The Yaounde Conference Centre was full to capacity with youths and CPDM party supporters and well wishers who gather to wish a happy birthday to President Paul Biya.
The ceremony was presided over by the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngo Ngo personal representative of the Head of State.
The birthday of Cameroon’s Head of State comes within a special context;
Senatorial elections have been announced for 25th March and the CPDM party is runing nationwide.
Other elections including Presidentials are expected in the course of the year 2018.
The Members of the Constitutional Council have just been appointed.
The presidential gifts of computers to university students are being distributed to biomentrically enroled students of state universities and private institutions of Higher learning.
During the celebrations, youth groups staged different dance steps to give colour and spendour to the birthday celebration.
President Paul Biya who came to power in on 6th November 1982 as the constitutional successsor of Amadou Ahidjo who resigned on November 4, 1982, has enhanced democracy, freedom of expression and association following the 1990 reforms.
Since his accession to the Supreme Magistracy, as Cameroon’s second President, Paul Biya has introduced decentralised governance with the transfer of some competencies to local councils and the creation of the senate.
His reign has been marked by major infrastructural developments especially in the construction of major highways, stadia, hydroelectric dams, hospitals and other instittions.
He has also brought education closer to the population with the creation of primary and secondary schools in all sub division and the provision of free education at the primary level. He also created State Universities or university institutions in all ten regions of the country.
In the health domain, major advances have been made especially the provision of free treatment of simple malaria to children between zero to five years and pregnant women. Insectiside treated mosquito nets were also distrubuted to all cameroonian home. Vaccins against number diseases including polio are provided free of charge to the population regularly.
In the domains of security President Paul Biya’s reign has been marked by the retrocession of the disputed Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon in keeping with the Green Tree agreement that has been described as an example to peaceful settlement of conflicts in Africa.
Maritime security threats in the Gulf of Guinea have been contained.
Treats from hostage takers in the Eastern border with the Central African Republic have also been put to rest. The wave of insecurity in the Northern parts of the country posed by Boko Haram have also been put under control.
The sociopolitcal crisis in the North West and South West Regions in the country is being handled and calm is progressively returning to the two English Speaking regions of the country. Peace, unity, dialogue, tolence and prosperity are some of the legacies of President Paul Biya.
Elvis Teke
