By Etienne Mainimo Etienne
The General Manager of Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL), Judith Yah Sunday epse Achidi, has commended female engineers within her institution, encouraging them to be bold and reject limitations.
Judith Yah Sunday made the remarks on March 8 during the 41st edition of International Women’s Day celebrations in Yaoundé. Celebrations in Yaounde was chaired by Cameroon’s First Lady, Chantal Biya, under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action: For ALL Women and Girls.”
“I would like to recognize the remarkable expertise of our female engineers who have been pivotal in rolling out our 4G/5G networks and expanding the national backbone,” stated Judith Yah Sunday.
She stressed that observing women managing data centers, optical fiber infrastructure, and critical platforms is clear proof that talent knows no gender, only performance. “Be bold! Accept no limits other than those you set for yourselves. Your resilience, expertise, and commitment are the driving forces behind our digital transformation,” she added.
Judith Yah Sunday highlighted “CAMTEL Digital Women” program, through which thousands of young girls have received training in digital skills, coding, and cybersecurity. By breaking down barriers to ICT access, she noted that CAMTEL is converting the “right to digital technology” into “tangible social justice” across the nation.
“Every time a female employee improves the connectivity of a Cameroonian government institution, SME or start-up, she is performing an act of digital sovereignty. You are the silent but decisive architects of that sovereignty,” she remarked.
She stated that, CAMTEL, as a responsible corporate citizen and the state’s operational arm in the electronic communications sector, fully embraces the missions entrusted to it by the State, notably the effective inclusion of women in decision-making and the strategic direction of our development.
Reflecting on the celebration’s theme, Judith Yah Sunday stated that at CAMTEL, rights encompass ambition, continuous training, and access to technical and managerial positions. “At CAMTEL, this right is an established fact that we reinforce every day.”
She defined justice as recognition based on merit and competence, stressing that “we don’t just want to post figures or meet quotas. We aspire to cultivate a robust corporate culture where every woman’s voice shapes our human and technological network.”
Regarding action, she explained that it means connecting women to future opportunities, asserting that at CAMTEL, action aligns with the technological present. She pledged to enhance mentorship programs to empower young female recruits as the engineers, experts, and leaders of tomorrow.
Despite the celebratory tone, the director general took a moment to deliver a stern warning regarding corporate integrity. She reminded the staff that the goal of connecting Cameroon cannot be achieved through unethical means.
“When a CAMTEL employee defrauds a customer, they not only betray the citizen’s trust, but the reputation of the entire company suffers,” she said.
Yah Sunday was explicit about the consequences of financial malpractice, stating that the embezzlement or looting of company assets weakens the entire production system. She told the staff that such “serious misconduct” is not tolerated and that those responsible are held accountable under the law.
“I urge you to be active allies in this dynamic, because justice for women is progress for the entire company and for the entire nation,” she said, calling for greater loyalty and responsibility.
Giselle Ntchama Zang, representing her peers, emphasized that women’s rights are fundamental to a modern and efficient society. She underscored that the right to education, equal opportunities, dignity, security, and full participation in economic life should be non-negotiable.
However, she pointed out that this right often remains fragile, unequally enforced, and inadequately guaranteed. “The 41st International Women’s Day calls on states to implement measures that recognize the rights of all women and girls, ensuring access to equitable and inclusive justice,” she asserted. “This is a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.”
“Today, we have the duty to encourage more women and young girls to embrace scientific, technical, and digital careers,” Ntchama Zang said. “To act in our professional context means to promote equal access to opportunities, to support women’s freedom, and to guarantee a respectful work environment.”
The celebration also provided an opportunity to donate motocycles to partners, enhancing their mobility.
