INSTITUTE FOR HOTEL CATERING AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT BONABERI ANCIENNE ROUTE DOUALA

 

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THE TRANSFORMING TOURISM INDUSTRY IN CAMEROON

Cameroon is a country endowed with lots of Tourism Potential. Unfortunately the accompanying Quality Services and infrastructure that should accompany and better project this potential have for many years been limping behind.

This problem has been compounded by the Public Sector Mentality in Cameroon. The tendency to always believe that any initiative has to be carried out by the Government or the Public Sector.

Furthermore, attempts by individuals to venture into the Tourism Industry have always proven to be very challenging due to the absence of an enabling environment thus justifying the complain that the Ministry of Tourism has not been living up to expectations in terms of meeting up with the standards that are required for the sector to move forward to become a major income earner for the nation.

These challenges not withstanding, private initiatives have been steadily increasing in the sector. The Hotel Sector in Cameroon which timidly started shortly after Independence and Reunification with Hotels dominantly run by the Public Sector and foreign investors has experienced a transformation of unimaginable dimensions.

Individuals have invested heavily in the Sector in the Major cities in the country notably in Yaounde, Douala, Limbe, Kribi, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Dschang, Garoua amongst others.

However, while the Hotel Sector has been growing, the need to train personnel to work in this thriving sector became necessary. It was noted that most of the managing personnel of the Three, Four and Five Star Hotels were either foreigners or European Trained. Related infrastructures like Restaurants and associated services like Chefs or Cooks suddenly needed trained personnel and there were almost none in sight.

Today there has been that increased awareness of the necessity to collectively work for the growth of the Tourism Industry  in Cameroon.

Trained Individuals who have worked in the Sector for years are gradually waking up from slumber and throwing their weight behind that collective effort to push the sector forward.

One of such individuals that this reporter caught up with was Mr Nfor Thaddeus of the Institute for Hotel Catering and Tourism Management. 

AT THE INSTITUTE OF HOTEL CATERING AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT AT BONABERI: ANCIENNE ROUTE IN DOUALA

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This establishment is found at Douala specifically at Ancienne Route (Old Road).

This seasoned Tourist worker and Hotel Manager explained that the Institute for Hotel Catering and Tourism Management trains professionals in the domains of Hotel Catering and Management, Tourism Management, Bakery and Pastry amongst others. 

The advantages of studying at this Institute are that students are trained in salable skills required in the job market.

This initiative clearly falls in line with what is needed for the sector to improve upon the quality of it’s services and finally occupy the important place that it deserves on the list of National Priorities.

By Francis Ekongang Nzante.

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Saint Thierry Professional Training Institute Bamenda

 "We are Presently Offering Scholarships to Students in different fields"  -Dr. Tassang Thiery

Dr Tassang Thiery, Director of Saint Thiery Vocational Institute of Business Management, Science, Technology and Agriculture VIBMSTA, has in an exclusive interview with "Edev Web News" declared his intention to offer Scholarships to young Cameroonians wishing to pursue studies in Professional fields. In this brief interview which took place at his Bamenda Campus, Dr Thiery begins by shedding light on the present spread of the school on the National Territory. 

“The Institution has a branch in the West Region specifically in Bafoussam. We have a new campus at Feu Rouge in Bafoussam. We have another branch in the South West Region of Cameroon located at Tiko Road Mutengene.”

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What exactly is offered at Saint Thiery?

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If you look at the Sociopolitical Crisis that we are facing, you will see that we actually need to bring a kind of reformation in education in Cameroon. We need to bring in things that will take us to the next level. We have a new vision which is to bring in professionalism in education. To bring in skills acquisition. It’s not just about talking. It’s not just about training people who will go home and contribute nothing towards the development of their societies. The main objective of Saint Thiery is to make the best out of the little that we have. It is to take people who could not believe in their own talents and capabilities and show them how they can use the little that they have to impact on society. We show them that with the little that they have they can be very useful in shaping and participating in the development of their Communities and in this way improving upon the economic situation of their regions and the economic situation of the country as a whole. 

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Can you itemise the Courses offered at Saint Thiery?

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Saint Thiery is authoutised by the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training in Cameroon. Under this ministry we run strictly the Professional National Diploma Programmes. We are also affiliated to State Universities and other private higher Institutions of learning. One of these is the Havard University Institute Bamenda and Kesmond International University which is located in Ngoundere and in many African Countries like Kenya, Zambia,  Somalia, Uganda amongst others. We use all our partners and affiliates to see how we can improve upon the outcome and the certification of our students.  If a student for example is studying for a Diploma in Pharmacy, upon graduation the student will get the National Diploma as a Pharmacy Assistant from the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training and at the same time get an equivalent certificate from Kesmond International University.

So we make sure that our students have dual certificates which can permit them to have opportunities not only in Cameroon but internationally as well.  So under the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training we have Pharmacy Assistant which is a one year Programme. The entry requirement is the GCE Ordinary Level. We have Physiotherapy Assistants  which is also a one year Training Programme and with an entry requirement which is the GCE O Level. Other one year Programmes with the GCE Ordinary Level as entry level include Laboratory Assistants, Medical Secretariat and Agriculture and Pasture. By Agriculture and Pasture we are talking about all the fields in Agriculture like Poultry Farming, Animal Farming, Crop production etc. We also have Medical Delegates which is a branch of Pharmacy which has to do with the Marketing of Pharmaceutical Products.  So we train Medical Delegates to master their Pharmacology and to master the marketing of Pharmaceutical Products and Equipments as well as to keep the Doctors and the Health Personnel in our hospitals updated on the new products and equipment. We also have Geriatrics which is a specialised field in Nursing that has to do with the care of the elderly. 

We have Computerised Accounting and Management as well as Computer Hardware and Software Maintenance. The Programmes are many and we can’t mention all of them here.

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What about your HND Programmes?

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In our HND Programmes we collaborate with the Havard University Institute Bamenda to offer HND in Nursing, Pharmacy, Laboratory Sciences, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Management, Marketing, Accounting amongst others.

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We would like you to put across a message to prospective candidates and parents..

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We understand the situation that we are all facing now so we are offering scholarships in different fields so we are encouraging students to come and apply for Scholarships so that we can select those that can be granted Scholarships.  

Interviewed by Francis Ekongang Nzante

Edev Web News

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Higher Education:

 

“Students  Should be trained to Provide Indigenous Solutions to Problems”

 -Dr Tata Elvis Fon 

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

Dr Tata Elvis Fon, Coordinator of the Bachelor Degree Programme in Medical Laboratory Sciences at the Florence Nightingale Higher Institute of Health and Biomedical Sciences has emphasised that for education to be meaningful, students have to be empowered to provide indigenous solutions to Problems facing the society in which they find themselves. He was speaking recently during the Defense Session of Bachelor Degree students of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Nursing at the Florence Nightingale Higher Institute of Health and Biomedical Sciences in Bamenda. Characteristic of this Defense Session was the innovativeness of the students both in Nursing and in Medical Laboratory Sciences. This reporter caught up with Madam Ambola Rodha who coordinates the Bachelor Degree  Nursing Programme. She said what caught her attention during the Defense Session was the innovativeness of the students. This appraisal is made weighty when one considers the fact that this lady who holds a Bachelor Degree in Nursing and a Master Degree in Education has practiced as a bedside nurse for eleven years and has been teaching for the past six years in a nursing school. 

Team of Supervisors During Defense

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“Defense is one of the very important exercises that we do in Academia. What the students have presented this far has been very wonderful. Students have been very innovative and have ventured into areas that no one has ever done before. This indicates that there’s a bright future for nursing because we see students not just copying what has been done in the past but venturing into unexplored domains. 

The quality of the students is really good. In similar situations, you will find students simply consulting what others have done just to fulfill the requirements of the Academic year. This is not the case here. At Florence Nightingale, we see students who want to improve upon nursing by venturing into things that have not been earlier touched.  This is just the first year and we are still struggling to put things in place. That not withstanding, they've done all their courses and the University of Bamenda has been here for supervision.”

 She called on those aspiring to do a degree in Nursing to think about Florence Nightingale Higher Institute of Health and Biomedical Sciences. 

Dr Tata Elvis Fon who coordinates the Bachelor Degree Programme in Medical Laboratory Sciences on his part said they had been examining Research Theses done by the students for the final year of the Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences. 

“Topics covered by the students touch a wide range affecting the general welfare and health of the population.” 

The entire research he said was focused on looking for indigenous approaches to solving problems that are faced in society. “It has actually been very positive and most of the solutions they proposed are actually available, affordable and sustainable for our communities. With respect to quality, I will say it’s been excellent. The students have demonstrated a mastery of what they’ve learnt. Both the Technical and the Theoretical know how is there. By the time we consolidate our Technical and Theoretical know how, then we will expect immediate solutions to our indigenous problems.”

Dr Tata Elvis Fon said though the students were defending for a Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences, the topics presented cut across Dermatology, Bacteriology, Parasitology and a host of others “which measure the problems that face our community especially within the domain of Infectious Agents. In the past the Government has gone through a lot of trials and after Children are trained they go around knocking doors to look for employment. However we have empowered our graduates in such a way that they can look for solutions to their own problems and the society as a whole. This means that we expect them to create employment and jobs for others” he said.

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BAPEC 71st Ordinary Meeting

Bishops Lay Emphasis on importance of Education

The Bishops of the Bamenda Provincial Ecclesiastical Conference BAPEC have enjoined all stakeholders to put in the needed effort to make sure that children go to school. They further said for this to be feasible, a complete return to peace was absolutely necessary and called on public authorities to create an enabling environment for children to conveniently go to school. This call was made during the 71st Ordinary Meeting of BAPEC that took place at Archbishop’s House in Bamenda from Tuesday the 17th to Saturday the 21st of August 2021.

 

This reporter caught up with His Grace Archbishop Nkea Andrew Fuanya, the new President of BAPEC shortly after a Holy Mass that took place at the All Saints Parish at Bayelle in Nkwen, Bamenda to mark the end of this 71st Ordinary Meeting. 

Commenting on his aspirations as the new President of BAPEC, His Grace  Andrew Fuanya Nkea said “I think the aspiration of every President of the Bishop's Conference be it at the Provincial or National level is to maintain unity …and  continue  with Pastoral work in the Province. At this time when there is so much insecurity in the Province, it is important that all the Bishops collaborate in their efforts to make sure that peace returns in our communities again. It is also very important that children return to school again and it is our duty and that of parents to make sure that this happens.  This is the future of our kids and we are the ones to guarantee that future. Our faith is very important to us. Bishops are not Politicians. Bishops are Pastors and at the same time we involve ourselves in the lives of our people. We protect the poor and defend the oppressed and we make sure that we stand for the truth and nothing but the truth to make our church grow.  

His Lordship Bishop George Nkuo Erstwhile BAPEC President said what had been achieved by the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference in the past couple of years under his reign has been the maintenance of the unity of the church and the continuous building of the faith despite the turbulent situation in the Ecclesiastical Province.

In a joint communique  that was read on Sunday, August 22 at the All Saints Parish at Bayelle, certain key issues were raised.

The Bishops noted among other things that more Catholic Schools functioned during the 2020/2021 Academic year and encouraged parents to send their children to school.

They happily intimated that an Administrative Block and a hostel of 140 Self-contained rooms will be constructed at the Catholic University of Cameroon CATUC Bamenda and urged parents to encourage their children to enroll in the University and get quality education and also make use of these facilities.

They acknowledged with appreciation the efforts of the Priests “who, for the sake of the people entrusted to their pastoral care, have made and continue to make heroic sacrifices in this time of crisis.”

“We encourage every Priest to seek to bring the healing power of God's grace to everyone in need, to stay close to the marginalized.”

The Bishops noted with regret that there was still a lot of insecurity, violence, senseless killings, kidnappings, torture, sometimes of innocent people and Children. They appealed to all armed factions to stop violence with immediate effect and to seek for more Pacific resolutions to the conflict. “ Our people have suffered enough and they are tired of living in uncertainty and fear.” They urged Christians to pray for a return to peace.

The Bishops also promulgated guidelines for Priests working in Extra Parochial Ministries and priests assigned on Fidei Donum abroad. The main aim of these guidelines is to ensure a proper care of all the priests of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province and to make sure that they work and live as members of the same priestly family.

At the end of the meeting, the Bishops appointed a new Executive to pilot the affairs of BAPEC for the next three years. The new Executive is made up of His Grace Andrew  Fuanya Nkea (Archbishop of Bamenda) as President and His Lordship Michael Miabesue Bibi (Bishop of Buea) as Vice President. Meantime Father Gilles Ngwa Forteh, Priest of the Kumba Diocese was appointed Secretary General of BAPEC.

Also in attendance were His Lordship Nfon Agapitus Enuyenyoh(Bishop of Kumba), His Lordship George Nkuo (Bishop of Kumbo and Erstwhile President of BAPEC), His Lordship Bushu Immanuel (Bishop Emeritus of Buea) and a host of priests from the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

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HRH Senator Lekunze Dishes out messages of Hope, Peace, Development.

 By Francis Ekongang Nzante

HRH Senator Lekunze Andreas Nembo III, Ruler of the First Class Fondom of Bamumbu, Wabane in the Lebialem Division has unequivocally dished out messages of Hope, Peace, Socioeconomic and Cultural Development to Bamumbu People resident in the Noun Division. This took place during his four-day tour of the West Region which started from July 31st and ended on the 3rd of August.

HRH Senator Lekunze Andreas Nembo III and Sultan of Foumban, Senator Mbombo Njoya during stop in Foumban

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 Explaining the raison d'etre of his visit in Noun the Senator said “My visit to the Bamumbu people resident in Noun Division has been long awaited. This is because we live in communion with our people who are in Bamumbu as well as those who are out of the Fondom. Given the fact that a huge number of our people have left the village to settle as Internally Displaced People in different parts of the country, it became more urgent to go to the Noun Division where there is a heavy concentration of Bamumbu people. There are those who have been living there for over sixty years and those who went there recently as IDPs as a result of the crisis. I went there to give them a message of hope and reassurance and to better prepare them to get back to their Communities and face the challenges waiting for them there so as to carry forward the Socioeconomic development of our Fondom.”

The Fon Savouring Culture with Subjects in Noun Division

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The Senator said it was a very hectic visit that left indelible marks in the minds of both the people and himself adding that they separated with the people on a very happy note. The Communion was very warm and he seized the opportunity to emphasize on the need for peace and unity in the community and in the country. He preached messages of reconciliation as this would permit them to go back to their Fondom as a united people and assist in the Reconstruction process. The Senator also encouraged his subjects to register in the Electoral Registers of their host Communities and massively participate in all upcoming elective exercises in the direction towards which he was leading them which he said was for the purpose of the development and edification of the Bamumbu community. 

Pouring libations and communing with the gods

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HRH Senator Lekunze Andreas Nembo III also dished out messages on civic behaviour and patriotism. These he said had to be their watch words and had to be permanent on their minds, thoughts and actions. The Senator encouraged them to fully participate in the Socioeconomic and cultural development of  Noun Division not forgetting that they owed a very significant responsibility in the Socioeconomic and cultural development of Bamumbu in Wabane, Lebialem in the South West Region. 

Representatives of the Fon presented to Sultan Mbombo Njoya

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The Senator did not fail to harp on the importance of obeying barrier measures in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 and urged them to take their Vaccines.

HRH Senator Lekunze Andreas Nembo III maintained contact with the gods and ancestors of Bamumbu as he invoked and talked with them through ritualistic pouring of libations. The intention here was to cleanse the people and their Communities of perpetrators of evil.

Representatives of the Fon and his cabinet in Noun Division were chosen to lead the ever increasing population of Bamumbu People there. 

In collaboration with the Administration and the indeginous Traditional Ruler Fon Lekunze Andreas Nembo III of Bamumbu presented the chosen representatives to the Sultan of Foumban, Senator Mbombo Njoya.

The first stop that the Senator made was in Kouoptamo, the second stop was in Foumban and the third was in Foumbot.

The fourth lap of his visit was in Bafoussam and it culminated in consultations with Royal Family Members. This four-day visit to the West Region with activities focused in the Noun Division ended on a positive note.

The hectic visit was rendered colourful and exotic by colourful Traditional Dances, Traditional ritualistic invocations and a mass turn out to welcome an illustrious son and King.

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Wimbums showcase Culture, Unity in Pump and Pageantry

 

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

In an unprecedented show of Cultural demonstrations and a very strong sense of unity that was demonstrated during the General Assembly of all the Wimbums in Bamenda on Sunday August 1, 2021, this huge ethnic group from Donga Mantung Division has demonstrated it’s fervent desire to take the responsibility of developing themselves and their Division of origin.

Fon Kamanda III, clan head of Tang Clan and  Paramount ruler  of Talla village in Ndu Sub Division

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Speaking during the heavily attended occasion which took place at the Blue Pearl Hotel Plaza in Bamenda, Njeba Festus Wawa, President of the Wimbum Community in Bamenda said “today we are witnessing the Communion Service of all Wimbum people in Bamenda. We came here to commune, to  eat together and to share ideas that can take the Wimbum Community forward in terms of development. We baptised this day as “Ndilah” literally intepretated as “traditional issues”. It was therefore an occasion to showcase the Wimbum lifestyle; how they dress, what they eat and drink and how they dance. You have certainly realised that the Wimbum people are more united than people take them to be. So it was a Communion Service of all Wimbum people to see how we can forge ahead as a people.”

 Njeba Festus Wawa: President of the Wimbum Community in Bamenda

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He further said the emphases of the Wimbum Cultural and Development Association was on Unity adding that it was only when people had achieved the prized goal of unity that they could begin to talk about Development. Where there is no  unity there can be no development he said. 

“Our first project is unity and I think we have attained that and can now begin to think about development. We are going to make this occasion an Annual event.”

This reporter also caught up with Barrister Yembe Emmanuel, the Chairman of the Organising Committee who said the success registered in terms of organisation could only be attributed to team work. “We put in place a committee which worked in collaboration with the Presidents of all the 33 villages that are represented in Bamenda. So we were able to bring together thirty three Presidents of all the groups that are in Bamenda together. This, coupled with the enthusiastic response of the people contributed to the success of the occasion.”

On agenda was the raising of funds for development projects, colourful Traditional Dances and other forms of cultural demonstrations, sharing of Traditional dishes amongst others.

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