University of Bamenda lecturers, staff to work under government spy glass

Tension has heightened within the ranks of the University of Bamenda teaching and administrative staff after it emerged that the University administration has handed over to the minister of higher education an inventory of all contacts of lecturers and administrative staff.

According to a leaked document signed by professor Jacque Fame Ndongo on December 16, the Vice-Chancellor has been requested to submit the names and phone numbers to his ministry. Another leaked letter from the presidency had early asked the minister of higher education to investigate lecturers of the University of Bamenda and Buea for their alleged sponsorship of terrorist activities in the two conflict-hit regions.

It is feared phone calls, text messages and mobile money transactions of these university workers will be hacked into in the days ahead.

Last week the University of Bamenda branch of the lecturer’s trade union (SYNES) issued a tear-jerking strike notification saying they have been able to pay over 200.000 million ransom to separatists because of kidnapping.

Messages of sympathy have now flooded the social media space calling teachers and staff of the two Anglophone universities to change their phone numbers immediately.