Paul Atanga Nji | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Territorial Administration | |
| Assumed office 2018 | |
| President | Paul Biya |
| Minister in charge of Special Duties at the Presidency | |
| In office 30 June 2009 –1 March 2018 | |
| Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) | |
| Preceded by | RenéSadi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) |
| Political party | Cameroon People's Democratic Movement |
| Spouse | Marguerite Fonkwen Atanga |
Paul Atanga Nji (born 1960) [1] is a Cameroonian politician who has served as the Minister of Territorial Administration since 2018. He is a member of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM),the ruling political party in Cameroon. [2]
Paul Atanga Nji was born in 1960 in the Bamenda,Northwest Region of Cameroon. [3]
Atanga Nji's political career began in earnest in the 1990s when he took on various roles within the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement. He gained prominence for his loyalty to President Paul Biya and was seen as a representative of the party's interests in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. [4] [5]
In 2018,he was appointed as the Minister of Territorial Administration by Biya,succeeding RenéSadi. This role made him responsible for overseeing the internal security of the country,managing administrative divisions,and coordinating with regional governors. [6] His tenure as Minister has coincided with the Anglophone Crisis,a period of political unrest and violence in Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest Regions,which are predominantly English-speaking. [7] On 9 October,Atanga Nji banned media outlets in the country from discussing the president's health. [8] [9] [10] [11]
Throughout his tenure,Atanga Nji has been a controversial figure in Cameroonian politics. Critics have accused him of being dismissive of the concerns of Anglophone communities and of failing to address the root causes of the Anglophone Crisis. [12] His strong rhetoric against opposition groups and international organizations has also drawn criticism,particularly regarding his approach to foreign intervention and advocacy groups. [13]
Atanga Nji is married to Marguerite Fonkwen Atanga ,a banker. [14]
He is known for his close ties to the inner circle of President Paul Biya's administration,and is considered one of the most influential Anglophone politicians within the CPDM