CamCCUL/Credit Union Crisis, Finance Minister’s Verdict Out!

 

The Minister of Finance, Ousmane Mey issued a ministerial letter instructing CamCCUL officials to implement some dispositions with a view of ending the crisis and restoring serenity within the credit union movement. Ousmane Mey’s letter instructed CamCCUL officials to initiate the process for the revision of the CamCCUL by-laws by inviting all credit unions to each declare their positions on the by-laws and notably on the following two essential points: the duration and number of mandates of elected officials and the condition of eligibility of the Presidents of each credit union. However, the most interesting thing is that those who were talking of mismanagement were shocked and their ill intentions exposed because the minister’s final verdict did not talk about that. More so, it rather empowers CamCCUL to re-launch the process it started before the crisis.

In view of implementing these instructions from the Minister of Finance, CamCCUL officials on July 7, 2012 organized a Press Briefing with Media Organs based in Bamenda to unveil CamCCUL road map.

During the Press briefing, CamCCUL President Musa Shey Nfor said that when the credit union started, they were subjected to 1992 co-operative laws and with time many innovations took place especially the coming into force recently of the OHADA laws on cooperatives.

He said the governance of the league within that period also sort to see that all was well managed in the setup. That is why “the management, the BOD met on July 1^st to deliberate on the roadmap for CamCCUL, whereby the GM , his team and Board chair were mandated to follow-up and make sure that the process and instructions from the Minister are respected” he told journalists. He said during the 44^th AGM that took place at Azam Hotel in Bamenda, the representative of the minister talked of some directives that will come from the supervisory authority in connection to the issue of February crisis. Musa Shey Nfor used the occasion to express gratitude to the Minister of Finance for his reactions and added that CamCCUL ready and available to integrate these directives into the movement. “You should all understand that the promptness is indicative of the Minister’s understanding of the crisis because money does not like noise, so, where there is money there should be serenity”. He said the letter from the Minister of Finance addresses the crisis situation that prevailed in the network. “It has brought down the matter to two main issues, which are: 

·        The determination of term of office

·        Condition of legibility of BOD

“It therefore means once affiliated credit unions say what they think of the two issues, in an extraordinary General Assembly, it will be printed in five copies and forwarded via CamCCUL to the supervisory authority”.  Musa Shey Nfor said the issue was whether OHADA is applicable and with already a time logical time frame from the Minister that gives them up to May 15, 2013 to comply, there is every indication that CamCCUL was not on the wrong track before the crisis. He said CamCCUL has already put in place a road map for the process. This road map, he reiterated with the instruction of the minister gives CamCCUL the leeway to continue with the process started. CamCCUL he observed has gone through many laws, 1953, 1972, and 1992 cooperative laws respectively. “All what has happened had happened, it not about history but about compliance” he continued.

According to CamCCUL President, the issue was not on mandate and term of office but rather CamCCUL had realized that legal recovery has become more and more complicated because in villages people do not have landed property. “After the Buea meeting, we had a complete debate and discussion after day 3, they were channeled back to the credit union. The idea was that as financial institutions we comply with the financial year. So our practice needed people who have a mandate and considering our network we also need enough time to get to the peculiarity of our affiliates”.

The Minister’s letter according to CamCCUL President re-launches extraordinary GM, for credit unions to decide on the two instruments. “In my capacity as President, we are expected to bring a comprehensive kind of calendar to these extraordinary meetings and we are happy that as indicated by the Minister, all these actions will take place under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance, Agriculture and local administrative authorities. “The only difference is that it will come with some stress, we have now a situation where in one year we will have to complete all, this circular states the latest date for total compliance. Coming at a shorter notice, we will be deploring our maximum effort to succeed. The mandates are not to be determined by another law but by the credit unions” he emphasized. At the end of the briefing, he also told journalist that CamCCUL also received a delegation from IFAD and had also signed a convention with the World Bank (AGRIFIN) to empower farmers. Besides, he also made mentioned of the collaboration between SOWEDA and CamCCUL as well as the loan scheme to fisher men which has also registered great improvement both quantitative and qualitative.

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Of Tchiroma Versions and Nothing about the Truth

Communique published by Cameroon Tribune

Truth, it is widely acknowledged is a concept in philosophy that treats both the meaning of the word true and the criteria by which we judge the truth or falsity in spoken and written statements. Philosophers have attempted to answer the question “What is truth?” for thousands of years. Yet, it they have proposed to answer this question by allying truth to correspondence, pragmatic, coherence and deflationary.

Denying the existence of absolute truth affirms the existence of another truth, and so confirms the possibility of truth.

The recent outings of Issa Tchiroma commenting on the same issue with too many versions leave no one seeking for the desired truth about every sentence he makes. It is therefore affirmative that all along, Issa Tchiroma has always mangle the truth either by misunderstanding events or through deliberate lies. Tchiroma speaks as an idealist; he is shown to be deeply desirous of being a good teacher and expresses passion in addressing burning issues yet Cameroonians see in him a liar. In spite of these qualities, he is, and has finally buried in CPDM regime as he eventually finds himself defending what is said about him and no more playing the role of government spokesman. Yet political analysts see him as political joker who thinks everyone should like him because of his frosty behavior. His flippant remarks quickly wear thin, and although first he seems to fool Cameroonian, he has been caught in his own web as he is referred to as “the next catch of the Sparrow Hawk”. Ever since Marafa fired his fourth letter that exposed the SAA financial deal Issa Tchiroma tells the stories in a different ways as he talks every time he is accosted to talk on the FCFA 32 Billion scandal; we can hear him brag about himself in some passages, and we can hear the reality of his personality as he tells bitter, cruel lies

Tchiroma’s behavior ever since Marafa revealed nothing but the Truth about the Boeing 737 crash in Douala, he (Tchiroma) could easily be likened to the related events that destroy a dedicated political teacher’s career and resulted in a national scandal to raze a regime. The very serious matters of a minister’s rights to express his patriotism and of the destructive power of lying are treated thoughtfully, with no easy answers. Issa Tchiroma was in the Northern Region recently where he exploded that all the write-ups about him were a fabrication of the Press. With this timely theme of how the media is sometimes responsible for distorting the truth, Tchiroma also explored how individuals believe they are justified in perpetrating false claims in order to achieve their own social agenda. The most interesting thing is that he (Tchiroma) refused that MINCOM gave no support to some public media organs from Europe, notably BBC, France Television and others. In doing so, he blatantly defy a communiqué he signed and published in Cameroon Tribune telling “the whole truth, nothing but the truth. It is therefore very clear that his willingness to work at what interests him could develop into a broader understanding of his responsibilities and help him collapse with the Biya regime. Whether he received 32 billion FCFA from South African Airways and deposited the money in the state treasury remains another truth in his own versions.

Instead of growing more mature, Issa Tchiroma has caught himself in a web of deceit. Of late, he has degenerated from a happy, self-confident politician into a defensive, unhappy Minister. Observers have opined that for the past two months or so, Tchiroma has had choices to make, choices between hard roads and easy ones, and he has chosen the easy one each time. Instead of telling Cameroonians about the South African Airway connections, deals and where the money went to, he has chosen to be playing some sort of rap music. Play the ostrich with the Cameroonians people has been the only easy way for him.  His answers have shown that he alone is at fault and would certainly ignite dashed hopes as Biya has shown he has no friend. However, he needs to assert himself much more powerfully than he does in order to correct what has happened; having chosen the weak, easy way out of taking responsibility for his own actions, he is effortlessly squashed by the regime that want to use him for its own purposes. As Pierre Corneille puts it: “a good memory is needed after one has lied”, so Issa Tchiroma should resign.

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Political Gimmicks; After Fru Ndi, Ayah Paul Declares Support for Marafa

There is nothing more intriguing, truly, nothing more preposterous, than when one hears Camerounese (plus Cameroonians and Kamerunians) commend, condemn or dissociate. Camerounese (and nians) many there are who have divided the world into the saved (holy) and the condemned (sinners). Yet are they the very people that are quick to recite that the one thing that is constant is change. And indisputable indeed is that fact. Recall that our lord Jesus took along into paradise the thief that repented at the very point of death. And verily apparent it is that repentance is the central message of Christianity!

Saul-to-Paul was about the last apostle, if apostle he is qualified to be called. But central was he for the survival of the church upon the ascension of the Christ. He repented, as we all know, on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians. Nobody looked backwards after his repentance to bastardize Paul’s epistles – the canons of the teachings of the church to date. To put it straight, there is no propitious time for repentance. Things just happen. This then renders the question “why now?” wholly misconceived, inappropriate and nugatory.

Therefore must we think again in our spontaneous condemnation of Mr. Marafa’s turn-around! Revelations by this high-profile insider of the system – call it CPDM – is invaluable for their cogency and. the weight of the personality behind them. Even if at all they are viewed by some as self-serving, their effects on the entire community are devastating and of general benefit.

For instance, the question has been raised time without number about disregard for the law by the Camerounese authorities for three decades now. The impact has been negligible that often, public reaction much more. But several are converted patriots today who are fairly emboldened to query the illegal instructions of the President of the Republic to expend 32 billion francs on the purchase of a presidential jet behind the back of parliament. Common knowledge it is that parliament has exclusive jurisdiction to enact the finance laws of the Republic. Nor is it a lesser impact the impending implosion of CPDM from the implication of several of its barons in the misappropriation of the funds consequent on the revelations. And one need not be a prophet to predict a tsunami-explosion from the implosion behind
efficient management.

A true patriot, therefore, one would opine, should encourage more revelations from Mr. Marafa with the resultant promotion of respect for the law, and the protection of the public treasury. The contrary would smack of vengeance and/or vindictiveness. In case of indecision, call Mr. Marafa Paul for recollection!

To say the least, the legal minds of PAP, in association with others, promise here and now not to hesitate to pass on notes to Mr. Marafa’s defence team whenever the moment is ripe

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Politics of Acrimony, Ayah Paul Fires at Agbor Tabi

PETER AGBOR TABI’S SHAMELESS LIES:

 One of the infamous things Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi told the people of Akwaya on April 28, 2012, was that, if he has not yet been appointed prime minister yet, it is because Manyu gave Mr. Paul Biya only 60% of their votes in the 2011 presidential election. He had therefore come to tell the people to give CPDM 100% vote in the next election for him to be appointed prime minister. He urged them to forget about “demented” and “wretched” Ayah.

continue reading AYAH Paul's THE RIGHT OF REPLY (05) on Peter Agbor Tabi.


Ayah has answered Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s vituperations in a previous right of reply. Naturally then does Ayah propose to limit himself here solely to Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s shameless lies – the desert of those who arrogate to themselves the position of intellectual in today’s
Cameroun, or Cameroon or even Kamerun.

Mr. Peter agbor Tabi like everyone else knows, in the first place, that neither Mr Peter Mafany Musonge nor Chief Ephraim Inoni was ever appointed prime minister because Fako Division gave CPDM 100% votes. Nor was Mr. Philemon Yang re-appointed prime minister recently because Bui did so. Everybody of course knows that, at the time Mr Achidi Achu was appointed prime minister, SDF won all the seats in the Northwest but for Balikumbat. Only someone as shame-proof as Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi would therefore tell such a colossal lie with intent to deceive, and in the promotion of nude self-interest!

Again, Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi knows very well that CPDM did not get 60% of Manyu votes. Whatever results were proclaimed were forgeries and electoral fraud perpetrated under Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s commandments. An honest man would do his utmost to put that behind him in humble repentance. Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s audacity to persist in recidivism is corroborative evidence of nervous desperation!

Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi may wish to remember that it has been proclaimed over and over that when the votes of some 62 polling stations selected at random in Manyu Division were tallied, Ayah was close to twelve thousand votes while Mr. Paul Biya was trailing him with less than seven hundred. Even the secret reports of Mr. Paul Biya’s own security agents show that Ayah won in Akwaya Subdivision by over 70%. And Akwaya Subdivision from the last national census is about half the population of Manyu Division. Only Lucifer’s library should be the source of Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s 60% votes for Mr. Paul Biya..

Even then, one is tempted to opine that Lucifer’s secretary general himself could depart from his innate devilish ruses in the face of the gargantuan exhibits showing that Ayah did not only win in the locality of Mr. Peter Agbir Tabi’s village, but he did win landslide in Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s native village of Ndekwai. And Mr. Peter Agbor Tabi’s boundless crusade in desperation itself eloquently attests to that assertion!

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AC Risky Arrested?

 

Awah Cletus Fobuzie, a Bamenda based business magnet popularly known as AC Risky is reported to have been picked up by Law Enforcement officials in Bamenda. It is alleged Awah C Fobuzie alias AC Risky was arrested yesterday, June 3, 2012 for masterminding acts of vandalism. Confidential sources have hinted that AC Risky was exposed by the fact that he led the unauthorized protest march staged by some 23 vandals in Bamenda to disrupt the 44^th Annual General Meeting of the Cameroon Co-operative Credit Union League-CamCCUL. It is alleged that AC Risky was leading a group of vandals and consequently the administration after questioning some vandals discovered the act as a threat to peace in the North West Region. Assertions are ubiquitous that if such an act would have gone out of hand, Azam and NFC would have being at risk. However, all attempts to get in touch with AC Risky on phone could not yield any fruits yet confidential sources hinted that a certain Judith Awondo is also under strict surveillance on the same charges. Yet, it is alleged that everything was being staged managed from Ntarinkon for obvious reasons. 

It is feared that if the vandals had invaded the premises of Azam Hotel, where CamCCUL was holding its 44^th Annual General Meeting, it would have generated into chaos and destruction especially of NFC we were hinted. Yet, hearsay comments are rife that the whole scheme was intended catapult a certain Anye Judith presently the President of Azire Co-operative Credit Union LTD to the helm of CamCCUL, yet it flopped woefully. However, rumour is widespread in Bamenda that those who spearheaded the act of vandalism were promised as much as 500 million FCFA as compensations; notwithstanding, another school of thought holds that since there is no smoke without fire, the latter could not be dashed out completely. Yet we also gathered that AC Risky and Co had hired the premises of Azam Hotel to hold a meeting which sources say was also banned by the administration.

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CamCCUL General Assembly Condemns Blackmail & Sabotage, Resolves to Sanction Perpetrators

 

Musa Shey Nfor: Applauded

The Annual General Meeting of CamCCUL Ltd, the leading microfinance network in Cameroon took place in Bamenda on June 30, 2012 and having discussed and deliberated on various issues featuring on the agenda. At the end of the meeting, the AGM adopted the following resolutions:

1)      The Board should meet with the other shareholders of UBC to discuss the fate of our investments in the Bank and seek ways to safeguard this investment in the light of the exit of OCEANIC BANK OG NIGERIA PLC from the capital of the Bank in favour of ECOBANK TRANSACTIONAL INTERNATIONAL

2)      That the network shall abide by the “Redressement Plan/Project de Reponse” represented to COBAC by CamCCUL following the latter’s report of its last control CamCCUL covering the period up to December 2010. The CamCCUL Board/ Management is therefore delegated to follow up with the implementation of these corrective measures.

3)      That in the process of amending the Articles of Association of CamCCUL, Model-Bye-Laws of the Credit Unions and the Alternate Dispute Resolution policy was concluded on the 3^rd December 2011 in Buea during the Extraordinary Meeting of CamCCUL, and the Credit Unions have already started applying these internal laws. The delegates therefore unanimously reiterate that the decision of the AGM of the 03/12/11 remain binding and enforceable to the entire CamCCUL network in a non retrospective manner.

4)      The law is nor retrospective, hence in carrying out new elections within the CamCCUL network, the new reference shall be the decision of the 03/12/12 in Buea adopting the Model Bye-Laws and Articles of Association of CamCCUL; and to this end individual Credit Unions shall freely carry out new elections using their Bye-Laws drawn up from the Model Bye-Laws adopted by the CamCCUL general Assembly on the 03/12/11 in Buea.

5)      The General Assembly vehemently condemns acts of blackmail, sabotage and the divulging to the public of network sensitive information by some Credit Union officials. Due to the disruption of our network activities by certain detractors of the system in Bamenda, certain issues which are of primordial importance to our survival, like the taxation problems, delinquency, the stability of our Bank (UBC PLC) have been neglected by CamCCUL management, whose attention is now diverted to resolving these problems, thus leading to serious setbacks in our operations. Promoters of such unscrupulous acts shall be severely sanctioned.

6)      That the CamCCUL network shall this year celebrate the International Credit Union Day concurrently with the World Co-operative Day. The Board and Management is delegated to make ample preparations towards these events and communicate to the Credit Unions.

7)      That Board and Management shall continue to liaise with other stakeholders of the Microfinance sector to lobby government for a special tax dispensation for the sector.

8)      That Management should compile the ADR policy and transmit to the Credit Unions for implementation.

9)      That Management should implement the ATM project after its pilot stages, in Credit Unions taking into consideration certain technical and logistical considerations.

10)  That the Risk Management premium be reduced by 20% with effect from July 1^st 2012 and the number of beneficiaries be increased to 10.

11)  That League dues be reduced by 30% over a period of three years taking as a basis the 2011 end of year results, on a 10% annual reduction between 2012 and 2014 for modalities thereafter.

12)  That CamCCUL field inspectors should always present a report of their interventions to the Board of Director of any Credit Union in which they have carried out an audit exercise instead of just filling their comments on visitor’s book.

13)  That Credit Unions should as a measure of solidarity assist in reviving Njinikom Credit Union, the pioneer Credit Union of the CamCCUL network, which is under serious difficulties that threatens its very survival.

14)  That the Board/Management should put in place a common security for the network.

15)  That CamCCUL hereby create a think tank committee answerable to the Board of Directors to cater for the reorganization and restructuring of CamCCUL as well as reviewing issues of governance, compliance, operations, supervision, discipline etc and proposals made to CamCCUL Board/Management for consideration.

16)  That CamCCUL should deduct from the fixed deposits of the Credit Unions which are still to pay their shares and or still owing the league dues, the sums still remaining unpaid by the latter.

17)  That Management takes measures to institute a process whereby part contributions from the Credit Unions are injected directly into equity.

18)  That the reports as presented and discussed, including the appropriation of the financial results for the year ended December 2011 are adopted.

19)  That the operational as well as the investment budget with emphasis being the continuation of Bamenda Commercial Avenue building project are adopted. Specifically, the Board should ensure that installation of a lift and water storage facilities on the premises.

Teku Collins Oben  &      Rabe Gaston

Secretariat

Kadjio Victor           & Nzegge Joseph

Scrutineers

Tienchou Jonas

General Manager

Musa Shey Nfor

President

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Cameroon Cooperative Credit Union League Takes Stock

Delegates nationwide are meeting at the Azam Hotel in Bamenda today, June 30, 2012 to take stock of 2011 activities and at the same time project for 2012. Addressing delegates Vincet Nji Ndumu, Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council said CamCCUL has been a veritable partner in development. He also applauded CamCCUL leadership for the continuous fight against poverty and its effort in transforming the city of Bamenda.

On his part, the President of CamCCUL, Musa Shey Nfor told delegates and partners that he was so delighted and overwhelmed with the massive turn out which is a true testimony of their attachment to the credit union movement in Cameroon. He said the 44^th Annual General Meeting is just taking place six months after delegates met in Buea to review and validate 2011 activities. According to Musa Shey Nfor, credit union activities are different from the classical banking system. He expressed gratitude to delegates for visiting the construction project and lamented that though CamCCUL is apolitical some politicians have started interfering into CamCCUL activities. He also pleaded with the Head of state, President Paul Biya to look into the tax problems affecting category one Micro finances in Cameroon. These taxes he said “are heavily draining the resource that would have been used by members”. He also added that CamCCUL will be grateful if Government could intervene in the insecurity that plaguing CamCCUL. Musa Shey Nfor cited the case of the Kumba and Bamenda Chapters where there is an urgent need for special security measures. It is expected that at the end of the meeting, CamCCUL delegates would come out with a powerful communiqué to sanction recalcitrant move by some overzealous members painting the credit unions black.

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Unidentified Epidemic Ravages Pigs in B’da

 

The Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam has banned the movement of pigs in and out of Mezam Division in the North West Region of Cameroon. The Prefectoral Order banning the movement of pigs came after thousands of pigs are reported to have died within the past week. According to sources to link to the Regional Delegation of livestock, the illness has not yet been identified. Moreso, the services of Livestock have proven helpless to the outbreak. Yet, sources hinted that samples of dead animals have channeled to the Centre Pasteur in Yaounde for examination. It is feared that if ravaging illness is not stopped, the pig sector in Mezam will be completely wiped off in the next days. At the beginning many farmers thought it was swine erysipelas, but the syndromes are completely different. Farmers complained that the pig starts by losing appetite and then dies within the next hours. The lack of pig slaughter houses and storage facilities have further complicated things for the farmers. Even though a vaccination campaign was recently launched in the Northwest, farmers have complained a variation in prices. “Presently the situation is pathetic because if the illness is not identified, I fear the sector will be wiped off” says Atomba Titus of the North West Pig Cooperative.

On the other hand, some farmers say it is the first time they are seeing such a ravaging disease.

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Tabi Manga, Titanji, Bruno Bekolo Sacked

President Biya has signed a decree today, June 29, 2012 dismissing the Rector of Yaounde II University-Soa, Jean Tabi Manga, the Rector of Douala University, Bruno Bekolo Ebe and the Vice Chancellor of Buea University, Vincent Titanji. Bouba Oumarou formerly Rector of Yaounde I replaces Tabi Manga at Yaounde II while Dieudonne  Oyono replaces Bruno Bekolo. On the other hand, Madame Nalova Lyonga Pauline Egbe takes over from Vincent Titaji as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea. Meanwhile Maurice Aurélien Sosso formerly in the Ministry of Higher Education replaces Dieudonne Oyono at Yaounde I who has been moved to Yaounde II.
Public opinion however holds that Tabi Manga and Bruno Bekolo may face the ax of the Supreme State Control on alleged mismanagement charges. This, observers say has contributed to their sacking. Notwithstanding, Vincent Titanji was already due retirement and he is expected to retire from active administration.


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Fru Ndi Acknowledges Politicians Have Failed, Urges Civil Society to Take Chance

 Ni John Fru Ndi, the National Chairman of the leading opposition in Cameroon has declared that the civil society has to take the chance as the Biya regime is collapsing to resolve the problems of Cameroon. SDF National Chairman made the statement in an interview published today, June 28, 2012 by a Bamenda based newspaper (The Independent Observer). According to Ni John Fru Ndi, Marafa's letters and the recent arrests and indictment of some government officials are glaring examples of a confused regime that functions without conscience. "If Mr. Biya were true to himself and had a conscience and with all the revelations Marafa has made, he would have resigned to make way for justice to take it course". Yet, Fru Ndi after reading Marafa's letters, he observed that he (Marafa) was "selling after the market". He also observed that he (Marafa) had "Presidential ambitions and Mr. Biya is jailing him for that". Accordingly, Fru Ndi also hammered that Mr. Biya does not like challenge and "That is why we supported the idea of our lawyers defending Marafa so that he could have a fair trial.

On his inability to address burning issues like he used to do in the early 90s, Ni John Fru Ndi said, at his age, he is no more the person that should be everywhere. "The Civil Society should take the lead and effect the necessary change in Cameroon". Yet political pundits are of the opinion that Ni John Fru indirectly acknowledged that politicians have failed and Cameroonians should look forth at the civil society. Another School of thought holds that the Biya regime is gaining grounds with its major realisation programme that is gradually transforming the country into a vast construction site.

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Okada Riders Go on Rampage in Bamenda, Say Ndumu Must Go

Bike riders invade city chemist roundabout

Over 1000 okada riders blocked the City Chemist Round About today, June 27, 2012 to express their grievances. The okada riders have been angered by the fact that the Council police in Bamenda are more corrupt than the regular forces of law and order. They say the Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council, Vincent Nji Ndumu must go. “No Council Police” they chanted. It is even alleged that the “Hooligans” as they are commonly referred to also shattered the screens of some vehicles at the City Council premises before moving to City Chemist Roundabout where they blocked traffic for over an hour. Some of the riders argued that it is uncalled for that the City Council Police is asking them driving licenses as well as other documents that they cannot afford for. “We cannot pay 50.000 FCFA for a driving license and the SDO is saying we should not carry more than one person on the bike”. Some of them even complained that even if they pay the money, it might end up in private pockets. They also observed that if the public treasury has been pocketed by few individuals, they would have had better jobs. “We want the state to recover all the money stolen by these state gangsters, many whom are still moving in our streets before we too can pay more money to the treasury” one of them hammered. Those who defied the call for the strike brutalized by their colleagues; however, there is relative calm at City Chemist Roundabout as the over 1000 okada riders have moved to meet the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam. However, it is alleged that there are over 5000 okada riders in Bamenda, out of this number approximately 4000 are in the without driver’s licenses. Whereas a day ago, the same okada riders held a meeting with the SDO for Mezam and agreed that they must all comply to the Prime Ministerial text of December 2010 regulating the motorbike sector especially commercial motorbike businesses.

(Affaire a suivre )

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Marafa Writes Another Letter, Talks of Inhuman Treatment

 

My Fellow Cameroonian

I am writing to inform the Cameroon Public that l am a political prisoner of the head of States. I am being treated worse than my cows. I rear cattle but the cows get moved to a shade when it is raining. I was compelled to confer with my lawyer in the rain on Monday, June 18 after being barred from conferring with my defence counsel for more than two weeks. I was finally allowed to meet with my lawyers, but our meeting took place in the rain. My lead defence counsel, Mr. Ndiva Kofele Kale, said Cameroon is violating the United Nations standards for conditions of detention and the treatment given me confirms the fact that I am a political and not an economic criminal. My lawyer had arrived at about 3 pm while I was chatting with Mr Fotso. Mr Fotso moved out of my cell into the corridor to allow me to confer with my lawyer but the Gendarmerie Lieutenant ordered us out into the courtyard, to converse under the rain for about half an hour. I reminded the gendarme guard - an Adjutant Chef that l am a political prisoner. I later confront the Adjutant Chef who said he was respecting the instructions of his superior officer, a Lieutenant. I informed the colonel in charge that l will be instructing my lawyers to write a letter addressed to the Minister of Justice, the Head of state and United Nations regarding the inhumane treatment that l am being subjected to sit in the rain by the authorities. The Colonel pleaded with me that those were not his instructions but the instructions of the Lieutenant working under him, the Colonel said he had left before my defence counsels had walk in and he did apologizes for what had happened and promised that he will make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

Finally l have accepted to be interrogated under two conditions which are
1.I am allowed to confer with my lawyers
2.I should be served with a charge sheet detailing the offences l am accused of committing.

The interrogation will take place in the presence of my lawyers. The State carries the burden of proving me guilt is beyond a reasonable doubt. I have the right for a prompt notice of the nature of the charges against me and my right to be tried should be without undue delay. This is a plot to eliminate me from the political stage by any means necessary.

Marafa. H. Yaya

 camerounais

Je vous écris pour informer le Public du Cameroun que l suis un prisonnier politique de la tête des États. Je suis actuellement traitée pire que mes vaches. J'arrière bovins mais les vaches se déplacés à une nuance quand il pleut. J'ai été contraint de conférer avec mon avocat sous la pluie le lundi 18 juin après être empêchés de conférer avec mon avocat de la défense pendant plus de ...deux semaines. J'étais enfin a...llowed de rencontrer mes avocats, mais notre rencontre s'est déroulée sous la pluie. Mon avocat de la défense de plomb, m. Ndiva Kofele Kale, dit Cameroun viole les normes de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour les conditions de détention et le traitement me confirme le fait que je ne suis pas un criminel économique et politique. Mon avocat était arrivé à propos de 15, alors que j'étais sur le chat avec M. Fotso. M. Fotso a quitté ma cellule dans le couloir pour me permettre de conférer avec mon avocat, mais le Lieutenant de Gendarmerie nous a ordonné dans la Cour, de converser sous la pluie pendant environ une demi-heure. J'ai rappelé à la garde de gendarme - un Adjudant Chef que l suis un prisonnier politique. Plus tard, j'ai affronter Adjudant Chef qui a dit qu'il a respecter les instructions de son supérieur, le Lieutenant. J'ai informé le colonel en charge que l soit disant mes avocats pour écrire une lettre adressée à la ministre de la Justice, le chef de l'Etat et des Nations Unies concernant le traitement inhumain que l suis soumise pour s'asseoir sous la pluie par les autorités. Le Colonel a plaidé avec moi que ceux qui n'étaient pas ses instructions, mais les instructions du Lieutenant travaillant sous sa direction, le Colonel a dit qu'il eut quitté avant mon conseille a marcher dans la défense et il a fait s'excuse pour ce qui était arrivé et a promis qu'il fera en sorte que cela ne se reproduise plus.

Enfin l ont accepté d'être interrogé sous deux conditions qui sont

1.I suis autorisé à conférer avec mes avocats

2.I doit être servie avec un acte d'accusation détaillant que le infractions l suis accusé d'avoir commis.

L'interrogatoire aura lieu en présence de mon avocat. La porte de l'État le fardeau de prouver la culpabilité m'est hors de tout doute raisonnable. J'ai le droit pour un avis rapide de la nature des accusations portées contre moi et de mon droit d'être jugé doit être sans retard indu. Il s'agit d'un complot visant à m'éliminer de la scène politique par tous les moyens nécessaires.

Marafa. H. Yaya
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Scandal!! Foreign Public Media Get Funds Allocated to Private Media in Cameroon

 The Ministry of Communication headed by Issa Tchiroma has always ignited surprises. In fact those who took the pains to read the communique from that Ministry on Government financial aid to the private media were taken aback. It is scandalous that on the list of beneficiaries were the names of some foreign public media houses. Cameroonians have been wondering how the British Broadcasting Corporation-BBC and France Television which are public media houses could benefit from government support to the private media houses in Cameroon. The controversial list published by Issa Tchiroma also mentioned the Japan Broadcasting Corporation and the Brazilian Film Production firm as beneficiaries. "Whereas there are media organs in Cameroon that have not been given the meager support",  many have been questioning. The rationality and justification of this act continue to create sensation as well as anger many young media houses in Cameroon. Public opinion however holds that MINCOM has taken up a challenge of public image cleansing by using taxpayers money unjustly. Many continue to look at the support to foreign media houses as another form of mismanagement with the complicity of the International Community. 

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Lele Lafrique Urges Donga Mantung to Support Biya’s Fight Against State Gangsters

 

North West Governor Lele Lafrique Tchoffo Deben Adolph has called on the population of Donga Mantung Division to support President Biya in his fight against embezzlers of state funds.

Lele Lafrique flanked by Donga Mantung SDO Nzeki Theophile at River Donga

In his key note address on June 20, 2012, Governor Lele Lafrique told the population that everybody is equal before the law and no one should think that he or she can manipulate public sympathy after being napped in the dragnet of the fight against corruption. “We cannot say we love our fatherland by embezzling state funds and disrespecting state institutions” he told the crowd. “Either we move on to have hope or shy to remain poor” he reiterated his message. Without mentioning any names, there was no doubt that the message had as target the recent revelations of Maraleaks (Marafa open letters). He reminded the people of Donga Mantung Division that embezzlers had consumed huge sums of money and it had retarded development reasons why President Biya launched a fearless war against the white-collar thieves. “Those who thought we the untouchable” he said were napped for embezzling state funds. In his clarion call, he urged the population to support President and shun away from those who want to mislead public opinion on the issue. “Let’s protect our country” he added. 

To corroborate his speech, the population was also entreated to a presentation on corruption. 

It should be noted that on June 19 and 20^th, Governor Lele Lafrique visited the border villages of Sabongari in Nwa and Abuenshie in Ako where his key message centered on the fight against corruption and peace. With the fear that Boko Haram may infiltrate into Cameroon through the border villages, North West Governor defied the bad roads and moved to Sabongari and Abuenshie in Nwa and Ako sub Divisions respectively. Governor Lele Lafrique said he was impressed with the calm and the peace that reins between Cameroonians and Nigerians. He also assured the population of the border villages that the government of Cameroon is aware of their problems and will soon provide long lasting solutions to them. At Abueshie he River Donga which separates Cameroon with Nigeria. He also visited the Ako border market and some security services in the area as well as the costume post that is completely abandoned. 

While in Nkambe he reechoed that the population should collaborate with the forces of law and order to ensure their well-being. He warned against tribalism, intertribal conflicts and others because they hinder meaningful development. He urged traditional rulers and elite to act as guarantors of peace and not to promote unnecessary conflicts that could jeopardize development efforts. “Peace has no price, we need to renounce all criminals because the forces of law and orders need your support to succeed” he told the people of Donga Mantung. He also called on the population to join President Biya in his 3^rd generation agricultural development policy to boost meaningful development. He said with the collaboration of the population, Donga Mantung Division will be transformed giving that the Division is blessed with top and soft soil resources (a lot of underground minerals).

It should be noted that the old Nkambe Division, now called Donga Mantung Division shares over 150 km long boundary with Nigeria beginning from Yang in Nwa down to Manjarandi in Misaje. As the Mayor of Nkambe puts it “the border is porous and needs the creation of more administrative units to easily protect it”. Created by the old colonial British in 1940, its headquarters was located in Ndu up to 1944 before it was moved to Binka. In 1948, the headquarters was transferred to Nkambe till date. After re-unification in 1961, the Nkambe Division started witnessing some restructuring. In 1963, the sub division was created with a resident Divisional Officer and a council attached to it. This was followed in 1967 with the creation of Mbembe/Misaje with headquarters in Akweto. In 1992, the restructuring created the Sub Divisions of Ndu, Nkambe, Ako and Misaje.   

Nwa, the oldest sub Division in Cameroon could be transformed into a full flesh division with three or four sub divisions. So the five sub divisions of Donga Mantung Division could easily be transformed into full flesh divisions and transformed into a region with headquarters in Nkambe. It is for these reasons that late Hon. SN Tamfu nursed the idea and the vision of the Far North West Region that was supported even the separatists Southern Cameroons activists yet, the government of Cameroon has been reluctant over it. Tension is graduality mounting as it is alleged Misaje Sub Division will be carved out of the Donga Mantung Division to add to Oku, Bum and Noni to create a separate Division.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Police Disrupt Graduation Ceremony at Bamenda University

The  graduation ceremony of the International University of Bamenda, IUB almost ended in chaos when police stormed the premise of the Mankon Catholic Cathedral Hall where on June 13, 2012. But the promoter of the Bamenda International University Prof. Patrick Fusi said " I applied for an authorization to hold this graduation ceremony and was duly given an authorization by the Divisional Officer for Bamenda II. So what is the problem? What type of government do we have in this country, Cameroon?". The Eye was hinted that police stormed the ceremonial ground because the application did not indicated the presence of first class fons like the fon of Nso and more importantly the presence of some fons of the South Region. We also gathered the Divisional Officer for Bamenda II sneaked into the hall and sat at the back bench monitoring and communicating police officials. It should be noted that the presence of the police scared off fons of the South as well as the Fon of Nso who also disappeared from the hall as the ceremony came to a halt for over 30 minutes. However, at the end, over 30 graduates went home with their degrees ranging from Bachelor, Masters and PH.Ds.  Some of the graduates came as far as IUB Buchi in Nigeria State Campus while a host of others bagged honorary degrees ranging from Doctors and Professors.

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At Last, President Biya Reacts to Marafa

President Paul Biya was in the South Region for an official visit of 48 hours on Saturday, June 16, 2012. A visit during which the Head of State official launched the 730 US dollars hydroelectric  project. Before leaving Memve'ele in the locality of Nyabizan ( Ntem Valley) he made some shocking declaration that took Cameroonians aback. On the epistolary activity of one of his former associates arrested as part of Operation Sparrowhawk, President Biya told journalists that Marafa revelation are just simple commentaries. When quizzed by journalists on what some of his former colleagues who were recently arrested and detained in prison have been publishing President Biya said " The judiciary is independent. Allowed it to take it course and see the results, and we shall accept them. On the other hand, I do not comment on the comments". To Paul Biya, Marafa's letters are just commentaries. Yet, public opinion holds that the comments Biya made were still commentaries linked to the Marafa commentaries which observers on the other hand still consider it as a step forward.


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Untold Facts About Maraleaks(Marafa) Revelations from Prison

 

The national and international media and by extrapolation public opinion is now gripped by what is referred to as the ‘Maraleaks’. The media in Cameroon is upbeat about the Marafa letters that are making headline news, but most importantly is the fact that the regime is equally bent on stifling the publishing of the letters or discrediting the information therein as mere farce. This wish by the regime and the zeal expressed by the public to continuously savour state secrets being put in the market place of ideas by a former state functionary is sending jitters and hot sweat down the spines of many government barons. It is not the letters per se that makes news but what is hidden behind those letters and what may come next. Actually, in journalism like in public writing, the writer is supposed to be able to draw a line between what the public wants to know and what the public needs to know. This is so because the public is always anxious to know much or everything including the functioning of the state, something which is often considered a preserve of a few. And all along, it has been so until Marafa Hamidou Yaya ripped open the Pandora Box and state secrets are in the open.

Marafa Hamidou Yaya, former Secretary General at the Presidency, former Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization who belonged to the chosen few that were privy to state secrets has decided to become the latest prolific writer in prison, dishing out calculated dozes of state secrets to the admiration of the public and the chagrin of government. When Marafa Hamidou Yaya who was arrested along side former Prime Minister, Chief Ephraim Inoni fired his first salvo by writing an open letter to the Head of State in which he made incriminating revelations about his dealings with the Head of State and the functioning of the state, many ministers started trembling. This was so because many of them who equally had some dealings with Marafa when he was in government did not know how far he could go in his letters. AS Secretary General at the Presidency and former Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration, Marafa had a lot of influence and connections with a network that the regime does not clearly master.  Many of those serving in government and in many duty posts in the administration are Marafa’s men. What they have in store nobody knows reason the regime is trembling because if they are still loyal to Marafa, they can destabilize the state.  And while the regime was yet to digest the first letter and look for means to counter it, Marafa pumped another letter that was considered very disastrous to the regime as it picked holes in the promulgated electoral code. This is where Marafa has drawn sympathy from the opposition political parties that boycotted the voting of the promulgated electoral code. Equally, this can compromise funding of the electoral process by foreign donors not to talk of the international recognition of any election emanating from such an electoral code. These are issues the regime does not like and Marafa knows that, reason he is only targeting issues the government has never wanted to be in the open.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Why Maraleaks (Marafa) is Making Biya Regime to Tremble

 

People are always afraid of the unknown because they do not know, which direction change can take. Marafa Hamidou Yaya is well known by the regime and its members, yet he remains greatly unknown an unpredictable given his recent activities and gesticulations since the day he was arrested. The issue that is making the regime to tremble is the fact that Marafa was so closed to power for long and has the secret documents and all protocol agreements between Cameroon and other nation states. He can decide to make public this secret dealings and this will greatly discredit the present regime. Like in his first letter, Marafa clearly indicated his closeness with the Head of State, giving away the idea that he was the person managing Cameroon while the Head of State was just a bureaucrat. This does not augur well for the regime. Another issue is that Marafa had longed prepared himself to succeed Biya as per the revelations in his letters. And any person who has such ambitions must have contacted, contracted and confirmed national and foreign assistance. The regime is trembling because it does not know the expanse of Marafa’s influence. That is who is supporting him where, how and to what extend? Members of the regime are trembling because Marafa is alleged to have serious international support which he can rely on to topple the present regime. This thesis is supported by the fact that prior to the 2011 Presidential elections Marafa was cited as a candidate of some foreign countries. The regime actually believed so as per his first letter where he said the Head of State asked the Director of Civil Cabinet to inquire whether he,  Marafa was to stand against him the Head of State in the October 2011 Presidential election.

Added to this are the revelations Marafa is making. The regime is trembling because Marafa is not only exposing the corrupt nature of the regime in place but is pointing accusing fingers on some government ministers that are still serving, for being responsible for most of the mishaps of Cameroon. This is why some ministers are quick to chastise Marafa in a bid to dissuade him from publishing more state secrets. They are afraid that he might call their names as those who were planning with him the after-Biya succession. Unfortunately, those who are against Marafa’s letters are not providing alternatives to the population that is anxious to know how Cameroon is governed. Equally, the regime is dodging away from the issues raised by Marafa in his letters, thus creating more suspicion in the minds of the public and attracting sympathy for him.

For instance the management of petroleum revenue in Cameroon has always remained a state secret. And the regime is afraid that Marafa who was Board chair of the National Hydrocarbon Company, SNH can spill the beans and attract a public disapproval of the underhand methods of the regime and its barons on the management of petroleum revenue.  How are people recruited in SNH, how much does petrol contribute to the national budget are questions on the lips of most  Cameroonians and Marafa may provide the answers, a thing the regime is afraid of.

 As regards the Albatross, Marafa has cited the names of the people who are supposed to be held responsible for embezzling the tax payers money meant for the purchase of the presidential aircraft. It is not only the revelation citing the names of those involved, including that of the Head of State that is disturbing but the fact that Marafa Hamidou Yaya can block the trial of the Albatross affair by refusing to cooperate with justice as he has started doing. This will be very embarrassing to the regime as many of the accused would have been unjustly detained.

In his fourth letter to the Head of State Marafa has indicated how money meant for the compensation of victims of the 1995 Boeing plane crash in Douala has been embezzled by members of government. This fourth letter has attracted some sympathy especially as Marafa has portrayed the pathetic life style of some victims of that plane crash. He has promised to publish in the days ahead money that was squandered to put CRTV on the satellite.

If the regime is panicky it is because they do not know exactly how far Marafa can go with his letters and the effect such letters will have on public opinion. And while the regime is trembling to the point of transferring Marafa to SED where it is expected he will no longer be able to publish other letters, Marafa’s supporters are enjoying the game, as Marafa is putting a regime he serve to task. When will members of the regime stop playing the Ostrich?

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

Monono Humphrey, Iya Mohamed, Bruno Ebe Called up for Questioning

Monono Humphrey

 

Monono Humphrey, the Registrar of the GCE Board, Iya Mohamed, the Director of SODECOTTON and Bruno Ebe, Rector of the Douala University have been called up for questioning by the Budget and Disciplinary Committee of the Supreme State Control. The three personalities are called up to response to management irregularities recorded by control teams on the funds allocated to their care from state coffers.

Monono Humphrey on his part who has been complaining that government has not been giving enough funds to the GCE Board. Yet, it is alleged Humphrey Monono’s management has transformed the GCE Board into an extraordinary affair. Quizzing him on poor management is however no news to the public giving the numerous complains by teachers every time they move out of their stations for marking. Sources say Humphrey Monono will certainly receive heavy sanctions because the entire GCE Board has already been tagged another edorado of corrupt practices too. Some observers have even opined that the GCE Board could be transformed into a prison yard giving the level of malpractices that the Supreme State Control team diagnosed recently. The fact that the communiqué was read over the state radio is indicative that these personalities may end up in prison giving that the questioning is just a control mechanism and judiciary actions could follow. However, it has been rare for someone to appear before the Committee and leave without being fined to payback. This is because before one is called for questioning, there is already a huge file that demonstrates all the mismanagement errors. The penalties or amount could be redressed and not whip off completely sources linked to Supreme State Control hinted. (Wait and See)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa

The Prospects and Challenges of the Mining Sector in Cameroon

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry Secretary of State for Mines, Industries and Technological Development optimistic about the mining sector in Cameroon

 

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry is the Secretary of State for Mines, Industries and Technological Development and a Geologist, on Sunday June 5, 2012, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry was guest over the CRTV morning program, Cameroon Calling. He spoke vividly and with a lot of admiration on the diagnosis and challenges of the mining sector in Cameroon. As an expert miner, he talked elaborately on the various mining deposits in the country; the role big investors can play as well as the artisan mining in developing the sector. Here below are the excerpts of the Interview (Courtesy of Cameroon Calling)

Your Excellency, let’s know a little about the mining potentials of Cameroon.

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: Cameroon is sitting at the centre of a huge iron ore belt, within the Central African sub region; deposits in Gabon, Benin, Congo and then deposits lined-up from Mbalam right to the coast in Kribi. In fact, iron ore deposits are being investigated even in the North West region. Let me indicate there that the industrialization process in America is centred around the Great Lakes: (belts where the iron and steel industry is developed).

So this is a new phenomenon, which is striving everyone out here. Today, the Chinese are almost buying out the Australians, a comity we had the concertion initially, were almost a monopoly in this domain. It is a phenomenon that is attracting the world to Cameroon, not withstanding the fact that we also have some key world class deposits, like the nickel-copper deposits, uranium, diamonds, etc.

This has made us a place where everybody thinks he is missing out something which is not here.

You have been talking so much about foreign companies coming: are they no Cameroonians in this sector in terms of the finances to carrying out either exploration or exploitation and in terms of the know-how

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: We are not really reinventing the will. Mining starts with the small people taking up licenses, doing what they can; inviting bigger people to come-in. presently we have slightly over 160 exploration licenses. Most of these belong to Cameroonians. But most of them are dormant because they do not have requisite capital to carry out exploration. Ventures like the ones I move along with many mining companies are meant to bring investors to get involved in what Cameroonians have initiated.

If I say the Mbalam project is worth $5 billion: this is not the kind of ventures Cameroonians would get into. But the artisan industry is robust in the East which is entirely a domain where Cameroonians are working with an outfit known as CAPAM.

But wherever in the world, the small players always start the game and somewhere along the line, the bigger boys get in. This is just what is happening here.

Let’s compare the mining and forestry sectors: with the forestry, there is a percentage to do here in Cameroon and another percentage out. Does this apply same with the mining sector?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: I have played a very active role to revise the mining code recently. In this new revision, we have a sloth in which 15% must be transformed locally (for example for 35 million tones of iron produced in one mine in a year, the new code demands that 15% must be transformed locally). We are not ending there.

We have taken initiatives where recently, the Korean company by the name ‘POSCO’ one of the largest iron and steel industrial concerns in the world signed a memorandum of undertaking with us.

We are also developing a project known as ‘FECUNA’. Iron in the scientific name is ‘Ferus, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, whereby we want to design projects and see how we will get the local sector to start preparing for what is going to be a big industrial uphill in Cameroon.

One would have expected that with all these projects coming up, the government should have had at least a project to create an iron and steel industry to process much of the iron. Is that very far or can we already start thinking that we may one day have an iron and steel industry in Cameroon?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: We have signed a memorandum of understanding with POSCO of Korea. The real terms of this memorandum of understanding is to lay down the framework for developing an iron and steel industry in Cameroon.

I also talked to you about the FECUNA project, which is going to see much about involving local people in how iron ore, 15% according to the new law, has to be transformed locally.

On that front, we are doing a lot and will continue working with other big iron and steel concerns in the world, to lay the foundation of this transformation.

One major problem which we are more likely to face is that some of these big companies might come, almost all of their staff, given that in Cameroon we don’t have the trained manpower in mineral exploitation. What has your ministry been doing in terms of training the people who can occupy good positions in the big companies that are coming?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: A mining school in the University of Ngaoundere has just gone operational. In the recent forum, we involved people from the science department in the University of Yaounde. We do encourage the universities in Cameroon to put the mining subjects strongly in their curricular.

But notwithstanding, the ministry is aware of this problem; reason why we had a very big chunk in the recruitment of 25.000.

We are overhauling our staff and training them so that those who are facing out will liaise with those who are coming new. Despite that there will always be need for some kind of expertise.

Our mining code and mining conventions also regulates the quota that must be allocated to local employees.

Cameroon possesses these diversed mineral resources in large quantity but it is just now that many people are hearing about minerals in Cameroon. What was the problem?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: Things as you have just seen round the forum; we have traveled round the world telling people: Cameroon is a very stable nation; that it has a very strong energy policy; with a sound mining code which gives a lot of incentives to investors. An agglomeration of these factors has influenced most people to take a risk with us. And in the mine industry, once people come and make noise, this is like ringing a bell for other people to follow.

Recently, we had some members of parliament (MPs) raising concerns about the award of exploration and exploitation permits in forest reserve. What are you doing about that?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: When you are awarded a mining exploration permit (license), it can cover 1000km2. A forest reserve might be inside or might interfere with the forest reserve. It doesn’t mean we mark out a forest reserve entirely. Even at the initial stage, it doesn’t pose much problems because exploration is an art. You don’t go digging and clearing the forest. You do small digging, clearing, small drilling; take samples, which in its initial stages do not per se have any impact in the forest.

The danger comes when you might find a big deposit, which may be sitting in this forest. At such a time, it is about priorities. If we have a deposit which is going to be the largest gold deposit in the world inside the forest reserve, it becomes an issue to be discussed as a national priority. But so far, we have not had such cases. I don’t think we really go out to give licenses in a forest area per se. Sometimes the forest areas are part of the licensed area.

Some months ago there was this controversy over the actual quantity of diamond reserves that we have in Cameroon. Can you give us a clearer idea on this?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: There is a rate at which we are set about exploration in Cameroon: companies do exploration and they tell us what they find. Even in iron ore, we are planning to develop a kind of investigative procedure, where, when there is drill core, the company would analyze half and it is expected that they would give us a quantity, where we can do random checks and verifications of what they find.

But the case of diamond is peculiar and particular because it has an erratic occurrence. Now, this particular company found diamond in two environments: alluvia (which is surface) and conglomerate (which projects down to even depths of 500m and above).

They did an evaluation and in giving them the mining license, we made it very clear that they have to initially start mining in the surface part and had an obligation to spend at least 2.5 million dollars to concretize the reserves in the conglomerate part.

They are moving well with their project. To say exact, we have given them time to make exact the figures. But they gave us a production schedule for over 25 years.

Our concern now is to see that their production schedule is respected. The license however made it very clear that they had to over a given period of time, come out with a clearer definition of the size of this deposit.

The mining industries are already coming in their great numbers. What guideline has government put in place to make sure that the surrounding population actually benefits enormously from what would be carried out?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: You can look at it from what the law says. There are royalties which are negotiated in the mining convention and regulated by the mining code, which have to do directly with the area, where this deposit or mining activities are taking place.

On the other hand, the mining process is huge. If we say there is going to be a railway line of 500km, which is going to, in the final run, handle deposits from Congo, Gabon, in fact, the impact is huge: it is beyond our imagination. It takes $2 billion to build the railway. Just the earthwork alone is over 700 billion FCFA. So these are industries with a very huge impact; that touch people in terms of jobs. Even the net effects of their activity cannot go unnoticed.

We have a Ministry of Environment which is a watchdog to see that the activities are done within the tenets of preserving our environment. If a mineral activity is not justifiable, that its impact economically is not that which is worth disturbing the lives of people, we don’t go ahead with it; reason why sometimes, we talk of an environmental impact. This liaises with what the economic impact of this deposit would have on the people. So when one outweighs the other, certainly we find that it would better the lives of the people in that immediate environment and most important, the live of everybody in this nation.

You talked about minerals including diamond. Now, for Cameroon to sell diamond on the international market, she needs to be part of the ‘Kimberly Process’. Where are we, in terms of this process?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: We have gone through the process: we have attended the initial meetings in Kinshasa. This ministry headed a mission to Washington. Here our files for adhesion to the Kimberly process will be completed. If not, certainly sometimes this year, we should finally be in the Kimberly process.

We know how much the oil sector pumps into the state budget of Cameroon. Is it possible to know what contribution the mining sector would also pump into this national budget?

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry: We are sizing up what we have; signing conventions to develop. Conventions mean asking and negotiating what taxes and royalties would be paid. This is a stage of evaluation.

We have a whole set of rules, which I will refer you to our mining code, which states what corporate tax every company would pay; what kind of concessions you give as a tax holiday; companies invest huge amounts of money. If you were to invest $5 billion to get something going, you can imagine. Most of the moneys are invested during exploration. Given a period, if you don’t pay, that money is deducted from your taxation scheme.

So these are a whole range of things that are negotiated during a mining convention. In the Mbalam convention that was finalized, there are guiding principles in terms of taxation. Unless a convention is completed, we cannot say exactly because we have to evaluate the amount of money the company put in exploration; deduct part of this expensive, so that it has a kind of tax holiday period in which to recuperate economically.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa