They took command of their respective services in Yaounde yesterday following recent appointments by the President of the Republic and Commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces.

Five newly appointed senior officials to head different services of the Defence Forces have been commissioned into their functions by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o. The ceremony at the Yaounde Military Brigade Headquarters, Monday March 16, 2015, saw the commissioning of Colonel Bengono Antoine Mesmin Kizito as the Commander of the Combined Military Academy (EMIA), Colonel Owona Martin-Claude as the new boss of the Yaounde 101 Air Force Base, Colonel Nga Owona Philomène as the Commander of the 1st Command and Support Battalion in Yaounde, Lieutenant Colonel Nguiamba Laurent Hubert as the Commander of the Air Rifle Battalion and Chief of Battalion Ekosso Lysonge Francis as the Commander of the 10th Group of the Fire Fighting Brigade. The commissioning rituals were conducted by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, the Defence Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Rene Claude Meka and the Commander of the National Fire Fighting Brigade corps, Brigadier General Mahamat Ahmed respectively.

Minister Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o underlined that their appointments come within a particular context marked by external attacks on our country from the East by the Central African rebels, the Boko Haram incursions in the Far North Region, pirate attacks in the Bakassi area, highway robbery, circulation of small arms and light weapons and internal security issues amongst others. He stressed that they must therefore be on guard to combat the security challenges so as to continue to merit the confidence of the hierarchy.

To the Commander of EMIA, Mebe Ngo’o prescribed quality training, moral rectitude and professional uprightness to cadet officers of the defence forces. While paying tribute to fallen soldiers at the war front and civilians killed by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, Minister Mebe Ngo’o lauded the support of the nation to the Defence Forces which he said is comforting and has galvanised the forces to combat the nebulous sect, which will soon be eradicated.

Yesterday’s installation ceremony provided an opportunity for the Defence Minister to salute the prime place accorded to the female officers appointed to head different services such as Colonel Nga Owona Philomène who is the first-ever woman to command a sensitive territorial command battalion.