81 SCNC Activists Released

 By Cassimando

The 81 SCNC activists who were arrested and detained in Kumbo since July 27, 2013 have been released in Bamenda on August 3, 2013. It is alleged that the mixed contingent of police and gendarmes stormed a private resident where the 81 activists were holding a meeting. It is alleged that the 81 activists were latter transferred to Bamenda upon the request of the North West Attorney General. Taking advantage of the absence of the Attorney General the detainees upon arrival in Bamenda were ferried to the Regional delegation of Public Security.  Sources say also arrested was SCNC Chairman Nfor Ngala Nfor as well as a six month pregnant woman. The eldest among them is said to be about a 100 years old.

More so, it is alleged that 31 of the detainees were locked up in a cell of 41m by 41m square while four others were left on a corridor on bare cement floor. Besides, the house where they were arrested was also ransacked by the police and gendarmes. Classified sources hinted that Barrister Gabriel Chumbon filed a “mandamus” to the regional delegate for National Security which is an order from the court for the detainees to be released.  

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Fonkam Azu'u Suspends Elecam Council Head for Corrupt Practices

 FC Junior

Linda Nange, Elecam council head for Belo in Boyo Division of the Northwest Region has been suspended from her duties last Friday, August 9 for corrupt practices. Linda Nange we gathered has been transferred to Balikumat as a support staff after an investigation confirmed that she was involved in electoral malpractices. The decision to suspend Linda Nange falls barely a week after Dr. Fonkam Azu’u gave firm instruction to North West Regional Delegate to investigate into the scandal during the deposit of files by aspirants for the Legislative and Municipal elections. On August 7, Samuel Fonkam Azu'u received a bitter complain during a press conference in Bamenda decrying how Linda Nange negated UDP council list for Belo. George Fointama Akong Ngong representative of UDP (United Democratic Party) submitted the petition accusing Elecam council head of corruption. The local representative of the UDP, also candidate for the same party in the parliamentary constituency of Boyo, presented in his letter that corruption seem to have taken ELECAM Belo hostage.

 Fointama George is quoted to have revealed that they arrived at Elecam office in Belo at about 11:15 pm to submit their list for municipal elections. The council head he said verified and confirmed 41 files. The latter further requested 41 file-jackets but at that particular moment all the shops were closed. Thus says Fointama in this note, the council head requested that he should disburse a sum of 12,300 francs to buy the file-jackets. Fointama having no money got 5000 fcfa from Nyuoh Simon Yong head of the list which they paid as advance and to complete the rest the next morning. But the council head rejected the 5000 FCFA demanding that the total sum should be paid.

Hooked, Fointama and his party comrade contacted the National Chairman of the party, resident in Bamenda by phone who pleaded that he will pay the remaining the following morning. Fointama indicates that when he came back the following morning of July 18 at 9am, council head had treated the files in his absence. He discovered to his dismay that some of the files had disappeared. Tempers flared and thereafter, one is found. However, he was asked to sign the delivery receipt. He refuses to do so, suggesting that he had delivered 41 cases instead of 40.

 The Regional delegate was alerted on the spot about the obnoxious practices in ELECAM Belo.

A school of thought holds that some Elecam council heads have been held hostage by politicians who have placed them on huge salaries to protect their interest in various elecam offices nationwide. The case of Belo is just one in a million, observers say.

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Special Criminal Court: Olanguena Owono Slam 20 Years, 4 others Acquitted

 The Special Criminal Court has been slammed a 20-years jail term on former Minister of Public Health Urbain Olanguena Owono for complicity in a contract for the supply treated mosquito bed-nets worth 80 million FCFA. Acquitted were Dr. Chia Rose, Dr. Maurice Feuzeu, Dr. Hubert Wang and Dr. Okalla Abodo. The judgement was handed down on Monday August 12, 2013. The Special Tribunal found Urbain Olanguena Owono wanting for complicity in an un-executed public contract to supply treated mosquito bed nets to the Malaria Control Programme in 2004 by Vision Sarl Company. The court also slammed a life sentence for the Manager of Vision Sarl Company, Nsoe Mbella Yves Rodrigues, for fraudulently obtaining payment of the FCFA 80 million without supplying the mosquito bed nets, while the former stores accountant in Olanguena’s cabinet, Onana Belibi Timothé, received a 10-year jail term for facilitating the payment of the unexecuted contract. The accused were tried for embezzlement of various sums that summed up to FCFA 287 million meant for different programmes funded by government, the Global Fund and the World Bank to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis between 2002 and 2006 in Cameroon.
In same vein, the court held Onana Belibi whose signatures also appeared on the payment decisions, as guilty of complicity in the embezzlement punished by Sections 74 and 184 (1), amongst others, of the Penal Code.
On the other hand, the court held prosecution had not sufficiently proved that Dr. Feuzeu Maurice, former permanent secretary of the AIDS Control Programme had earned undue financial benefits and paid undue mission allowances amounting to FCFA 22 million. Meanwhile, Dr Okalla Abodo, ex-permanent secretary of the Malaria Control Programme sufficiently justified expenses worth FCFA 67 million and convinced the court that he took steps to establish that his signature had been forged in the mosquito bed nets contract scam. Dr Chia Rose of the South West AIDS Control Provincial Technical Group and Dr Hubert Wang of the Tuberculosis Control Programme were both acquitted for having justified expenses worth FCFA 158 million and FCFA 13 million, respectively during proceedings.
Source: CT

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Fonkam Azu'u Cautions Political Parties on Risk of Commenting on Elecam Statistics

 Fai Cassian Ndi

Before leaving Donga Mantung Division today August 14, 2013, the President of Elections Cameroon, has declared that he is satisfied with the level of mobilization and the open mindedness of stakeholders.  Dr. Fonkam Azu’u reiterated “the necessity for everyone to withdraw the voters’ card and to vote with that card as required by law”. He called on the Press to drum the message so that all the cards are collected within record time. He emphasized that the law is very clear that people can only vote with the voters’ card and that they can only use the identity cards to identify themselves.

Harping on whether it is the responsibility of a political party to give statistics on the number of voters cards distributed, Dr. Fonkam Azu’u said that it is not the role of any political party to distribute cards and or disseminate information on the process. “It is the duty of political parties to have those statistics, we are not hiding them but it is not the role of the political party to comment because they are not their statistics” he re-echoed. He insisted that the role of the political party is to sensitize militants to collect the voters’ cards. He also announced that all the cards of the North West Region were printed and the cards will be available for distribution before August ending. It should be recalled that 82771 voters’ cards were printed and dispatched to Donga Mantung Division for distribution yet only 45.517 cards have been withdrawn.

However, Dr. Fonkam Azu’u had difficulties to resolve a case where by it is alleged that some cards were withdrawn without the owners being present. Notwithstanding, a school of thought holds that the ELECAM staff may have been tricked by some politicians while another opinion holds that voters' cards should henceforth be distributed only when all commission members being present or withdrawn by their owners. Besides, it is also aired that some smart politicians could have developed a scheme to outsmart the staff by pocketing some of the cards as allegations are rife that one man was spotted holding over 30 cards. 
It should be noted that Dr. Fonkam's regional tour is intended to encourage voters to collect their voters' cards. 

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Dr. Fuh Calistus Reconciles CPDM Militants, Spearheads Voters' Cards Distribution

 Kimbi V Muku

The CPDM Central Committee delegation headed by Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State for Mines, Industries and Technological development has committed self to facilitate the distribution of voters’ cards in Donga Mantung Division in the North West Region. Talking to journalists after the strategic meeting in Nkambe on August 11, 2013, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry revealed that strategies have been put in place with the administration to make sure that within two weeks all voters’ cards are distributed. He said that 45.517 cards have been distributed making a percentage of 50%. With 82.771voters cards already printed and dispatched to Donga Mantung Division, Dr. Fuh Calistus was optimistic that Donga Mantung Division is on a good footing. Accordingly, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry added that the distribution of voters' card is a civic responsibility reasons why the administration was part of the meeting yet observers were aghast at the fact that the Press was not allowed inside the hall which was indicative that something obnoxious was being cooked. 

Elated by the fact that he also used the opportunity to console Hon. Ntoi and Abdou Borno Kamfon, he (Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry) declared that the CPDM will surely win all the councils of Donga Mantung in the upcoming September 30, Twin Elections.  

It should be recalled that Hon. JK Ntoi and Abdou Borno Kamfon were honoured as Golden militants for succumbing to the dictates of the CPDM investiture. Tension had escalidated in Donga Mantung Division after the designation of CPDM Parliamentary candidates in the Ako/Misaje Special Constituency, Donga Mantung East and Donga Mantung Centre.

Hon. JK Ntoi was applauded for leaving his parliamentary bid and blessings to Abe Michael while Abdou Borno Kamfon who was tricked by the gender sensitive component gave his parliamentary bid to the little known Mbonyor Naomi Ngandong Nfor. 

Talking to journalists after the reconciliation meeting at the Nkambe Council Club, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Head of the CPDM Central Committee Delegation said that the conflict between the outgoing mayor of Nwa and the Member of Parliament for Nwa has been settled amicably. The conflict in Nwa is reported to have reached crisis level following the endorsement of Hon. Genesis Mbucksek, incumbent as CPDM Parliamentary candidate. Dr. Ngomfe Loma David, Senator Jikong Stephen Yeriwa were aghast with the choice and tempers are reported to have flared given that their candidate Nyanganji Job was not favoured. It is even alleged that Dr. Ngomfe Loma David had been campaigning for the SDF candidate. As to whether the reconciliation was genuine remains a mystery given that some of the protagonists had visited witch doctors etc.On his part, Nyanganji Job told this reporter that he was delighted that Dr. Fuh Calistus took the initiative to heal wounds. Harping on the manner at which politics is involving in Donga Mantung Division, he said he was impressed that elected officials will have to work harder due to the fact that they are now aware of the potential challengers.

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Construction of Nkambe Telecenter Sparks Controversy as Minister Inaugurates Five Others

By Fai Cassian

Biyiti Bi Essam in Ako

Minister Jean Pierre Biyiti-bi Essam has inaugurated five multi-media telecentres in the North West Region as part a precious gift of President Paul Biya to foster Vision 2035, yet the would-be telecenter for Nkambe was not inaugurated. Before performing the symbolic ritual of the cutting of the ribbon, Post and Telecommunication Minister Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam said the centres meet standards and were conceived to serve the people without discrimination. From Jakiri to Oku, through Ako, Misaje down to Ewoh in Batibo, post and telecommunication minister stressed that the centers are indispensible tools for human existence and assets of human development especially as with the click of a mouse one can make a tour of the world.

It is a poverty-alleviation project that checks rural exodus, creates indirect jobs, opens chances for competition in business ventures and enhances the government’s resolve to decentralize, he observed.

Each centre carries infrastructure, computers, information equipment and furniture worth about FCFA 70 million. They are open to the general public and cover compartments with opportunities for postal services, ICTs, telecommunications, training, financial services, telephone, internet, e-mail, typing, digitalised photo printing and video editing studios. In Misaje for example, the centers also habours a community radio which will go a long way to disseminate viable information to the population.

The mayor of Misaje Council Nkenda Simon Sunde expressed gratitude to President Biya and “his hardworking Prime Minister for making Misaje part of the global village”. He applauded that the construction of the telecenter has narrowed the gap between his municipality and the outside world. But outlined that the energy strength will be insufficient to serve the radio and the telecenter.

On the other hand, NUDP national Youth President decried that the project was hijacked for political aggrandizement which he described as pathetic. He however recalled that it was thanks to Bello Bouba Maigari that Misaje benefited from the project when he visited Misaje when he was minister of post and telecommunication.  

Public opinion is questioning why Minister Biyiti Bi Essam could as well inaugurate the Nkambe telecenter. A school of thought holds that it is because the building constructed do not meet up with the standards. Besides, it is even alleged that funds allocated were siphoned by unknown individuals given that the structure in its entirety looks like a boy’s quarter. A classified source hinted that Minister Biyiti Bi Essam is aware and that elements of the Supreme State audit have been alerted on the controversy surrounding the Nkambe telecenter.

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