The Cameroon 2013 Budget Could Incite Uprising

By Akoson Raymond, PAP Parliamentary Aspirant, Mamfe Central/Upper Bayang

* The SG at the presidency's DAILY fuel allowance stands at some 2.5 million frs (Approx. the cost to fuel a Boeing 747 plane to fly Douala to Yaounde and back);
* Something called 'Depenses Communes' (whatever that means), which is at the mercy of someone, was allocated some 198 billions for 2013. That is, if money for the subvention of political parties and the 2013 elections as prescribed for by Law No. 2012/001 of April 19, 2012 were deducted, that someone would have about 480 million EVERY DAY to play about with at their whims!
* External Relations Ministry has been allocated some 2.4 billion (two-thousand million plus) EVERY MONTH for the purchase of office equipment, official feasts & entertainment allowances;
* If we cut back on our outlandish expenses, we would have enough to employ thousands of youths with a salary of 100.000 frs each in the next ten years.
The figures above are most often than not the same for every other 72 ministries or departments ranking as such plus institutions such as the Supreme Court, Public Security, Econpmic and Social Council etc. It is a mockery to the youths that while outside the so-called 25.000 job placements, just 4.000 are with salaries! It is even the more hurting that a huge percentage of our roads are untarred, yet, this administration continue in their stubborn refusal to equitably distribute the national pie but are busy diverting monies from such wastes to private bank accounts abroad!
In fact, I feel an iressistible urge to equally mention that:
* A Combination of PM's provisions, fuel, entertainment & mission allowances is some 8.8 million EVERY DAY. And note that every other ministry spends billions of hard earned tax payers' monies on entertainment and so called allowances;
* PM's purchase of office materials & vehicles stands at some (3.8 billions yearly), that is 318 million EVERY MONTH. If you go through the budget of the other ministries, you'll notice that, just like the PM, every other ministry change their office furniture and other equipment every year. That is to say that, in Cameroon, all office furniture become unfit for use after every year!
* The Economic & Social Council, an institution we don't even know where their office is. Neither have we ever heard of a meeting they ever held lavish some 5 million EVERY DAY as running provisions;
The aforementioned analysis of the 2013 Finance Law is a product of Cameroon's parliament, which, as has been previously echoed by many, needs a complete rebirth! The Biya gerontocracy teleguides an overwhelming CPDM parliament to do his bidding. A gerontocracy that is increasingly looking like the pre-Gorbatchev Soviet Union whose entire leadership was made up of the infirm, senile and “walking dead” of the Politburo. No right thinking executive can ever come up with such a waste scheme called a bill.
Question: Why with so much waste, Cameroon still parades the international community begging for loans? Loans which shall be repaid not by this gerontocracy but by the youths tomorrow at exhobitant interest rates.

Youths, septuagenarians and octogenarians still occupy key positions at all levels of the executive, public service, public corporations, the police and armed forces, effectively preventing the much needed and long overdue renewal of state institutions. In the process, an entire generation of young Cameroonians -- you and me -- has been permanently sidelined. We are now left with the options of taking control of our councils and parliament.
I can only reiterate that the Cameroonian youths must wake up from slumber and join some of us to go to parliament and bring sanity to the way parliamentary business is been conducted. Even if at parliament, it would entail the rolling up of sleeves and exchange a few punches, disconnect the mics and bring nonsesical deliberations to a halt, then 'make yi be'!
PS: For those who want copies of the 2013 Finance Law, please go to the NA. See the attached books you'll want me to scan copies and send.


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