Leaders of the Cameroon Confederation of Free Trade Unions were recently elected in Douala.

The Cameroon Confederation of Free Trade Unions, CCFTU, elected a new executive during the Third Ordinary Congress in Douala, recently. CCFTU, made up of 10 regions, 150 workers’ unions and eight federations, voted Paul Félix Bayiha of Camwater as President.

Other members of the 12-strong executive include the Secretary General, Gongue of CIMENCAM, Treasurer, Bouba Njidda of SODECOTON, Secretary in charge of Capacity-building, Michel Dongmo Tantsa of HEVECAM and the Organising Secretary, Omam Mbock. Six Vice Presidents and 10 Regional Coordinators were also elected. Though only just elected, the new leaders have the daunting task of uniting the various factions of CCFTU that emerged in 2013.

According to the President-elect, Paul Félix Bayiha, the union had two rival executive in 2013; a situation that created much confusion and misunderstanding. This, he said, led to inertia and the creation of fake unions not present in all the regions. This only helped to compound the situation. He called on the presidents of the 104 unions to close ranks and work as a family as it was the case some 20 years back when CCFTU was created.

Since they were voted in 2011, Eboue Enonguene, the Treasurer of the Divisional Syndicate of Workers in the Refinery Sector, intimated that there have been lapses, making it difficult for them to meet the objective of defending workers’ interests. The new leadership plans to increase capacity-building seminars for trade unionists in order to better defend workers’ rights and create income-generating activities like in Cote d’Ivoire to help them run their activities.