The population of Douala in the Littoral Region has joined their voices in growing calls for President Paul Biya to seek re-election in October. They made the calls on the sidelines of the official inauguration of the Center for the Production of Identity Documents in Douala.
The Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh who represented the Head of State, Paul Biya, inaugurated the state-of-the-art center, affiliated to the General Delegation for National Security (DGSN), on Friday, March 14. It was in the presence of the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguele and other cabinet ministers.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ngoh Ngoh said the center represents a significant step forward in the modernisation of administrative services in Cameroon. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, its purpose is to expedite the issuance of national identity cards and other official documents that Cameroonians have long struggled with delays and inefficiencies in obtaining.
“This system is designed to make our administration more efficient, more effective, and better adapted to the technological developments in our society,” Ngoh Ngoh said as the population responding with a thunderous applause. “From now on, our compatriots will benefit from reliable, forgery-resistant, and highly secured identification documents,” he added.
The Douala center complements the Yaounde facility inaugurated earlier and positions Cameroon as the first African nation and second in the world to adopt cutting-edge biometric technology from German firm AUGENTIC. The 15-year partnership involves financing, designing, installing, and operating a comprehensive system capable of producing various identification documents, including residency permits, refugee cards, and police professional cards.
Martin Mbarga Nguele had promised to accelerate the process in order to allow every citizen to receive their identification documents as soon as possible, consequently, there was a massive arrival of these identity documents recently in Douala as proof that the national security boss has kept to his word.
Advanced features and capacity
The ultramodern facility, which is a fulfilment of a promise by the Head of State, is poised to drastically reduce the turnaround time for document delivery. Furthermore, it incorporates innovative features such as advanced biometric security elements to combat document fraud.
It boasts of 120 workstations handling enrollment and collection for up to 1,000 users daily, eight manufacturing machines capable of producing 10,000 cards per day and ID cards embedded with 15 visible and invisible security features.
Nationwide expansion
Authorities said efforts are underway to construct enrollment centers across major cities while respecting regional demographics. The initiative will increase identification posts from 280 to 548 nationwide and deploy over 1,000 biometric registration kits.
This development addresses years of frustration caused by lengthy queues and procedural bottlenecks. With the centres now operational, long queues and extended waiting times will now be history.
Ngoh Ngoh said eventually, all ten regional capitals and other major cities will host same modern identification document centers, reflecting the Head of State’s commitment to administrative development and modernization.
Cameroonians can now obtain their resistant and highly secured identification documents within 48 hours as well as efficient service delivery that enhances security and accessibility.
Sawa chiefs throw weight behind Biya
During his stay in the economic capital, President Paul Biya’s envoy, Ngoh Ngoh granted audiences to different groups of people. One of the groups was the traditional rulers of the Littoral Region who declared their support for incumbent Biya, calling on him to be their presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential election in the country.
“We are officially asking our adopted son, Paul Biya, to run for president in 2025,” the Saw chiefs, represented by the executive bureau of the Ngondo said in a statement justifying that Biya has the qualities and experience needed to continue leading Cameroon.
The Sawa chiefs also reaffirmed their dedication to maintain peace before, during, and after the electoral process.
