2024-04-11 09:42:55
It is a real earthquake that is shaking the Cameroonian business world. After months of behind-the-scenes maneuvers, Célestin Tawamba and Protais Ayangma succeeded in their bet: to dissolve GICAM and take the reins of the new entity, GECAM. But this victory has a bitter taste, as the process seems tainted by irregularities and settling of scores.
A new employers on the ashes of GICAM
GECAM is the new name of Cameroonian employers. Born from the ashes of GICAM, dissolved under more than doubtful conditions, it elected its very first Board of Directors the day before yesterday. Unsurprisingly, it was the duo Célestin Tawamba – Protais Ayangma who took over the key positions, president and vice-president respectively. A crowning achievement for these two businessmen who did everything to torpedo GICAM from the inside, as revealed exclusively by 237online.com.
Tawamba-Ayangma, the rematch alliance
To understand what is happening today, we have to go back to 2008. At the time, Protais Ayangma, then vice-president of GICAM, was convinced that his hour of glory had come when President André Siaka resigned. But it is a snub: the barons of GICAM prefer an illustrious unknown, Olivier Behle. Injured, Ayangma slammed the door with his ally Célestin Tawamba to create ECAM, their own employers’ movement. An alliance of circumstance which poorly hides a thirst for revenge.
The great return, or the art of maneuver
But GICAM’s call is stronger. In 2016, Célestin Tawamba took the plunge and rejoined the movement, leaving Protais Ayangma alone at the head of ECAM. This is the start of a vast internal demolition operation, with the aim of regaining control of the employers. Tawamba maneuvers behind the scenes, builds alliances, and ends up obtaining the pure and simple dissolution of GICAM. A tour de force which opens the royal road to the presidency of GECAM, not without picking up his “ companion » Protais Ayangma.
A sham victory?
Tawamba and Ayangma therefore succeeded in their bet. But at what cost ? Their victory has a bitter taste, that of a flawed process and flouted governance. Because to get back to business, the two men did not hesitate to trample on the rules that they themselves had once defended. “ It’s leaving through the front door and coming back through the window”, summarizes with bitterness a former member of GICAM. A situation which leaves doubt about the legitimacy of this new employers built on the ruins of the old one.
What future for Cameroonian employers?
Beyond people, it is the very future of Cameroonian employers that is at stake. How can GECAM claim to defend the interests of businesses with such a mortgage on its governance? How can he regain the confidence of economic players after such a coup? So many questions which remain unanswered and which risk lasting damage to the credibility of the new entity.
This affair reveals the games of power and ego that too often plague the Cameroonian economic world. It shows to what extent personal interests can take precedence over the general interest, disregarding rules and ethics. A bitter observation which calls for a profound questioning of our practices and our values.
Because in the end, it is all of Cameroon that loses in this rearguard battle. A weakened and divided employer is an economy deprived of its voice and its compass. This is a risk of a growing disconnect between the business world and the aspirations of society. This is a blow to our development and our influence.
So, it’s time to say stop. Stop the corridor maneuvers, stop the settling of scores, stop the politics of fait accompli. Cameroon needs a strong, united and respected employers. An employer that draws its legitimacy from the competence and commitment of its members, not from machine games. An employer that is up to the immense challenges that await our country.