In an explosive revelation to 237online.com, a former University of Buea staff member has exposed a devastating financial crisis affecting support staff across Cameroon’s state universities, highlighting years of unpaid salary increases and systematic management failures.
Pattern of systematic discrimination
The saga began in 2014 when a state-mandated salary increase for all government personnel mysteriously excluded university support staff. It took seven years and threats of industrial action by SYNAPAUC before this increase was finally recognized in 2021. However, the accumulated arrears remain unpaid despite repeated promises from MINESUP.
While the University of Douala appears to have implemented subsequent salary increases, other state universities continue to withhold these benefits from their support staff. The situation is particularly dire at the University of Buea’s Faculty of Education, where part-time lecturers haven’t been paid for teaching hours since 2019.
SYNAPAUC’s Executive President, Eh Terence Ateh, has been leading the fight for justice. This crisis exposes deeper governance issues within Cameroon’s higher education system under Minister Fame Ndongo’s leadership, raising serious questions about financial management and accountability.
