Paul Biya the up to date President. President Paul Biya, the evident choice of the youths
When he was sworn in for the first time on November 6, 1982, Paul BIYA focused his attention on the democratization of the political landscape, social and economic liberalization, rigor and moralization and the reinforcement of international cooperation ties.
FRU Claudia AMABO
His declaration of candidacy for the October 7 2018 Presidential Election using social medias is a proof of his adaptation to the new way of communication. Paul Biya has decided to announce his candidacy using Facebook, Twitter and other common social medias which shows how close the head of state is to the youth of Cameroon. Looking at all his realizations for the youths it even sounds obvious that Paul Biya is the evident choice for the youths.
On February 10, 2018, during the traditional speech at the eve of the Youth day which is celebrated every February 11, Paul Biya declared that 473, 303 jobs were created for the youth as at December 31, 2017. It should be noted that since 2009, Biya has been offering 50.000frs to some students who meet some certain academic criteria in all state Universities. A host of students has benefited from this. The President in his 2015 end of year speech had called Cameroonian youth the Android generation. He is actually moving to aid them. More over President Biya offered laptops to every university student in Cameroon. Each student from public or private universities received a computer following the agreement signed on Wednesday the 27th of July in Yaounde between Jacques Fame Ndongo, Minister of Higher Education and a Chinese company. And most recently, The Three-Year “Special Youth” Plan prescribed by the Head of State, President Paul Biya in his speech on February 10, 2016 which specifically directs actions towards the implementation of government initiatives aimed at promoting the socio-economic integration of young people in the country, is being fully implemented.
The Minister of Youth and Civic Education, Mounouna Foutsou, on July 11, 2018 in Yaounde officially launched a Biometric Youth Card for Cameroon. The card, which will be distributed to young Cameroonians registered at the National Youth Observatory, will offers a wide range of socio-economic and financial benefits and programmes devoted to contribute to their empowerment. These services are provided for by both public and civil society actors and development partners. Sources say the Biometric Youth Card will enable young people to enjoy certain benefits such as health, social security, employment, transportation, and training services at low cost or even free of charge. Holders of the Youth Card will gradually benefit from facilities in various sectors as well as a wide range of opportunities negotiated with third party partners.
It should be recalled that after sworning in on November 6 1982, the new Head of State decided to rest his power on the most organized political system in the past, the former one party system: Cameroon National Union (CNU). He was elected President of the Party on the September 14, 1983. He later on organized an anticipated Presidential Election and was elected President of the Republic in January 1984. He was re-elected in April 1988 and in October 1992. The 1992 election was the first ever Presidential Election that was based on universal direct suffrage with many candidates, in the history of Cameroon. In November 1997 and October 2004, he was elected President for a seven years’ mandate. We can see from these that he is not just a president of a nation but someone who cares for the future generation of his nation. He is well noted to be called the father of the nation and it is not for no reason, mister Biya made it a goal to see the younger generation move to the highest level. We saw him in his address to the youths in 2015 referring to them as the android generation a word he took from the youths. No Mather what has been told against him, polemics on his age and so on he is definitely a youngster. Rumors of his death where even flying as a bad smell but he came out of all that as a Phoenix from its ashes.