North West Gendarmerie Assesses Progress and Challenges in Promoting Bilingualism
By Wirngo Peter Tardzenyuy
Day two of the working visit of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism to the North West Region focused on the role of the National Gendarmerie in promoting the effective use of Cameroon’s two official languages within security services and public administration.
The delegation, led by Benjamin Mutanga Itoe, visited the North West Gendarmerie Legion in Bamenda where exchanges were held with security officials on challenges and progress made in implementing the country’s bilingualism policy.
The team also visited several gendarmerie units within the city, including the Gendarmerie Post in Mendakwe and a gendarmerie company, as part of efforts to evaluate how bilingualism is being practiced at operational level.
Speaking during the session, Zang Godfroy Marius said the use of English and French within the gendarmerie remains a necessity, especially in a region where the majority of the population is English-speaking.
According to the Legion Commander, the North West Region presents a unique context where security officers must constantly interact with local communities in English to ensure effective communication and service delivery.
He explained that following the 2019 law promoting official languages in Cameroon, measures have been taken by the hierarchy to deploy more bilingual gendarmes to the region in order to reduce communication barriers between security officers and the population.
“The gendarmes who are in this area of responsibility are at the service of the population and they are obliged to speak the same language as the people we meet every day,” Colonel Zang stated.
He noted that many young officers posted to the region today are capable of communicating effectively in both English and French, a situation he described as an important advantage in judicial investigations and administrative procedures.
Despite the progress recorded, the Legion Commander acknowledged that language barriers still exist among some personnel who are yet to fully master English.
He revealed that in certain situations, especially during investigations and administrative procedures, the services are sometimes compelled to rely on interpreters to facilitate communication with users.
The visit formed part of the Commission’s broader mission to strengthen national cohesion and encourage equal use of English and French across state institutions, particularly within sectors that interact directly with the public.
The Commission is expected to continue its consultations in the region with further engagements involving the police and other administrative stakeholders.
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