It is true. Article 21 (1) of Act n°99/016 dated 22 December 1999 on the status of public establishments and public and para-public companies clearly states that “the functions of Baord chairperson are not compatible with those of government members”.

However, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Minister-General Secretary at the Office of the President chairs the board of the Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH). Louis Paul Motazé, Minister of Economy is Chairman of Hydro Mekin. His colleague at the Finance Ministry, Alamine Ousmane Mey, chairs the board of the Caisse Autonome d’Amortissement. André Mama Fouda, Minister of Health is also Chairman of the Laboratoire de Contrôle Médical. Jacques Fame Ndongo, Minister of Higher Education is the lifelong Chairman of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Yaoundé. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Commerce is heading the board of the Caisse de Stabilisation des Prix des Hydrocarbures (CSPH). Koung A Bissikè, Minister of Land Registry and Affairs is chairperson at the Mission d’Aménagement et d’Equipement des Terrains Urbains et Ruraux (Maetur).

The same contradiction can be found in Parliament despite Article 162 of the election code setting the conditions of election for members of Parliament. In Article 24, the law states that “the term of member of Parliament is not compatible with the function of chairperson or the status of employee in a public or para-public establishment”. This provision is also applicable to senators. Because, accession to one of these functions immediately means vacating the position of member of Parliament. Among parliamentarians who are chairpersons, we can list for example, the elder Nfon Victor Mukete, Chairman of the historical telecommunications operator, Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel). Hessana Mahamat, Director of General Affairs at the Office of the President of the Republic, is at the same time Chairman of the Agence de Regulation des Télécommunications (ART) and deputy Senator. Simon Achidi Achu, Senator for the North-West region is Chairman of the Société Nationale d’Investissement (SNI). His colleague René Ze Nguele is at the same time Senator and Chairman of the Institut de Recherche Agricole pour le Développement (IRAD). Charles Salé, Senator for the Eastern region, is still Chairman of the Hôpital gynéco-obstétrique et pédiatrique of Ngousso in Yaoundé.

Sylvain Andzongo