A tug of war has erupted between the general manager of the National Press and Publishing Company, SOPECAM and the chairman of the company’s board of directors. Marie Claire Nnana, by extrapolation the publisher of Cameroon Tribune is no stranger to controversy and has recently hinted that only the head of state, President Biya would be allowed to arbitrate between her and the board chairman Joseph Le, who also moonlights as the Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic. Both CPDM elites have engaged in a remote standoff ever since the Cameroonian dictator traveled to Europe for a private visit.

Cameroon Intelligence Report was reliably informed that the SOPECAM boss reportedly blocked all moves taken by the chairman to convene a board meeting citing a decree that was signed by President Biya on May 2016 ordering a new configuration of the board. Our source at SOPECAM revealed that the all powerful Marie Claire Nnana has regularly argued that the old board has outlived its usefulness. A view not accepted by the Biya acolyte, Joseph Le.

Our informant added that the chairman announced a board meeting on the same day that the general manager was en route to the Republic of South Africa. Madam Marie Claire left standing instructions that the hall reserved for board meetings should remain closed until she returns.  She is yet to pay sitting allowance for the last council session that held under very difficult circumstances with some board members observing that her action is complete contempt and insubordination.

The crisis recently took a dramatic u turn when Chairman Joseph Le sacked the Chief Finance Officer, Olinga Biyo’o who refused to pay the sitting allowance on instructions from Marie Claire Nnana and replaced him with Ngane Gustave Leopold, a civil administrator.  Cameroon Tribune has blatantly refused to publish the full text signed by the chairman. In its Friday edition, the national daily made public part of the Joseph Le decision on the new appointments of the Technical Director and the Sales and Marketing managers.

Sama Ernest in Yaounde