Overhaul Cameroon Constitution, Scrap ELECAM

The Cameroon supreme laws (the Constitution) and ELECAM supposedly independent elections organising and monitoring body are unfortunately tailored to maintain one party, the ruling CPDM incessantly in power.

             Cameroon Constitution permits the executive (President) to usurp the functions of the other arms of government – the legislature and the judiciary. The President here single handed appoints members of the legislature (which include the 30 unelected senators). President Biya is the Chairman of the higher judicial council – which outfit transfers, sanctions, and promotes magistrates amongst other chores. Thus litigations involving CPDM or Biya are often tainted in regime favour - hence the reluctance of many a forward looking business concern from operating in such non-equitable justice system. A Supreme Court senior judge (Alexis Mouelle who keeps his coveted position till date) here told the entire world in the early 1990s that his hands are tied when it comes to electoral and other litigations which threaten the CPDM interest.

            The press, as expected of such a dictatorial regime, is also not spared - the media complaint commission(s) which in many a democracy is(are) independent, voluntary, non governmental and non profit making in Cameroon (called the National Communication Council) is government created with government appointees singing the regime’s praises with the exception of a weightless few. In democracies, members of a media complaint commission are drafted from journalist associations, editors’ guide, publishers (or owners of media outfit) associations, the government and the public (civil society). Her functions include arbitration of complaints from its members and press ethics- monitor.

            ELECAM - for polls is created by Biya who is also national president of CPDM. Majority of this body’s personnel are CPDM militants despite the multiplicity of meaningful political parties in the country. Elections are rigged in various guises by the ruling CPDM Party which curiously here is not different from government. The ruling party illegally accesses public treasury with impunity during electoral campaigns to the detriment of not only rival parties but the nation’s economy. Cameroonians have petitioned against such underhand practices since the reintroduction of multiparty politics in the early 1990s till date to no avail. CPDM formerly CNU has continuously been in power now for more than 50 years (with barely two Presidents – Ahmadou Ahidjo and incumbent Paul Biya). Biya has been on seat as President of Cameroon for more than 30 years now through intrigues. Cameroon descended into this disgraceful rank of a heavily indebted poor country (HIPC) in Paul Biya’s reign.

            Cameroonians will not accept this nonsense anymore. I, Felix Teche Nyamusa, 2018 Presidential hopeful on the SDF ticket(pending primaries), pledge to lead Cameroon to salvation from corruption, poverty and indebtedness. We are concerned with the massive exodus of Cameroonians to the Diaspora because of unemployment, political persecutions. I urge the regime to immediately revert to good governance which principally includes revamping the existing archaic constitution and jettison ELECAM as she completes her tenure by abiding by unanimously voted laws. August 1, 2014 is the latest date given to the Biya regime to come to terms with the decision of overhauling the constitution and dissolving the controversial ELECAM. Unlike this government (CPDM) which is tactlessly anaemic to working with specific time table, we thus proffer this calendar of activities from now, 2014 to the 2018 presidential which we believe to convince Cameroonians to rigorously adhere to: 

August 2014 – August 2015 – Time for putting in place the renewed constitution as well as other structures together with the new autonomous independent elections body

August 2015 – January 2017 – Miscellaneous activities and active preparations for the all important Presidential Poll of 2018

2018 – Cameroon Presidential elections and installation of President elect

– No postponement under any circumstances!  This general revamp of laws and structure should of course be done in collaboration with SDF the number one opposition and other meaningful political parties and segments of our nation, Cameroon.

            My party (SDF) has blueprints for genuine development and progress which include “NESPROG” that more than adequately address Cameroon’s problems – the execution which have been this long blocked since the early 1990s by the CPDM dictatorial government. It is this Biya/CPDM one man rule barrier that has to be broken by all means without further delay.

            We will embark on the last resort measures to get Cameroon working as historically obtained in other democracies if the regime fails to turn to good governance and the rule of law as demanded by majority Cameroonians.

            I will be meeting in the days ahead my Party Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi and Cameroonians to explain the necessity of this stands. The task is achievable if all patriotic and progress cherishing Cameroonians rally up with us. Nyamusa is more than prepared to lead the struggle as 2018 presidential hopeful – no price is too big for me to pay in liberating and guiding my people. Our priority is the rule of law following people’s yearnings – others elsewhere go through this to be emancipated and escape from poverty, my people, Cameroonians would not be the exception!

May God guide Cameroon!

By Felix Teche Nyamusa, 2018 Cameroon Presidential hopeful.

 

By Felix Teche Nyamusa, 2018 Cameroon Presidential hopeful.

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Pa Yong’s Estates in Perplexity as Family Tussles over Who Manages What

The nature of Late Bobe Yong Francis was laid to rest on February 1, 2014 in his native Kom village. Late Pa Yong died leaving behind an empire such as the National Polytechnic, Progressive Comprehensive High School Bamenda, Comprehensive High School Bambui, Comprehensive High School Anyajua, Yong Football Club, National Polytechnic Football Club, Abakwa FM, CNTV and others. The issue is that the assets and investments he left behind according to what is said is what is almost tearing the family apart. An atmosphere of uncertainty looms as three of the members of the Board of Directors of his estate were detained but have been released. It is feared the nature of the will that doesn’t specify as to who owns what and or manages what may plunge the family into problems. Lawrencia Nain Yuh according to the will is the administrator of the estates while Yong Charles in vice, Yong Jacque is Secretary, Rose Yong is Financial Secretary while Yuh Michael doubles as treasure in charge of National Polytechnic. It should be noted that matters came to a head when the two ladies (Lawrencia-Late Pa Yong’s sister cum administrator) and Rose Yong-Late Pa Yong’s wife) summoned a meeting and the communiqué was read over Abakwa FM. Yet the three other members of the Board (Jacque, Michael and Charles) issued a contrary communiqué and it was read over Hot Cocoa and Abakwa. The meeting as we gathered finally took place but there was no consensus. This is so because the men could not allow the women to lord over them. It is even alleged that the crux of the matter lies in the fact that when Lawrencia returned back from the USA recently, she withdrew money to carryout construction project at Polytechnic. This according to the allegations was done with the support of Rose Yong. Allegations abound that the three men protested given that nothing was mentioned in the will in relation to the withdrawal of that amount. It is alleged that even though the three men were arrested, detained and later released on bail, problems still abound. It is even said that suits were filed over the matter. With the tussling, it is feared in Bamenda that this brouhaha could affect the estates. As to whether with these tusslings the salaries of workers will be certain remains another puzzle.

For sometimes now, it is even aired that it is thanks to the efforts of Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle that the problems could surface very early. Fears abound that if the crisis continue, the state may likely step in to manage structures like the schools or the tussle may give room for agents of mishap to connive and defraud the estates. However, a news report also revealed that the Kwifon of Kom has summoned the three men to appear before them. It is not yet clear what the Kwifon will say about the matter but hopes abound high that the Fon Yuh of Kom will certainly want issues treated in a clam and serene manner.   


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan seeks $1bn to fight Boko Haram BBC Says

 Source: BBC

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan wants the government to borrow $1bn (£580m) to strengthen the military's capability to fight militant Islamists.

Mr Jonathan wrote to parliament, asking for the expenditure to be approved.

Nigeria has a military budget of about $6bn a year but large sums are lost to corruption, critics say.

Mr Jonathan has faced intense criticism over the government's failure to curb the increasingly brutal insurgency waged by the Boko Haram group.

The Islamist group caused international outrage in April when it abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in its heartland of north-eastern Nigeria.

In the letter to the Senate and House of Representatives, Mr Jonathan said he wanted to borrow the extra money as part of a "government-to-government arrangement".

Boko Haram is opposed to Western education

He did not specify which country he was looking at making a deal with.

Mr Jonathan said there was an "urgent need" to upgrade the equipment, training and logistics of the armed forces and security services to help them confront the "serious threat" posed by Boko Haram.

"For this reason, I seek the concurrence of the National Assembly for external borrowing of not more than $1bn," he said.

Nigeria's military is receiving help from the US, UK, China, France and Israel to secure the release of the schoolgirls.

Rights groups have repeatedly accused the military of carrying out widespread abuses against civilians, as it tries to hunt down insurgents.

Mr Jonathan sent more troops to the north-east last year after declaring a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the three states worst-affected by the insurgency.

However, Boko Haram has stepped up attacks since then.

New York-based Human Rights Watch says more than 2,000 civilians have been killed in Nigeria this year by Boko Haram.

The deaths occurred in around 95 separate attacks in more than 70 towns and villages in the north-east, where Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009.

Who are Boko Haram?

• Founded in 2002
• Initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
• Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
• Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
• Some three million people affected
• Declared terrorist group by US in 2013

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Boko Haram Insurgents Attack Northern Cameroon, Kill one

 Members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram have again killed a police constable in the Far North Region. The Islamist sect Boko Haram has continued its attack in Cameroon.

On Friday July 18 morning at about 12 noon when  Muslims were preparing to close shop for the Friday prayer, the members of the sect stormed the town of Amchide. With their bikes, they toured the city by firing several shots into the air another reports say. The attackers took advantage of the disarray to loot shops in the Amchide market. The armed gang then headed to the police station at Nariki where they opened fire on the policemen who were on duty. Police Constable Messi Seraphim died following multiple bullets received from these attackers. His colleague, the detective Ombe Serge was injured and rushed to the military hospital in Maroua. This umpteenth attacks by members of Boko Haram on security services  in Cameroon gives the impression that the sect is short of weapons and ammunition for its various operations in Nigeria and is trying to refuel in police and gendarmerie stations in Cameroon.

Lately, the Nigerian terrorist group attacked a police station in the Northern Region of Cameroon  barely two days after the gendarmerie Brigade at Bonderi (Mora) was attacked. Several weapons and ammunitions were allegedly taken away by the attackers after wounding the policeman who was on guard.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Late Pa Yong’s Family in Disarray

 Three members of the Board of Directors of Late Pa Bobe Yong’s estate are currently in police detention at the Judicial Police in Bamenda.  The three family members (names withheld) who are purportedly Board Members of Late Pa Yong’s estates were allegedly arrested on instruction of the state counsel. It is even alleged that three weeks ago, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle was in Bamenda where he reconciled the family yet another wrangling has resurfaced. Allegations abound that for the past six months the family has been in disarray yet it has never escalidated to this level. When this reporter visited the Bamenda Judicial Police today morning at about 8am, the two of the three in detention were spotted behind the counter. ( Details of the wrangling coming soon)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Fuel Price Hike: Coalition of Civil Society Organizations Put Gov’t to Task

The Coalition of North West Civil Society Organizations held an emergency meeting today July 16, 2014 at Necla Hotel in Bamenda to deliberate and identify problems arising from the recent fuel price hike.  The meeting which brought together civil society activists, trade unionists and human rights activists recorded over 50 organizations.

In an opening speech, the venerated civil society activist, Awah Cletus aka AC Risky decried that the so called Confederation of Trade Unions are pocket structures created by some government officials to frustrate genuine negotiations inorder to defraud the state of taxpayers money. He lamented that when they were in Yaounde, he witnessed a masqueraded scenario whereby leaders were more interested in what they would gain than the interest of the common man. He wondered how the so-called Confederations of Trade Union submitted a memo to government in defiance of the regulation in force, “when we were in the hall, tracts were being circulated and we also observed that some of the leaders represented nobody”, he continued. He said that even those who claimed they were representing bike riders had never ever sad on an achaba. He also wondered how the government is claiming that since last year, the sum of FCFA 1,200 billion was spent to subsidize fuel prices, yet the same Minister also claimed that for the past six months, the state spent close to FCFA 157 billion to subsidize fuel. Transporters, he regretted were more interested on increasing transport fare to their benefits rather than the general good. Accordingly,  Awah Cletus observed that we cannot be talking of emerging when the GDP has dropped and at the same time the index of the country has dropped. “In fact I am afraid that our standard of living is rather dropping”. To Awah Cletus, if necessary measures are not taken to redress or put in place sustainable actions, it could lead to inflation, starvation and hunger” and since a hungry man is an angry man, peace could be at jeopardy.

On his part, the Secretary General of the Cameroon Teachers Trade Union-CATU said that the issue of salary increase is provocative. “Those who advise this government want to provoke a situation”. He decried that in Cameroon, 22 taxes are paid on every liter of fuel and wondered if government could cancel 10 of those taxes to stratify prices.

On his part, the Coordinator of Organization for Consumer Sovereignty-OCOSO wondered whether the head of State is always told the truth by his collaborators. “ I have been to Yaounde severally on this issue, but unfortunately I have observed that government is always very adamant and irresponsible to the plight of the common man”.

During deliberations, participants also observed that for over 20 years, nobody from the North West and South West Region has never head a Confederation of Trade Union. As such they would not depend on people who are more interested in their stomach than the welfare of the population. They also observed that if it is that Cameroonians should be sacrificed for Vision 2035, it should rather be stopped. Participants also examined the declaration by Government Vuvuzela, Isa Tchiroma, which they said (he) Tchiroma, Minister of Communication to apologise to Cameroonians. At the end of the meeting, participants took a firm stand that Government should reduce the price of fuel by FCFA 100. (Coming soon Resolutions tabled to Government). 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Cameroonian Environmentalist Wins 2degrees Sustainability Champion Award

 

Cameroonian born environmentalist, Emenjoh Eldad is winner of the 2014 2degrees Sustainable Champion. Eldad and the Anjong Young Farmers Group won the prestigious 2degrees Network Sustainability Champion Award of the Year on their actions to improve on the production of oil palm production in Ngie-North West Region of Cameroon. Talking to this reporter shortly after receiving the distinction in the UK, Eldad said it is “amazing” that “we won”. To him, the award is a mark of “recognition of work toward humanity” and an indication that there is “more hard work ahead”. 

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Ntaryike Divine Awarded Prize in Honor of Sputnik Kilambi

Ntaryke Divine

Source ICFJ

A Cameroonian journalist who regularly turns a spotlight on injustice and inequity in his country has been named the recipient of the 2014 Sputnik Kilambi Award for Social Justice Reporting from the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). The award is named for Kilambi, a journalist and media trainer with a passionate commitment to reporting on local and global issues of development and social justice, especially in Africa. She passed away on July 8, 2013.

The winner, Ntaryike Divine Jr. Ramzi, is the Voice of America correspondent in Cameroon and a freelance reporter for several news outlets including The Associated Press, Science and Development Network, Think Africa Press, and Africa Report.

His stories focus on important social and development issues such as:

• The disparity in education between girls and boys in his country

• The failure of political leaders to address the problem of malnutrition, which affects one- third of Cameroon's under-five population

• Foreign overfishing in Africa that endangers food security and threatens the livelihood of local fishermen

"These are the types of stories Sputnik pushed journalists to produce -- high-quality stories that pointed to wrongs that should be righted, or problems that demand solutions," said Patrick Butler, ICFJ Vice President for Programs. "Mr. Ramzi's work exemplifies her values and high standards."

"There were several worthy candidates. ... Mr. Ramzi's work not only meets the high journalistic standards Sputnik would have demanded, but would also have fired her passion for highlighting and fighting injustices," said Ian Noble, journalist and media manager, Sputnik's professional accomplice and personal companion for 25 years.

Kilambi was an ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellow in Rwanda and Ghana. She also worked with UN Radio in Côte d'Ivoire and in Sierra Leone, where she worked on the transition to the country's first independent public broadcaster.

ICFJ created the award as a tribute to Sputnik's passion and dedication to high-quality journalism that improves people's lives. Nominations were made by current and former Knight Fellows. A panel of respected jrnalism leaders selected the winner.

The award is a reporting grant of $1,000 and an all-expenses paid trip to participate in the next story camp offered by the African Story Challenge. The story camp will be held August 8-14, 2014, in Marrakesh, Morocco.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)