Within the partnership context between the Cameroonian and Japanese governments in the domain of private sector supervision and promotion, the Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Social Economy and Handicrafts has awarded certificates to advanced KAIZEN consultants and trophies to the winners of the national KAIZEN contest.
The ceremony that took place at the Yaoundé International Handicrafts Centre on February 21st 2022 witnessed the handing over of certificate awards to 05 Advanced KAIZEN Inspectors, 22 Advanced KAIZEN Consultants and 03 Advanced KAIZEN Trainers. On the other hand, 03 Cameroonian Kaizen practitioners who were pronounced winners of the 2021 Cameroon KAIZEN Awards that took place in December 2021 out of 09 other contestants were awarded trophies. It is worth recalling that the objectives of the KAIZEN Project under the coordination of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are to promote quality and productivity improvement activities in SMEs and local organizations.
Speaking at the ceremony, H.E. Achille BASSILEKIN III declared that this project has succeeded in training more that 600 national consultants who have positively impacted other SMEs. As such, the 2nd phase that started since 2019 amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic has seen the acceleration of the training of some other contestants who will in return continue this process so that the productivity margins of SMEs will be improved upon, ameliorate performances and the turnover of enterprises but also do away with methods that do not improve the added value of SMEs. He further used this opportunity as a forum to invite all SMEs and the public concerned for the upcoming KAIZEN Africa Annual Conference to take place in Yaoundé come October 2022 organized by the Japanese government. Ha also stated that this conference seeks to unite African countries where the KAIZEN method is already being implemented. It should be noted that the choice of Yaounde can be backed by the resounding successes recorded through the dissemination of the KAIZEN project in Cameroon.
Worthy to note that the last KAIZEN Africa Annual Conference was held in August 2021 in Tanzania and the objectives of the KAIZEN award ceremony are to showcase and disseminate the benefits of the practical implementation of the program in terms of improved working conditions, economic and social transformation.