Soa, Cameroon: On 6 October 2020, was organized at the Pan African University Institute for Governance, Human and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS), the official ceremony to commission the incoming Director of PAUGHSS, Prof. Elizabeth ABENGA.

This ceremony followed the handing over of power between the outgoing Director, Prof. Joseph Vincent NTUDA EBODE and the latter which took place on 29 September 2020.

In prelude to the ceremony, the AU delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Rector of the University of Yaounde II Soa, Prof. Adolphe MINKOA SHE, before being led by the latter to the ceremonial ground.

The ceremony was graced by the presence of the Commissioner for HRST, H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor heading the AU delegation comprising the Director for HRST, Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo, and the PAU Ag. Communication Officer, Ms. Chancelle Bilampassi. Other participants included: the Rector of the University of Yaounde II, Pr. Adolphe MINKOA SHE, the Deputy Vice Rector of the Pan African University, Prof. Kassa Belay, the outgoing Director of PAUGHSS, Pr. Joseph Vincent NTUDA EBODE, the incoming Director of PAUGHSS, Prof. Elizabeth Sarange Bosire Abenga, Rectorate staff, and PAUGHSS staff and students.

The ceremony was punctuated with a series of addresses starting with that of the Rector of the University of Yaounde II. He was followed by Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo who congratulated Prof. NTUDA and encouraged Prof. Abenga. Addressing PAUGHSS students, he said they were privileged to study in that institute. He further asked them to pursue their efforts in order to beyond the current results. Other addresses included that of the staff representative, student representative and alumni.

Taking the floor, Prof. Ntuda centered his speech on 3 keywords: testimony, thanks and welcome. He started by recalling the history of PAUGHSS, its inception, negotiations, implementation. In this light, he paid tribute to the former Rector of the University of Yaounde II who had been instrumental in establishing PAUGHSS in Yaounde. He also praised the team spirit that prevailed throughout his mandate at the head of PAUGHSS and especially commended Mr. Tiayon who was then coordinating the Programme in Buea.

He further said to be satisfied for the efforts he and his team deployed to raise PAUGHSS where it is now. HE requested the new Director to continue to push forward the mandate of PAUGHSS. He ended by thanking the host university, the Ministry of External Relations, and all the people who provided support to PAUGHSS.

The new Director of PAUGHSS also took the floor and started by thanking all the participants who in spite of their busy schedules attended the event. Recognizing that there are a lot of expectations from stakeholders and herself and describing current challenges including COVID-19, she committed to uphold by PAU principles. She committed to do her part towards the realization of the objectives of the Pan African University. She proceeded by congratulating Prof. NTUDA and said she will continue to realize the objectives of PAU and grow the institution further.

She further committed to ensuring that the spirit of Pan Africanism through intercultural and multicultural appreciation and integration is a key tenet of PAUGHSS in line with the vision the African Union, and concluded with a quote by a poet: “The University, like the world, ends not in the limit of vision, but in our capacity to imagine it, to project it and to dream it”.

The Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology was the last to take the floor. After thanking the Government of Cameroon for their usual warm welcome, she thanked Prof. NTUDA for the good job he made during 9 years at the head of PAUGHSS, and requested a round of applause for him.

She proceeded by recalling the key tenets of PAU which are academic excellence and quality education, before emphasizing that selecting Prof. ABENGA as the new PAUGHSS Director was a well-informed and thoughtful choice.

She made a brief presentation of PAUGHSS including the various batches which have graduated from this institute. Then, she officially inaugurated Prof. Abenga as the new Director of PAUGHSS. The ceremony ended with a cocktail offered in honour of the new Director.

Before leaving Cameroon, HRST Commissioner will hold meetings with high ranking officials in the Ministries linked to her portfolio: Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of External Relations, Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Ministry of Secondary Education, Ministry of Basic Education and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea.