Cameroon’s Grand North cries of under-representation in country’s diplomatic service

The three northern Regions of Cameroon that represent the Grand North, say they are underrepresented in the country’s diplomatic service.

According to the 10 Million Northerners Movement, a structure that advocates for political recognition, etc, of the northern regions, only four Northerners are among Cameroon’s 35 Heads of Diplomatic Missions, with just one Northerner among the nine Consul Generals of the country.

“The 10 Million Northerners Movement notes with regret the extreme under-representation of people from the northern regions in Cameroon’s diplomatic apparatus,” stated the Movement in a November 8 release.

The three regions – Far North, North and Adamawa – produced Cameroon’s first President, Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1960.
According to the 10 Million Northerners Movement, just two Minister Counselors are from the Grand North out of the 16 positions available in the diplomatic service.

In the Ministry of External Relations, the situation is not any better as a native of the Grand North occupies one position out of the 20 directors in the Ministry, asserts the 10 Million Northerners Movement.

Prominent Ministries of the country are however occupied by Northerners, among them the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure among others.

However, the 10 Million Northerners Movement says they “invite the Head of State, whose has diplomacy as his reserved domain, to kindly pay more attention to the presence of the daughters and sons of the northern regions in this area of Cameroon’s sovereignty.”

The Movement adds that only five Northerners are part of the 44 Assistant Directors in the External Relations Ministry, and just 14 Heads of Service in the Ministry are from the Grand North, out of 105 positions in this ministerial department.

The Cameroon government, in her policy, has often emphasized Regional Balance in the appointment and recruitment of state officials, but many Cameroonians say the concept is yet impractical as regions such as the Centre and South have dominated recent State appointments.

By Tata Mbunwe