2024-04-23 20:01:02
Employees of the Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Forestry (CAPEF) of Cameroon are living a real nightmare. According to exclusive testimonies collected by whistleblower BORIS BERTOLT, President MINDJOS MOMENY Martin Paul and his No. 1 technical advisor are engaged in a veritable anti-union witch hunt, against a backdrop of abusive salary cuts and racketeering to finance their political life.
Staff representatives in the crosshairs
The rag is burning between the management of CAPEF and the workers’ representatives. At issue: the declared desire of President MINDJOS MOMENY Martin Paul and his right-hand man to muzzle any internal dispute. “They decided to take the staff representatives to court, on the grounds that they transmit staff grievances”, protests an employee on condition of anonymity. An expeditious way of cutting short all social dialogue and establishing a climate of terror within the institution.
Salaries cut on a presidential whim
But the repression does not stop there. According to our sources, the president arrogates to himself the right to cut employees’ salaries as he wishes, without having to be held accountable. “MINDJOS MOMENY Martin Paul has granted himself the right to make cuts to employee salaries as he sees fit and says he is not accountable to anyone“, another employee is indignant. An illegal and scandalous practice, which violates the most basic rights of workers and plunges many families into precariousness.
A technical advisor out of control
To carry out this scorched earth policy, the president can count on the zeal of his No. 1 technical advisor. Problem: the latter would no longer have a contractual link with CAPEF. “The Technical Advisor who no longer has a contractual link with CAPEF can continue to serve requests for explanations with complete impunity“, assures an executive of the institution. A legal vacuum that would allow him to operate without being worried, completely illegally.
Employees ordered to finance president’s political funeral
Latest discovery of this management with muscular methods: the racketeering of employees to finance the political activities of the president. During the recent festivities of the 39th anniversary of the RDPC in Yokadouma, the staff recruited by MINDJOS MOMENY Martin Paul and the civil servants on secondment were thus forced to contribute to ensure his travel. “A great first in this institution”, an employee is offended. A shocking mix of genres, which transforms CAPEF employees into cash cows for the political ambitions of their boss.
CAPEF on the verge of implosion
Consequence of these autocratic excesses: CAPEF is on the verge of implosion. The social climate is toxic, employees are desperate and fear reigns supreme. An explosive situation which risks permanently paralyzing this key institution for agriculture, fishing and livestock breeding in Cameroon. It is high time that the supervisory authorities come out of their torpor and put an end to this totalitarian drift which has lasted too long. CAPEF workers deserve respect, dignity and peaceful social dialogue.
237online.com will continue to tirelessly investigate this burning issue, so that the light is shed and those responsible for these unacceptable abuses are made to face their responsibilities. The hunt for trade unionists, the racketeering of employees and the permanent threat have no place in 21st century Cameroon. The credibility of our institutions and social peace in our country are at stake.