University's role in accelerating dev't highlighted

Prof. Jean Tabi Manga on Friday October 3, 2014 gave a lecture on renaissance and emergence.

Professor Jean Tabi Manga, former Rector of the University of Yaounde II, has described as revolutionary the idea of emergence being sought for by Africa but that for it to yield desired fruits, there is the need to get back to the roots, know who we are, what we have and where we are going.

He made the remark on Friday October 3, 2014 while giving a lecture on “The place of the University in the context of renaissance and emergence.”

This was in the prelude to the open-door days of the Advanced Programme of Specialisation in Public Finance scheduled for October 7-8, 2014. He said the continent needs to think of its development context. Reason why he advocated a rebirth in the way planning is done. “We don’t become emergent by chance.

We need to have a clear vision of what we want. Emergence needs new remodeling and the university milieu is there to do the thinking,” the Prof. said. He said university is supposed to respond to the needs of society and so needs to be specialised to meet specific preoccupations.

According to the Director of the Advanced Programme of Specialisation in Public Finance, Assembe Henri Sévérin, the lecture was timely given the irreversible bend Africa and Cameroon have negotiated towards emergence.

He said there is an urgent need for all and sundry to assume our existence vis-à-vis the world and jointly work hard to attain set objectives.