Recently, Abdoulaye Babale, Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of the University of Ngaoundéré, decided that the sovereign allowance (XAF37 million) of rector Uphie Chinje (photo) should be canceled from the 2022 budget. The affected rector, however, says the allowance should not be canceled because every state university rector collects the same amount.  "I have written to the presidency and the Prime Ministry’s office [to challenge Abdoulaye Babale’s decision],” Uphie Chinje said in an interview with regional tri-weekly L'oeil du Sahel.

The rector explains that during the ordinary session of December 15, 2021, devoted to the review and adoption of the University of Ngaoundéré’s 2022 budget, Abdoulaye Babale and the financial controller, Joseph Nkili Abessolo, showed strong opposition to voting for her benefits and allowances. 

A week ago, a correspondence leaked on social media gave an account completely different from what the rector was saying. In the correspondence signed by the financial controller and addressed to the chairman of the board, it is explained that there is no legal basis for the disputed benefit. “There is no legal text supporting the said bonuses,” wrote Joseph Nkili Abessolo.

"The benefits granted to a rector are not set uniformly as the rector of the University of Ngaoundéré suggests. Those benefits are validated by the board of directors. In the present case, the board of directors has certainly deemed the sovereign allowance to be irrelevant,” explains an economist who is closely monitoring the case. 

Up to the publication of this article, the execution of the 2022 budget is yet to start and instructions from the President and the Prime Ministry are expected. 

Michel Ange Nga