In response to President Biya’s remarks on the crucial role of the private sector in reducing unemployment in the country, the founder of the ICT University, endowed Prof Victor Mbarika, has challenged some 200 Cameroonians to join him in investing one trillion FCFA in Cameroon’s economy.
The United States-based Professor of ICT, made the outing following Biya’s Youth Day message delivered last week.
In a recorded video shared on streaming platforms, Prof Mbarika, said he was initiating a one trillion FCFA drive to transform sectors of the country’s economy and help provide employment to thousands of Cameroonians.
Insisting that no government in the world can provide employment to all citizens in need of jobs, Prof Mbarika who chairs the board of trustees of the ICT University announced that: “I am throwing a one trillion FCFA challenge. That is money I am putting in. I am challenging 200 businessmen and diasporans to put in same money lets develop Cameroon in our own small way”.
He rejoiced that president Biya’s Youth Day speech was largely on higher education and entrepreneurship.
“I have hardly heard him use an entire speech emphasising on these issues. Yes, he talked a little bit about the Indomitable Lions but football is football. We are happy for the Indomitable Lions but even more, what I appreciated from his speech is the fact that he didn’t spare words concerning the direction he believes higher education as well as vocational training should go and I agree with him. The emphasis on professionalisation of higher education is extremely important and I am so happy that I can hear that come directly from the leader of our country” Prof Mbarika noted.
He continued that: “The part of his speech I want to focus on is where he says even with all the good intentions of the government of Cameroon, the government can’t provide jobs to every young person that needs a job. I have said this so many times in my past interviews when I am talking about Africa. There is a very bad believe where the dream is to work for the government. No government in the world, not even the US government can provide most of the jobs the citizens need, it is impossible. And in the African context, it is wrong for us to even expect any African country’s government to be the number one employer. It wouldn’t happen”.
He celebrated president Biya for giving a greenlight for young Cameroonians to go out and get involved in entrepreneurial ventures “in agriculture, ICT…of course I was excited that he mentioned ICT education because that is my domain…and this is the beauty that we do at the ICT University”.
“I have said this many times: we don’t train our students at the ICT University to go look for jobs. In fact, more than 80% of our students, when they finish, aren’t interested to working for the government. They go and create their own jobs and employ others. That is the direction our country must go based on what the President said a few days ago” he added.
Prof Mbarika regretted that “One of the things which is a problem with young people in Africa is that they believe agriculture is for poor people. I live between Cameroon and America and I can tell you that farmers in America are some of the richest people. I am privilege with my family here in America to own a ranch. Farming is a great thing that can bring a lot of money to young people… that is why the ICT University is bringing an agriculture project for the next ten years which will employ over 4,000 people”.
“So, I am challenging 200 Cameroonians who are doing well, to come up with 5 billion FCFA for the next ten years. That is 500 million FCFA a year. I have many friends. I can name 50 friends who can do this. I am calling on them to join this challenge. that will be 1 trillion FCFA. Let us make this happen. We have started to put in this money to invest in this country” he concluded.
