Itoh Beryl Ikombe Panje Officially Commissioned as New Secretary General of MINAS

Itoh Beryl Ikombe Panje Officially Commissioned as New Secretary General of MINAS

Appointed by presidential decree on June 30, 2020, the new Secretary General of the ministry of social affairs, Itoh Beryl Ikombe Panje was officially installed on Friday 17th July 2020 in Yaounde-Cameroon by Minister Pauline Irène Nguene.   In her keynote address, the minister of social affairs Pauline Irène Nguene, in the first place praised Dr Aboutou Rosalie Louise for her devotion and engagement as secretary general with whom she worked for close to 9 years. “I would then like to take the opportunity offered to me today to express my personal gratitude and that of the Government to Doctor ABOUTOU Rosalie Louise, outgoing Secretary General, for the work accomplished at the Ministry of Social Affairs from 2012 to 2020, with professionalism, dedication and loyalty. In this regard, I sincerely thank her for her frank collaboration and wish her good luck in the new tasks that she will be called upon to exercise” She said. Pauline Irène Nguene later on welcomed the newly appointed Secretary General. She seized this opportunity to outline all the duties assigned to Mrs Panje Itoh Ikombe Beryl. She said as the minister’s main collaborator, the Secretary General is endorsed to certain responsibilities that help in the smooth functioning of the ministry. “As the Minister’s main collaborator, you must: ensure the consistency of ministerial action by ensuring administrative coordination between central and decentralized services and the technical operational units; ensure the permanent training of staff; ensure speed in the processing of files; ensure the best archiving of documents; ensure that the performance objectives of the programs constitute the main compass of the activities carried out within the ministry of social affairs…” The minister equally drew the attention of the newly installed secretary General on the various stakes and challenges related to the seven years of great opportunities’ programme set up by the Head of State, Paul Biya. And on the other side, she challenged her new collaborator to fight against inertia and other attitudes which could be a hinderance to the achievement of her duties. The newly commissioned Secretary General according to information gotten, has a good knowledge and background of the task assigned to her. Born on April 22, 1971 in Ekondo Titi, South West region of the country, the senior inspector of social affairs and educationist appointed has occupied several posts in the public administration. Looking at her professional career, she was before her appointment, the regional delegate of the ministry of women’s empowerment and the family for the South West region. In 2000, she did an internship at the by then provincial delegation of social affairs in Buea, South West region. From 2002 to 2003, she worked as a support staff at the directorate of national solidarity in the ministry of social affairs. From 2003 to 2004, she became the chief of service in charge of social interventions at the national center for the rehabilitation of persons living with disabilities in Yaounde. Yet, since 2004, she has served as the divisional delegate of the ministry of women’s empowerment and the family for the Ndian and Kupe Muanenguba divisions in the South West region. Mrs Panje Itoh Beryl Ikombe is a pure product of the Ahmadou Bello University in Nigeria where she schooled from 1993 to 1998 and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in political science arts and education. And of the national school of administration and magistracy (ENAM) in 1999. The installation that took place at the Red Cross hall of Yaounde was spiced up by the donation of gifts and dances from some cultural groups.           Elise Kenimbeni

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 COVID-19 : Social Affairs’ Minister Strives for Massive Relocation of Street Children in Cameroon

COVID-19 : Social Affairs’ Minister Strives for Massive Relocation of Street Children in Cameroon

The Ministry of social affairs has withdrawn about 82 children from the streets of the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde.   The move is part of a pilot operation launched on April 1, 2020 and aimed at relocating the children to the Listening and Transit Center of Yaounde, where they would enjoy a minimum daily care and support package. In the course of this voluntary withdrawal, the children are being screened on the spot before been transported. On the various relocation sites, medical care are offered by teams mobilized by the ministry of public health. During her tour of the transit centers in Yaounde, Social affairs’ Minister, Pauline Irène Nguene took time to interact with the children that have been relocated to the facilities this morning. She came in as a mother to grant them more advice, support and show them the good sides of their resettlement in a more conducive and appropriate site. For a track record and smooth run of this operation, Minister Pauline Irène Nguene, equally paid a working visit to the video surveillance unit of the police in Yaounde. According to information gotten from the ministry of social affairs, these children will be inserted in many social and recreational programmes. They will have to take active part in educational talks, individual or group interviews. They will be able to eat, refresh themselves, and receive care and moreover there will be follow-ups with regards to their detoxification as most are drugs addicts. Planned for a 3 month period in the various centers of Yaounde I, II, IV and V, these activities will unfold gradually and according to the evolution of children’s behaviour. The children will be taken off the streets and will be re-socialized through four possibilities being: a return to the family, placement in a workshop initiation to trade, educational placement for those who meet the conditions and placement in a rehabilitation center for minors. This activity will initially be extended to the cities of Douala and Bafoussam in the days ahead. In view of the complex and transversal nature of the fight against the phenomenon of street children, the operation benefits from the support of institutional partners such as the ministry of public health, national employment fund, local councils and most especially the Delegation for national surety. Bracing up the challenges at this moment of COVID-19 is one of the major preoccupations of the ministry of social affairs who intends to pursue government’s fight against this pandemic disease in its own way.       Elise Kenimbeni  

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