Saturday, January 4, 2020 marked exactly one year since Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute was appointed by presidential decree as Prime Minister, Head of Government.

The seasoned-diplomat was ushered in by the Head of State Paul Biya to diagnosed the country’s numerous problems and challenges and provide concrete solutions to them. Key amongst these challenges is the prolonged crisis in the North West and South West Region.

One year later, it is time to start counting the gains from this masterstroke of Paul Biya’s pen and recharging the battery to continue the journey ahead.

Major National Dialogue

When the Head of State announced the holding of a Major National Dialogue to solve the crisis in the North West and South West Regions, several critics already saw a failure in the gathering even before it could hold.

But the gathering came to pass successfully under the Chairmanship of Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute who is credited to have conducted the process and elegance and fairness.

The Head of State Paul Biya is a man of few words and not known for easily thrown flowers but when he eulogised about Dion Ngute’s handling of the dialogue, then that should be taken in the real sense of it.

The Power of Humility

The Prime Minister has carried himself brilliantly as a servant-leader ready to listen to the people and this was more evident with his visit to the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.

Joseph Dion Ngute in the markets and motor parks addressing the population in pidgin English remains one of the images of the year. Scarcely has a top official come closer to the people “down there” as the Prime Minister did.

His touching call for separatists to drop arms echoed right into the bushes and before he left Kumba, over a dozens had dropped their arms and immediately presented themselves to him.  A record number of separatists have dropped their arms since the as his peace-seeking missions keeping yielding fruits.

Challenges Ahead

Despite a first satisfactory year at the Star Building, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute knows there is still a long road ahead to cover. Unemployment still stares in the face of the government, a cruel lack of infrastructure as well as insecurity are just a few of the issue the Dion-Ngute government needs to target in the days ahead.