Governance analyst Benjamin Ngongang has taken direct aim at the recurrent absenteeism of Cameroun’s Head of State, highlighting the president’s lengthy stays abroad as a growing concern.

The private trip of Cameroun’s Head of State to Europe dominated discussions on the Canal Presse show aired on Sunday, 26 July 2026 on Canal 2 International, a private television station based in Douala. Speaking on the program, Benjamin Ngongang criticized the president for managing the country remotely and failing to conduct on-the-ground visits.

“The president of the Republic is not elected to govern from abroad. It is only normal that the opposition—and it’s not just the opposition—even majority-party lawmakers should be concerned that the Head of State remains abroad for extended periods,” Ngongang argued. “We are now at 49 days, having reached this figure after the president left Cameroun on 7 June. If he does not return tonight, he will set a new record for the longest time spent outside the country.”

He continued, “There is no country in the world where such a debate is even possible. This simply does not happen anywhere else. For once, Cameroun is setting a precedent—no nation allows a president to spend over 30 days outside its borders, whether for personal or official reasons.”

Ngongang went on to say, “Even leaders facing critical challenges—such as the presidents of the United States and Iran, who are currently engaged in war negotiations—do not remain abroad for 49 days. They travel to resolve crises, but they return promptly. When the supreme leader is expected, it is to finalize agreements crafted by technical experts.”