cabinet reshuffles but the foursome did not change ministries. 

Today, while some are counting barely years in a public office, they are beginning a third decade of service except otherwise. They have also been journeying with Dr Chief Joseph Dion Ngute as Prime Minister, Head of Government for close to seven years now. 

Records hold that they are the only ministers in the country’s history who have served in the same positions uninterrupted for this long. They have done so under three different Prime Ministers and surviving many cabinet changes.

Lived three presidential elections in same post 

Beyond the number of years, the foursome who came to the positions they are occupying after the October 2004 presidential election, have also lived three other presidential polls. They were in their current positions when the presidential election of 2011 took place.

Analysts say if the Constitution had been left untouched in 2008, through the removal of Presidential term limits, these ministers would have spent just seven years in their current posts. 

Today, they are being labelled in some quarters as the ministers moving along with President Paul Biya’s life presidency project. 

They have lived the 2011, 2018 and 2025 presidential elections, in same ministries since December 8, 2004. 

While President Biya has clocked 43 years as Head of State and still counting, Dr Madeleine Tchuente, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, Hele Pierre and Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, would as from tomorrow December 9, 2025, enter their 22^nd year as ministers in the same ministries!

Youths, leaders of tomorrow continue to wait?

Even as discretionary as it is for the Head of State to decide whom to work with, critics say the long stay of certain persons in the same offices bores a message that disfavours young people. 

They argue that the Biya regime cannot be trumpeting youths are the leaders of tomorrow and doing little or nothing to put into practice the political declaration.

Those bringing in the issue of youths are factoring the age of certain citizens in high functions today.  They argue that as at the time the quartet was appointed in 2004, the current Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, now about 51 years old, was 31; the Secretary of  State to the Minister of Defense in charge of the National Gendarmerie, Yves Landry Etouga Galax, was 29 years of age, while  Bertrand Sombo Angoula,  the Director General of the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM, was just about 18 years then.

For the records, Prof Fame Ndongo, reportedly born on November 15, 1950, now 75, was handed his current post when he was 54 years. 

Hele Pierre, 79, was born in 1946. It means he came to the environment ministry at the age of 58. 

Meanwhile, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, 71 born in 1954, has been heading the Ministry of Trade since he was 50 years old.

Will Biya end record or prolong it?

With several projections about a new government having failed to see the light of day, public opinion remains divided on when these four ministers would leave their current posts. 

Whether they are leaving from where they are to the “village” or to other ministries, remains within the preserve of the Head of State.

Many are again anticipating that given the stress associated with the October 12, 2025 presidential election, Biya could decide to bring new faces to the concerned ministries or allow the said ministers to continue, extending their long stay in the same public office.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3649 of Monday December 08, 2025