Scoreboard: Philippe Camille Akoa, FEICOM GM

The 9^th edition of The Guardian Post Achievement Awards has come and gone, but the highlights of the event that took place in Bafoussam on February 16, 2013 remain indelible in the minds of those who lived it. Amongst these high points was the award of the 2012 Best General Manager of the Year prize to the highly respected and very inspiring general manager of the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance (FEICOM), Philippe Camille Akoa.

In fact, it was not for nothing that Cameroonians all over the national territory voted him. For, everything the FEICOM GM touches seems to transform into gold. He was appointed at the helm of that structure in 2006 when corruption, embezzlement and impunity had been raised to a culture in it. The government corporation, at the time, was even earmarked for liquidation.

But the God-sent Philippe Camille Akoa came and turned the twisted tides. Thanks to his high sense of innovation, his unparalleled honesty and transparent management style and his selfless desire to move the country forward, FEICOM has known a positive balance sheet for only seven years that the emblematic GM has been in command.

He began by undertaking nationwide prospection tours in order to monitor council projects earmarked for sponsorship by FEICOM. Being a man with an incredible presence of mind, he set up a committee to study councils’ application files for sponsored projects, in all of Cameroon’s 10 regions.

Besides, he instilled a high sense of discipline in the house, promising reward and compensation only for meritorious workers.

Today, the results are there for all to see. For want of space, we will not list all of Philippe Camille Akoa’s successes, but mention of a few will send home the point. There has been a major increase of the corporation’s budget from 71 413 935 480 FCFA to 81 308 063 575 FCFA.

Camille’s efforts have also opened up lines of cooperation at the international level with Germany, USA, Spain, China, etc. to seek possible ways of effective decentralization. Also, he has instituted a National Award for Councils’ Local Development Best Practices which seeks to award excellence. Within less than five years, FEICOM has spent 85 312 829 322 FCFA on projects in different areas in the country.

Is this not what President Paul Biya is recommending his able lieutenants to do to help Cameroon emerge by 2035? And is this not why Cameroonians voted Camille Akoa the 2012 Best General Manager of The Year? For all of this and more, he deserves our encouraging up score of 8/10