By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Fuh Calistus Gentry, the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, (MINMIDT), has hailed his staff for the sacrifices and daily monitoring that have helped the Ministry moving towards its strategic goals.
Minister Fuh Calistus made the remarks May 1 during celebrations marking the 140th International Labor Day. The 2026 edition was celebrated under the theme, “Social Dialogue and Decent Work: Factors of Peace, National Cohesion and Business Economic Development.”
While congratulating the staff, the Minister stated that their sacrifices ensured the daily monitoring of the industrial policy, noting that results in terms of value chain development are already noticeable in certain sectors.
He reminded those in attendance that the culmination of these efforts materialized in a change of status for the country during the historic year of 2025. This was due to Cameroon’s international recognition as a mining-producing country following the commissioning of five major projects worth approximately $118 billion.
These include the Bipindi Grand-Zambi and Kribi Lobe iron ore projects, the Minim Martap industrial bauxite project, the Bidzar limestone project, and the Colomine gold project.
“We did not stop there, because in 2026 we continue to monitor projects that are starting up, including the Mbalam iron mining project, the Nkout iron mining project, the Ngovayang iron mining project and the Mborguéné, Bibemi and Mbe gold mining projects, which together have a value of over $90 billion at current exchange rates,” Minister Fuh Calistus said.
The Minister added that together, these 11 mining projects are projected to increase state revenue and allow the government to reorganize the industry into four main sectors: iron, bauxite, limestone and gold.
He stated that in addition to being a mining producer, Cameroon is a strategic country for the global energy transition due to mineral wealth such as rare earths, monazite, cobalt, nickel and manganese. These projects are currently being restructured, and Minister Fuh Calistus noted their exploitation will have a significant impact on global economic power.
In an effort to strengthen the industrial base, the Minister announced that a national map of industry will be created in May 2026 to reduce persistent informality across all sectors. Aligning with the Labor Day theme, the Minister reassured staff that the Ministry will continue to consolidate gains and pursue a new dynamic through measures and reforms.
“Our ongoing consultations involving the representative of the staff delegate college and the workers will be maintained as in the past, in order to always reach a better consensus on the gradual improvement of your well-being, given your constantly evolving aspirations,” Gentry said.
He added that several of the concerns raised are addressed daily and are the subject of reflections have lead to remarkable solutions.
“However, we continue to carry out reflections — which are currently ongoing — in order to achieve the restoration of the MINMIDT staff mutual insurance scheme, which includes health coverage, and to establish more equity in the daily management of available resources for greater results,” the Minister said. He further noted that while perfection is not of this world and actions can be improved, he has made the staff’s grievances his own.
The staff delegate commended the Ministry’s efforts and the minister’s leadership regarding the launch of major mining projects. The delegate stated that these initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to making the mining sector a driver of sustainable development. However, the delegate also noted an urgent need for administrative training for new staff, AI writing, bilingual language training, and specialized training for sworn inspectors of classified establishments.
Activities leading up to Labor Day in MINMIDT included a sports walk, a mini-sports tournament, a roundtable discussion on the role of staff representatives, and a community service day at all ministry facilities among others.
