By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
The Head of State, President Paul Biya on Thursday January 17 appointed a new Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Balungeli Confiance Ebune, Senior Divisional Officer of the Menoua was appointed by presidential decree Thursday, January 17, 2019 as Chief of Cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Another Presidential decree equally appointed police officer Walter Nwanja as the private secretary of the Prime Minister, Head of Government.
The Prime Minister’s team is now complete as he sets out to work after the first cabinet meeting on Wednesday January 16 where he and his team were given directives by the Head of State Paul Biya, to help Cameroon attain emergence by 2035.
Observers were quick to point out that the Prime Minister Dion Ngute Joseph and his Director of Cabinet, Balungeli Confiance Ebune are two of the same kind. The PM, noted for being discrete and levelheaded, chose a discrete and levelheaded son of Ndian Division to be his closest collaborator at the Star Building. These qualities, pundits say, may go a long way to cool down the boiling situation not only in Ndian Division but in the North West and South West Regions.
Balungeli Confiance Ebune
“I thank the good Lord and also very sincerely the Head of State for this high level of confidence and trust. I also thank the Prime Minister. I was not waiting for this appointment. I am really surprised. I want to promise the Head of State and the Prime Minister that I will do all to continue to merit this confidence,” Balungeli Confiance Ebune said shortly after his appointment.
News of his appointment met him in Baham where he was in the company of other Senior Divisional Officers of the Region and West Governor, Awa Fonka Augustine to present condolences to the wife of the deceased Senior Divisional Officer of the Upper Plateaux Division, Felix Bilonogou who died on Sunday, January 13.
This senior civil administrator was installed into his functions as Senior Divisional Officer for Menoua Division on April 4, 2017 where he served until his recent promotion to the PM’s office as Director of Cabinet to Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute.
Balungeli Confiance Ebune was born on September 1, 1969 in Ilondo Golo, Toko Subdivision in Ndian Division of the South West Region. He obtained a Degree in Private Law from the University of Yaoundé II before proceeding to study at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) two years later.
His administrative career began in 1999. He served as First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) in Fako Division from 2000 to 2003, Divisional Officer of Tiko from 2003 to 2008, Divisional Officer of Bamenda III from 2008 to 2010, and Secretary General at the North West Governor’s Office from 2010 to 2012.
In October 2012, he was appointed Senior Divisional Officer of Mayo Louti Division in the North Region and was later transferred to the Menoua Division in the West Region on March 13, 2017 in the same capacity.
He has now been called to the Prime Minister’s office to serve as Director of Cabinet to Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute.
Balungeli Confiance Ebune is married and a father of four.