Is Biya ready to act now?

After blaming govt for failure:

Is Biya ready to act now?

BY ADOLF MONGO DIPOKO, TARHYANG E TABE, NOELLA BISONG AND ATIA TILARIOUS

The president of the Republic, Paul Biya, has held the government responsible for gross failure to achieve the necessary goals which present economic trends have made available.

In his end of year speech last Tuesday, President Biya lamented bitterly that “ we have a growth and employment strategy which guides us towards our goals”  but wondered why in some sectors of our economy, state action often seems to lack consistency and clarity.

“Why is it that in many cases decision-making delays still constitute a bottle-neck in project implementation” he asked

Surprisingly, the president only now seems to have discovered that no region of the country is able to achieve a Public Investment Budget execution rate of over 50%, talk less of the usefulness of certain projects monitoring committees which are unable to take any decisions.

The president in a very hard tone said we are an individualistic people, more concerned with personal success than general interest, accusing the government of remaining susceptible to private interest, which is most often in conflict with national interest.

He warned that such trends must not be tolerated in a modern state and that the time to act is now.

Though attached to our communities of origin, he cautioned this should not prevent us from being fervent patriots whenever national honour is at stake and that what we need in the coming years is real contingency plan.

Our short-term priorities are to correct our growth curve by creating jobs and maintain a high level of performance over several years in a row and to do this, the president emphasises the need to set timelines on our road maps and strictly adhere to them.

Panic grips ministers

The echoes of the president’s address to the nation have sent jitters to ministers in Yaounde ahead of an inevitable cabinet reshuffle, likely to shake the whole government.

The president should be noted lamented on the present state of Cameroon despite the abundant resources and the ongoing reforms.

The president told Cameroonians that it will be absolutely imperative that together Cameroonians address the causes of their weaknesses by removing sticking points, areas of dispersion and duplication.

“Would we be unable to do what some other countries comparable to ours have done or are doing? I do not think so. We have talented, resourceful, well-trained and enterprising men, women and youth, who are capable of meeting these challenges. We have abundant and diverse natural resources as well as modern and democratic institutions. Our country is peaceful and stable.” He said and asked, “What then do we lack?”

Biya had a ready answer to the question “I think we need to improve in two key areas: prioritizing general interest and coordinating our efforts.” He said.

According to the Head of State, at a time when Cameroonians are beginning to see many concrete signs of the democratic, economic and social progress, he is inviting Cameroonians to embrace a new spirit of patriotism. He says he believes Cameroonians can do a lot better.

“I am not asking for your sweat, or blood, or tears; rather, I am merely urging you to commit yourself wholeheartedly to this new phase of our Grand National plan”. He said.

President made a social economy speech-Fako SDO Zang III

On December 31^st 2013, pressmen in Limbe gathered at the residence of the Senior Divisional Officer SDO for Fako, to watch and listen to the Head of State’s traditional address to the people of Cameroon.

After the 22 minutes address, the pressmen confronted the SDO Zang III to get his reaction, his words: “The head of state made a social economy speech, underlining some issues and challenges in 2013. He also spoke about the democratisation of our country, which he said it is possible that next year might witness the establishment of the constitutional council. He talked about the improvement of the well-being of the people of Cameroon, the issue of employment and the improvement of living conditions. He underlined also the fact that our country has a lot of potentials, being natural, b economic, and human. But, we have to transform these potentials into development, that is why he appeals to all Cameroonians that we have to work together to transform our country, because we have a lot of potentials but we still have problems of development.

He talked about security in our borders, especially about the situation in the Central African Republic, and he said that we have to be proud to be living in a country where there is peace and security, as we can develop because of these virtues”. “For me”, the SDO continued, “I think that the Head of State went around all the problems faced by Cameroonians, and he made it clear that we have to put general interest ahead of selfish, egoistic and personal interests, in order for us to serve the vision of developing our country. I think that it was an appeal for all Cameroonians and it was a very great speech”.

When asked about his reaction to the fact that the Head of State did not make any mention about the reunification celebration, Zang III said “What do you want me to say about that? If the Head of State did not talk about reunification, I don’t have anything to say”.

To his population of Fako division, the SDO said “I want to wish the best for my population, health, success and prosperity. I hope that they will achieve what they hope to achieve in 2014, and they have to believe in state institutions, to believe in the public services, as we are here to accompany them and they have to be confident of the state institutions in improving their living conditions”.

Too many job opportunities exist unexploited – Employment Delegate

Too many job opportunities exist unexploited – Employment Delegate

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

South West Regional Delegate of Employment and Vocational Training, Igondoh John Atosoh has said there are unexploited opportunities at his service that many Cameroonians are unaware of.

Speaking to The Sun Newspaper, he said gone are those days when employment meant the availability of white-collar jobs.

“Today, vocational training g is the order of the day. We need motor mechanics, electricians, builders and woodworkers to make life enjoyable. Vocational training can conveniently put food on your table,” Igondoh Atosoh said.

According to him, those who are jobless should always stop by the delegation to find out the many opportunities that are available at his delegation.

“Get to us at anytime and find out. There are so many job opportunities that are given out by the ministry. Presently, the scholarships for 2013 were released in September for over a thousand trainees paid by the ministry. After the training, trainees could be employed by companies or could be self-employed,” the employment delegate said.

He said his ministry is out to promote job creation, given that government cannot conveniently provide jobs for everybody.

On how much support one can get from the ministry of employment and vocational training, the delegate said it depends on the discipline or trade, but assured members of the public that the opportunities are many.

“I want to call on job seekers to come to our delegations and fill the job seekers card. From there, we can now know the numbers of jobseekers in our area, so that when job opportunities come, we can get across to them with respect to their competence,” he advised.

He went on to call on prospective employers to follow laid down procedure, by consulting his service when there are job opportunities.

“We shall only be there to guide them, not to impose on them. We have so many activities that the public is very reluctant to come and know. PIASSI is there giving out loans and the young people are not coming to get these loans,” the employment delegate pinpointed.

The delegate said the creation of Vocational Training Centre in Limbe is government’s own way to promote vocational training.

He revealed that the Rural Artisan and Home Economics Centres (SAR/SM) under the department of vocational training and guidance of his ministry are being transformed into Trades Training Centres.

The program, he said, seeks to offer non-agricultural training in rural areas.

 SW Delegate of Employment and Vocational Training, Igondoh John Atosoh

Newspaper publishers petition Prime Minister

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

Newspaper publishers under the banner of the Cameroon Anglophone Newspaper Publishers’ Association- CANPA have requested the Prime Minister and Head of Government to repeal a 1995 decision.

During a press conference in Yaoundé on Friday, November 29, CANPA Secretary General, Ojong Steven in a press statement revealed that, “...in 1995, the then Prime Minister, Head of Government, Simon Achidi Achu, in a bid to rescue the national bilingual daily Cameroon Tribune from financial hardship, signed a decision instructing all government departments and state-run companies to put all official announcements and other texts exclusively in Cameroon Tribune.”

CANPA regrets the fact that this decision is still being applied until this day very religiously by a good lot of administrations, although the context has evolved 18 years after.

The Anglophone newspaper publishers say if not repealed at this point, and urgently so, the Prime Minister’s decision has the potential to send the private print media out of business, in a set up where all rely mainly on government agencies for commercials.

“the circular needs to be reversed with immediate effect as we enter the year 2014; one of the defining periods in the Head of State’s Major Accomplishments Programme. It shall be noble for the Prime Minister, Head of Government, to take another instrument backtracking on the earlier decision,” the CANPA statement reads in part.

“It is based on the 1995 Prime Ministerial Decision that structures like the Ministry of Public Contracts, SNH, ART and a lot others do business only with Cameroon Tribune, whereas private newspaper owners pay heavy taxes and the money is used to pay subventions to SOPECAM,” the CANPA statement reads further.

“The Ministry of Finance which had in the past functioned with the private print media, this 2013, took the said decision as a pretext to sideline the private print media, making things economically unbearable for actors in the sector,” Ojong Steven bemoaned in the CANPA press statement.

“We do not want Cameroon Tribune to stop taking commercials; all we want is a level play ground where all the papers compete freely, like it is the case in the audio visual sector where CRTV is not given undue advantage,” the preliminary remarks at the CANPA confab elucidates.

The CANPA request is coming at a time when some newspaper publishers are faced with untold misery, forcing some well-minded journalists to become masters of blackmail and other attendant vices, all in the name of survival.

CANPA as well maintains the positions already taken by the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ and CJA- Cameroon following the suspension of some media organs and their publishers by the National Communication Council, while yet others were warned for various reasons.

These sanctions, they say, are coming at a time all hands are being put on deck in Cameroon by media professionals and all related associations to get the government to decriminalize press offences and enact a Freedom of Access to Information Act and fall in line with an avowed desire by actors in the sector to see the respect of journalism ethics reinforced.

The newspaper publishers are now watching the star building for the Prime Minister to act, and act fast.

Biya admits regime failure – Fru Ndi

Biya admits regime failure – Fru Ndi

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

“...I’m very happy that Mr. Biya stated somewhere, except I misunderstood him, that state action lacks efficiency. This means, here, he has truly and convincingly agreed that his regime has failed.”

The National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) party, Ni John Fru Ndi was reacting to the traditional end of year message of the Head of State, President Paul Biya to the nation last December 31, 2013.

“If your state institutions lack efficiency, who has put those people there? When they started embezzling money, capital flights, people going abroad with money, the SDF cried it out loud and clear. Mr. Biya said they needed proof. Today, they’ve had the proofs; they’ve locked up some people in prison either because of political challenges or one thing or the other,” Fru Ndi bemoaned.

“Otherwise,” the SDF National Chairman said, “Cameroon is not the only country where we have embezzlers. But if we have embezzlers in Cameroon, we expect the government to take a firm stand to make sure that these people are truly punished. Or the money recovered and the people are set free.”

Fru Ndi predicts that if such repressive measures are not put in place; state action which is said to lack efficiency will continue for a long time to come.

“Biya has openly admitted to Cameroonians that his government has failed...Mr Biya is gradually bringing Cameroon into a state of anarchy,” Fru Ndi reiterated.

He insisted that he had told the Head of State that Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) is not the right institution to run free, fair and transparent elections, given that he singlehandedly set up the body and appointed its members and officials.

Fru Ndi said after SDF calls for biometric registration in 1992, it is only about 20 years after that biometrics was used to register the electorate for an election. He wondered why government refused to use biometrics throughout the electoral process and why vote buying and other irregularities surfaced their ugly heads.

“...once I got to Maroua, drove to the petrol point to refill my tank before driving to Garoua and Ngaoundere. In less than five minutes, I had over a hundred small kids begging. I had a cold in my spine and I asked myself; why are these children not in school, what are they doing here?” Fru Ndi explained.

“...A woman came up and said Mr. Chairman these children are refugees from Nigeria, Chad. I said if they have come here, Cameroon government should take immediate action to see what they can do to rehabilitate these children, send them to schools and open farms for them to work on,” he went on.

To Fru Ndi, “some of the children I met were three, five years old. If these children live in Cameroon for the next 20 years, at the age of twenty five, there’s no way you’ll tell me that the child is Nigerian, Chadian or Central African Republican. The home they know is Cameroon. Since they don’t have a proper parental upbringing, these are the children that will start problems in our country.”

Fru Ndi said government should do something for the street children around the country, if we must fight highway robbery and others.

Concerning the attacks in the east and kidnapping of foreign nationals, Fru Ndi wonders why only the French are targeted in Cameroon. He advised President Biya to dialogue with the French to solve these problems.

He congratulated our security forces, but called on government to better equip our security services at the borders and improve on military training.

“I want to congratulate the Indomitable Lions too. But we should take note that the Indomitable Lions train themselves. We’ve not seen an aggressive approach to train footballers in Cameroon. If the government wants to have more victories, they should be able to build us more stadiums, train more children into footballers so that we can be proud. It is ridiculous that Cameroon for these number of years, Cameroon, after enjoying all the glories they’ve had with winning the African Nations Cup and others, we do not have stadiums in the country. I think the government should do something,” he concluded.

Buea in normalcy after ritual killings confessions in Tole

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

There was frenzy, looting, destruction of property and the threat of the lives of some individuals in Tole, in Buea considered to be members of a secret cult (‘nyongo’) that has retarded the growth of the village.

Population 'destroy' Tole

The youths of Tole-Bwiyuku, a village in Buea Subdivision went on rampage, January 4, after a certain Joseph Mbomela, a businessman operating in the village confessed being a member of a secret cult.

Mr. Joseph Mbomela is said to have called the names of 20 other members of the group residing in Tole.

The untimely deaths of individuals and the recent mysterious death of an about 16-year-old student after consuming gramazone, a poisonous chemical angered the population to take the confessions of Joseph Mbomela seriously.

The population became violent and went on to attack the suspects. Over eleven homes, stalls, business premises and eight vehicles were damaged.

Provision shops and bars were looted, while other properties, belonging to the suspects were razed and burnt.

Some of the suspects were heavily brutalised, even as members of their family have been rendered homeless.

Irate population besiege one of the suspect cultists

It is alleged that after the death of the chief of Tole- Bwiyuku Village late last year, over 40 youths of the village below the age of thirty have died under questionable circumstances.

They say the progress of youths in the village has also been stalled due to the activities of this ‘nyongo’ group.

It took the intervention of the Divisional Officer (DO) of Buea, Kouam Wokam Paul accompanied by gendarme and police officers for the suspects to be rescued and some rushed to hospital.

Three of the suspects have been detained by the police as investigations into the matter progress.

Irate Tole population burn property of alleged nyongo people

The presence of the DO and security forces did not stop the looting and destruction of property.

The irate population threatened to burn own the official vehicle he DO, as he escaped after receiving a stray slap on his back from an angered youth.

“All what is happening here is like a mystery. People have been dying here. We the youths have decided to react because we’re not safe. We’ve ensured that all the nyongo people, the wizards are chased away,” an angry youth snapped.

Another youth who identified himself as commandant said, “The youths of Toe have decided to take their destiny into their hands. We’ve seen that our progress has been slowed by some society people [witches and wizards]. Mr. Jo confessed that he was a member of a secret cult. We rallied the youths and we followed up the matter until today that it has escalated. We feel liberated.”

“The coming of the DO angered us. When we were complaining of nyongo people and sudden deaths in Tole, the DO and police did not come. We are not going to kill anybody. Our intention is to send them away,” commandant said.

Bakweri vs ‘graffi’ tribal lines drawn

Reacting to the incident, Wokama Ngange Edward Councillor of the Buea Council resident in Tole said North Westerners in Tole are members of the secret cult that has retarded the growth of the area.

“...I’m happy because there is no indigene who is involved in this thing. Most of them are Ngie people. I’m a Bakweriman. There is no indigene who is involved in this thing. People cannot leave their area, come here and spoil this place,” Councillor Wokama said.

Car, houses wrecked by angry inhabitants

“We actually have a problem in Tole and the youths are not progressing. About three weeks ago, one of these nyongo guys, Mr. Joseph Mbomela, a popular businessman made a statement and revealed a secret that they belong to a secret society. He cited about sixteen names. The youths grew very annoyed. He even mentioned how people who come into Tole with money cannot make any good out of it. Girls here don’t get married,” he said.

Wokama, just like the youths of Tole believe that if the said Nyongo people are sent away, good tidings will befall the village.

All this is happening at the eve of the Head of State’s visit to Buea, after an alleged ‘mbomaman’ swallowed a girl in a Buea hotel.

‘Crying Padlock’ Stuns Tole

Kouam Wokam, DO of Buea dangling  the 'crying padlock' on a stick while addressing Tole youth

Inhabitants of Tole, a Buea neighbourhood where, last weekend, suspect cultists confessed their practices, say they were astounded, January 7, when they “heard” a baby crying inside a destroyed building. The vandalised building, they said, belongs one of the cult members, Peter Akenji.

According to reports from the youths, the continuous crying of a baby in a house whose occupants have deserted and the doors yanked off aroused curiosity and suspicion among the inhabitants of the area, who flocked to the ruins. The search for the said child, who was reportedly “crying for food”, proved futile.

After repeated attempts by the searchers, it was allegedly discovered that the crying was mysteriously coming from a padlock that had been woven with a black thread and that hung from the ceiling of the building. The youths then took the “crying padlock” to the Chairperson of the Bwiyuku Traditional Council, Chrysanthus Ewinjah, who doubles as the Caretaker Chief of Bwiyuku-Tole, and immediately informed the DO of Buea, Paul Kouam Wokam.
 

When the DO arrived at the scene, the youths handed over the “crying padlock” to him in the presence of the Caretaker Chief. While the youths wanted the “crying padlock” burnt, the DO insisted that it be handed over to the Buea Central Police as evidence to any legal proceedings concerning the ritual killings in Tole, in future. Upon the insistence of the youths, the black thread was unwoven from the padlock. Human hair, Indian beans, salt, a stone and other mysterious contents were removed and burnt.

Cultist’s Family Complains Of Witch-hunting

The family of Julius Tata, one of the members of the secret cult implicated in the ritual killing confession in Tole recently, has complained of witch-hunting. The family also protested against what it termed as acts of ostracism meted out on them by the Tole populace.
 

According to the Tatas, after their house and car were destroyed and set ablaze by the irate youths of Tole, they were forced to spend the night in the cold, as nobody in Tole was willing to accommodate them even for the night. According to one of Tata’s children; “The hostile behaviour exhibited by neighbours towards us was surprising, given that we have maintained and enjoyed a cordial relationship with everybody in Tole before the escalation of the ritual killing scandal.”
 

He added, “After spending the night in the open, we were forced to flee for our dear lives because our safety was no longer guaranteed, even though it is our father who is being accused.” Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Bwiyuku Traditional Council, Ewinjah, commended the youths for their sense of responsibility and for taking their destiny into their hands.
 

According to him, the Traditional Council has condemned outright such activities like ritual killings or any other sinister practices that threaten the progress of the community or put the lives of its members in peril. He promised the Council’s unconditional support to the youths to ensure that such ungodly practices are completely stamped out in Tole. Nonetheless, Ewinjah also exhorted the youths to desist from destructive tendencies that contravene the law.
 

Deaths, Promiscuity, Unemployment Surge In Tole
 

According to Ewinjah, one of the reasons why the Traditional Council has given the youths the green light to dismantle cultism in Tole is to curb the number of deaths in Tole.
Ewinjah said the death rate among the youths is staggering with most of them dying in questionable circumstances. He said between November 15 and December 2013, close to 40 youths died mysteriously in Tole with more than half of them taking their own lives. To Ewinjah, this is not mere coincidence.
 

Seventy-two-year-old Peter Neba, retired worker of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, and a resident of Tole, said 28 years ago, there was nothing like prostitution or abortion in Tole. “Most young girls were very proud of getting married and bringing forth their own children, so as to start benefiting from family allowances. But today, prostitution and abortion is the order of the day in Tole. It would not be misleading to conclude that our young girls are being manipulated by these demonic cultists to be committing such atrocities,” Neba told Cameroon Headlines.
 

The youths, meanwhile, were quick to believe the confession made by Joseph Mbomela that their progress and future have been mortgaged by members of the cult. According to a certain Priso, a taxi driver resident in Tole, all the money he has been working for over nine years ends up in one of the beer parlours owned by one of the cultists. He said he is not the only person facing such a problem.
 

“Young people in Tole who are resident abroad come back home with huge sums of money but cannot carry out any meaningful development, as they end up squandering all what they have toiled for in Europe on drinks,” said Priso. In like manner, youths from Tole graduate from different higher institutes of learning in and out of Cameroon but return to Tole with no jobs. “So, it is not surprising to see the youths in one force, willing and determined to liberate themselves from these blood-sucking vampires,” Priso quipped.
 

Price Hikes

After the destruction of most provision stores and the chasing away of most businessmen in the area, Tole is presently experiencing price hikes on basic commodities.
 

According to Emmanuel Ngoumba, a piece of soap that was normally sold at FCFA 250 now sells at FCFA 350 and the price of a bottle of beer has risen from FCFA 500 to FCFA 600.
Gwendoline Ngum said she was surprised when she was asked to pay FCFA 300 for a bulb that is usually sold at FCFA 200. Meantime, the youths have warned that any businessperson who is caught selling above the normal price will have his or her business premises shut down.