Cameroon:Paul Tasong Appointed Member of CEMAC Government

By Christopher Ambe 

Paul Tasong: CEMAC Commissioner

Cameroonian workaholic & economic strategist, Paul Tasong, a former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development Yaounde, has been installed as Member of Government of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa -better known by its French acronym CEMAC. 

CEMAC  is an organization of  Central African states  established by Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to promote economic integration among countries that share a common currency, the CFA francs

“I am now a member of the CEMAC Government. The CEMAC Government is made up  of six people- one from each of the six CEMAC countries. The CEMAC government is the CEMAC commission. There is a president, a vice president and four commissioners. I am one of the four commissioners,” Paul Tasong told The Recorder by phone after his recent installation into his new functions in N'Djamena, Tchad.

Mr. Tasong has replaced Antoine Ntimi, a former Cameroonian Minister of Finance who served on the CEMAC commission

When Paul Tasong was replaced as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), many political observers, knowing how resourceful and duty-conscious Mr.Tasong is, speculated that he would land a much bigger job.

It would be recalled that this reporter in a telephone conversation with Mr.Tasong after he was removed as Permanent Secretary, noted that his removal was a “step back in preparation for a great leap forward.”

Before his appointment as Permanent Secretary at MINEPAT, Mr.Tasong had served in same ministry as Director of Programming of Public Investments from September 2004 – August 2010 (6 years)

He had earlier been South West Provincial Delegate at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (September 1999 – September 2004 i.e. 5 years 1 month)

This gentleman who hails from the Lebialem Division of the Southwest Region is generally said to be synonymous to hard work

Always decently dressed, disciplined and soft-spoken, Mr.Tasong is also described as a go- getter.



After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in public law, Mr. Tasong enrolled into EMAM Yaounde and graduated in 1988 as a tax inspector. He then worked briefly in the public service before enrolling in the prestigious Harvard University Kennedy School of Government- University of Antwerp RUCA, Belgium -where he obtained a Masters degree in Public Administration and Management.

With a Masters degree in Public Administration and Management, he turned down employment offers from foreign employers, and returned to Cameroon- as a mark of patriotism, to contribute his quota in the development of the country.

Ever since Mr.Tasong rejoined the Cameroon Public service after his further studies in Belgium, he has impressed his hierarchy and the public with his outstanding output. It was for this reason that in 2004 he was  promoted to the strategic position of Director of Public Investment Programming -a position he held and demonstrated mastery of the job until his elevation to the dignity of  the Permanent  Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development (from September 2010 – September 2012)

Much Earlier in his career, Mr Tasong had served as Chief of Centre for Taxes, Tiko (February 1997 – September 1999 i.e. 2 years 8 months); Value-added Tax Auditor ,Yaoundé(August 1994 – February 1997 i.e. 2 years 7 months); Assistant Legal Research Officer, Department of taxation -Yaoundé (January 1989 – August 1994 i.e. 5 years 8 months).

Mr.Tasong is a member of the ruling CPDM and is married and has children.