After the Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Minister of State Ngoh Ngoh Ferdinand was permanently delegated some presidential signature powers at the dawn of 2019, the President of the Republic has accorded a delegation of his signature to the Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Elung Paul Che and the Director of General Affairs at the Presidency of the Republic, Ahmadou Sali.

Decree No2019/043 of 5 February 2019 according permanent delegation of presidential signature to Minister of State Ngoh Ngoh Ferdinand, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic had sparked a lot of reactions.

Indeed, the delegation of presidential signature to state officials is a constitutional provision.

Article 10 (2 & 3) of Cameroon’s 1996 constitution empowers the president to delegate his signature to state officials within the discharge of their functions.

The constitution in its article 10 reads: “(2.) The President of the Republic may delegate some of his powers to the Prime Minister, other members of Government and any other senior administrative officials of the State, within the framework of their respective duties.

“(3.) Where the President of the Republic is temporarily unable to perform his duties, he shall delegate the Prime Minister and, should the latter also be unavailable, any other member of Government to discharge his duties within the framework of an express delegation of some of his powers. 

The Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Elung Paul Che served as Minister Delegate at the Ministry of Finance until March 02, 2018 when he was promoted to the Presidency.

He hails from Kupe Muanenguba in the South West Region of Cameroon. His educational prowess made him emerge one of the best students of his batch at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) where he graduated as Inspector of Treasury. Elung Paul Che proceeded to Harvard University in the United States where he obtained a Master’s degree in Administration and Public Policy with specialization on Finance and Development Policy.

Elung has also served in the following positions; Paymaster General in the North West and South West Regions, Director of Treasury, Director General of Treasury, Auditor at the bank of Central African States- BEAC, Commissioner at COBAC, Commissioner at the financial markets commission of BEAC, member of the audit committee of BEAC and focal point of the reform of the payment system in CEMAC, General Manager of the Hydrocarbon Prices Stabilization Fund-CSPH amongst others.

Described as humble and a workaholic, observers have praised him for the values of promoting transparency, financial accountability, leadership and his unmatched managerial skills.