Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Tata Mbunwe
Published on 2024-03-10 12:17:17
The Cameroonian justice system and the entire nation are in mourning following the death of Nana Abunaw Marie, who made history as the first woman to hold the position of Administrator General of Prisons in the country. Nana Abunaw Marie, a native of Manyu Division in the South West region, passed away on March 8 at the Buea Regional Hospital on the same day that women around the world celebrated International Women’s Day.
The retired prison General, who resided in Buea, had been battling a brief illness before her passing. Nana Abunaw Marie made significant contributions to the Cameroonian justice system throughout her career, holding various top positions before her retirement in 2015. She also made history as the first female commander of the Advanced School of Penitentiary Administration (ENAP) in Buea.
Her journey into prison administration began with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Benin, Nigeria, in 1980. She furthered her education with a postgraduate degree in Penitentiary Administration from both the National School of Penitentiary in Buea (ENAP) and the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) in Yaounde in 1993.
Nana Abunaw Marie held various key positions throughout her career, including being appointed as the first female Director of ENAP in 1997. She later served as Inspector General at the Ministry of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration from August 2004 to January 2007. From February 2007 to May 2015, she also served as a Commissioner on the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms.
In addition to her administrative roles, Nana Abunaw Marie was known for her humanitarian efforts. She founded the non-profit organization Justice Equity Prison Fellowship Cameroon (JE-PFC) in Buea, which aimed to provide support, vocational training, and material assistance to prisoners in need. Under her leadership, JE-PFC undertook initiatives such as donating sanitation materials to the Buea Central Prison during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Her organization also paid the fines of 15 inmates who had completed their jail terms but were unable to pay court fines amounting to FCFA 1.5 million on January 1st, 2023. Nana Abunaw Marie, a mother of seven, was married to Justice Nana Kwamu. Her legacy in both administrative and humanitarian aspects of prison management will be remembered, and her passing leaves a void in the Cameroonian justice system.
Read the original article(French) on Mimi Mefo Info
