Young people have decided to set up a citizen watch for the implementation of presidential promises.
The day after the Head of State’s address to the youth, BdS-OngolaLab-UYI brought together students, young researchers, and associative actors for an unvarnished analysis. Objective: to measure the real scope of the presidential discourse and formulate concrete proposals for socio-professional integration.
First observation: a mixture of hope and skepticism. While the institutional recognition of the difficulties facing young people is welcomed, weariness prevails in the face of repeated announcements perceived as having little follow-through. “The problem remains the time that elapses between the decision and the implementation,” summarizes a participant.
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Behind the determined rhetoric, many fear yet another list of intentions.
The issue of funding for entrepreneurship crystallizes criticism. Speakers denounce the persistent opacity in the management of public funds and demand two guarantees: territorial equity to break with the feeling that networking takes precedence over merit, and digital traceability of resources, so that every franc announced is actually paid to the selected projects.
In the background, it is the credibility of public discourse that is at stake.
However, the debate was not limited to pointing out the state’s shortcomings. Self-criticism emerged: a deficit of boldness, a low rate of applications for existing programs, a lack of information or trust. “We cannot demand public performance without citizen discipline,” stressed a young doctor.
The university appears as a strategic link. Participants advocate for the contextualization of knowledge, action-research focused on local needs, and the strengthening of mechanisms like BdS-OngolaLab-UYI, which is called upon to become an interface between campuses, communities, and public authorities.
Five resolutions were adopted, including the establishment of a citizen watch on the implementation of presidential announcements and the production of a structured advocacy note for the relevant ministries.
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The recommendations are clear: establish a meritocracy based on expertise, involve independent observers in selection committees, and accelerate the decentralization of opportunities.
Beyond the discourse, the youth gathered in Yaoundé are calling for a paradigm shift: moving from a policy of announcements to a culture of measurable results.
The year 2026 is set as a test. Each presidential promise will now have to be evaluated based on its implementation. Less rhetoric, more accountability: this is the demand of a clear-sighted generation that refuses to be a spectator of its own future.
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