Professor Emeritus , Beban Sammy Chumbow.
By Ahone Heidi Che
Cameroon’s researcher, Prof Beban Sammy Chumbow, has been elected as the President of the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC).
He secured 15 out of 22 votes, surpassing candidates from Senegal and Zimbabwe.
In his acceptance speech on December 10, 2024, in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Prof Chumbow emphasized the need for African countries to allocate funding from their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research.
“The reality of insufficient funding has never been more apparent than during the recent coronavirus pandemic,” Prof Chumbow said. “African countries must increase their spending on STI to at least 1% of their national budgets to achieve success that can place Africa on the global map.”
Prof Chumbow also highlighted the importance of capacity building for researchers and potential investors in the continent. He believes that this would address the low science infrastructure in African countries and ensure progress in the area of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in Africa.
“Capacity building would address low science infrastructure in African countries and ensure progress in the area of STI in Africa,” he added.
As the President of ASRIC, Prof Chumbow will play a crucial role in promoting research and innovation in Africa.
ASRIC serves as a pan-African platform that brings together the scientific community, funding agencies, private sector, civil society, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.
Prof Chumbow is also the President of Cameroon Academy of Sciences and the Pro-chancellor of the University of Bamenda. His election as the President of ASRIC is a significant milestone for Cameroon and higher education in Africa as a whole.
It should be recalled that Professor Beban Sammy Chumbow, President of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences received in 2021 an award for distinguished services from the African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC). This was during the African Union’s 4th Congress of ASRIC in Nairobi, Kenya.
The decorated golden award stated “To Professor Chumbow Beban Sammy, Vice Chairperson of ASRIC, In recognition of your Outstanding Contribution and Support towards the Advancement of Science Technology Innovation in Africa.”
Prof. Beban Sammy Chumbow is Emeritus Professor.He has served as Rector/Vice Chancellor for the Universities of Yaounde 1, Ngaoundere, and Dschang in Cameroon.
Professor Chumbow is a leading linguist and has published extensively on various aspects of language development and nation-building in Africa.
