UB-SYNES president, Prof James Abangma, dismissed!.

His dismissal followed an emergency virtual meeting, held Saturday, September 12, 2026. It was convened for the committee members to deliberate on the actions of Prof Abangma, who they say “took the initiative to represent the UB-SYNES Chapter without consulting members or even his colleagues on the Executive Board.”

In a statement, published Saturday, the Executive Committee disclosed that: “After unanimously condemning this act, which reflects dictatorial behavior, the exco adopted the following resolutions: that Prof Abangma James Arrey is dismissed from his position as President of UB-SYNES Chapter, via an impeachment procedure effective immediately.”

The statement said: “The first Vice President of UB-SYNES has been designated by the Executive Committee to assume the position of President. He will hold this position until the next Elective General Assembly, the date of which will be agreed upon by UB-SYNES members during discussions within the union's two official WhatsApp groups; namely "SYNES UB CHAPTER" and "Registered-Members SYNES UB CHAPTER."

The committee also announced that: “An official statement, signed by UB-SYNES exco members, will be published in the coming days, to express in the strongest possible terms, our dissociation from the act of betrayal committed by our colleague, not because of his participation in the meeting convened by the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, but because he clearly implied that he was representing UB-SYNES, yet, was not mandated to do so.”

“The UB-SYNES exco wishes to reassure its members and the national university community once again: it has never been involved in any scheme to destabilise SYNES, the union to which we have reaffirmed our loyalty. We offer our sincerest apologies to the teaching staff of the University of Buea, who may have felt betrayed…we assure them of our determination to continue the struggle- not against the administrative authorities, but for the respect of our legitimate rights and nothing else,” the statement added.

The sacking Prof James Abangma, it should be said, comes in the wake of an announced strike action by SYNES in all State universities.

The impending industrial action was announced by the National Union of Teachers of Higher Education, SYNES, the umbrella association of all university lecturers.

The planned indefinite strike action across all public universities, was announced weeks to the start of the 2026/2027 academic year.

In a communique, dated September 3, 2026, SYNES Secretary General, Prof Wogaing Fotso Jeannette, cited government's continued failure to pay outstanding allowances and its indifference to social dialogue as reasons for the industrial action.

SYNES noted the continued non-payment of outstanding amounts under the Special Allowance for Research Modernisation for the fourth quarter of 2025 and the quarters already due in 2026, as well as what it termed "the academic debt still owed.”

Prof Wogaing Fotso’s statement noted with regret: "…the persistent indifference of the Government of the Republic, with regard to its commitments concerning social dialogue, university governance and the preservation of a peaceful social climate within our public universities.”

The union is demanding a response to a request for an audience, addressed to President Paul Biya, on January 20, 2025. Other demands include the full payment of all outstanding allowances, under the Special Allowance for Research Modernisation to all teaching staff without exception and the full settlement of the academic debt.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3909 of Monday September 14, 2026