Total Pageviews

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Satanic verses: Those Anglophone Ministers Who Ignore Supreme Court Verdicts (Ngole Philip Ngwese, Ama Tutu Muna)

Ama Tutu Muna
Phillip Ngwese
The Supreme Court is the highest court of the land and in legal parlance, the court of final jurisdiction. The 1974 decree on the organization of courts in Cameroon is very clear on this fact: the decision of the Supreme Court can never be challenged or set aside. Cameroon courts are organized in such a way that a matter is introduced to the court system either through the magistrate’s court or the Court of First Instance. Some matters can also be introduced directly at the level of the High Court. In both circumstances, when one of the parties in the matter is not satisfied with the judgment of the lower courts, the matter is applied to the Appeal Court . If the decision of the Appeal Court is still not satisfactory to any of the parties, only the Supreme Court is competent to hear such a matter. By going to the Supreme Court, both parties know for a fact that, the decision of the Supreme Court is final and can never, never be challenged.
Anybody or institution attempting to challenge a Supreme Court decision either in full or in part is committing something not less than treason. We know of political parties that have grumbled against Supreme Court decisions in Cameroon but no party has ever openly challenged or disrespected the implementation of the Supreme Court. If opposition political party leaders can only grumble in silence and within political party circles about Supreme Court decisions, and not ignore them, how then Cameroon people who are supposedly frontline CPDM militants and ministers in Paul Biya’s government attempt to ignore Supreme Court decisions for years and no one seem to bother about them?
Do they know the consequences of ignoring Supreme Court verdicts? Do they want to say that they are above the law? How on earth would a government minister who spends time during campaigns reminding others in their constituency that “ Cameroon is a state of law” be the very first ones to outrightly disrespect the law?
There are two glaring cases in point here. Her Excellency Ama Tutu Muna, daughter of former law-maker and House Speaker, Solomon Tandeng Muna, sister to some of the most refined barristers and former Bar Council Presidents in Cameroon (Ben Muna and Akere Muna) is proving to all Cameroonians that she is an exception to that rule of law. How unfortunate it could be in a county for the very Minister of Culture, who is supposed to make sure that the culture of a people as well as the traditions of state institutions are respected, becomes the very first person to ignore court decisions.
Years ago, the Minister of Culture was at loggerheads with the management of the Cameroon Music Corporation, CMC with veteran musician, Sam Mbende as head. This matter which was basically over collection and settlement of authors’ rights escalated beyond arbitration level. The courts were called in and after exhausting avenues in all the lower courts, the matter went to the Supreme Court. Sam Mbende emerged winner. Before the matter could reach the Supreme Court, Ama Tutu Muna had dissolved the Cameroon Music Corporation, CMC, and created SOCAM, now headed by Odile Ngaska. Even though the Supreme Court since gave victory to Sam Mbende and ordered that CMC be restored, Minister Ama Tutu Muna since ignored that decision, preferring to use her administrative prerogative to promote the activities of SOCAM.
Cameroonians have been waiting to see how far Ama Tutu Muna would go. President Biya himself have repeated in all his recent speeches that nobody is above the law, but people like Ama Tutu Muna and Ngole Philip Ngwese think he is addressing some lower generation of Cameroonians.
In his own case, Ngole Philip Ngwese has disrespected a High Court decision to hand back some bird species that the class one business magnate, El Hadj Baba Danpullo regularly imported. He has banked on the fact that it was the South West Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife that was involved in the seizure. Even though the court decision and the intervention from the highest quarters of the land meant nothing to Ngole Philip Ngwese who claims to be a seasoned public service administrator, the fact remains that he wants to bite more than he can chew. Since like horses, they have been taken to the stream and they have refused to drink, they can only have themselves to blame. Even the horse that refused to drink did so because it did not know that there was something called dehydration. If it knew, it would have behaved otherwise.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Did Ngolle Ngolle Elvis Embezzle Public Funds?

Ngolle Ngolle Elvis
This extremely mind bugging question has been on the lips of those who know the eminent University Don, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, former Minister of Forestry and Wildlife. In fact since the official presentation of the report of the National Anti Corruption Commission, NACC, on November 29, 2012; a report which axed Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle of some financial impropriety, many Cameroonians of goodwill and clear consciences have been asking if something is not wrong somewhere. Without being advocates of the Devil, they argue that Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is human and liable to acts of commission and omission like all mortals, but to tag him to acts of corruption is certainly unfathomable and a joke in very bad taste. They say Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is capable of everything that can make Cameroon stand on her feet, but not corruption and embezzlement of public funds, something he is anathema and seriously allergic to.
Nevertheless, others intimate that the name of Prof Ngolle Ngolle featuring in the NACC reports is not surprising, given that before he left government, a well constituted cabal had vowed to soil his impeccable image, simply because his soaring popularity, loyalty to state institutions and workaholic nature was putting them at bay. Although Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle’s entourage are gripped by utter surprise and disbelieve, others simply consider the NACC report a non-event. Those who hold this opinion argue strongly that just like in 2011 when the NACC report was published and ministers and institutions challenged it for lack of procedure and logical methods in carrying out their investigations, thus discrediting the report, it might be a repeat scenario this year. But Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s supporters are seriously cross by the mere idea of putting his name in the report even if the allegations are false. In fact after the publication of the NACC 2011 report in November 2011, the Minister of Public Works, Bernard Messengue Avom who was axed by the report came out energetically to refute all the allegations therein. Other instances came out too to point serious lapses in the method of data collection and analysis by NACC, a procedure which did not give room to those accused or denounced to defend themselves. There is no guarantee that other ministerial departments and individuals indexed by the 2012 NACC report as embezzlers will not do same.
What is curious is the fact that of all names, Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis and Hon. PC Fonso are tagged as haven siphoned public funds. Although, their purported financial crime is that they allegedly received undue sitting fees in the Inter-ministerial Commission, IMC of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, it raises eyebrows, given the integrity and public credibility that these two personalities command. Could it be an error on the part of NACC, or is NACC being used by some hidden hands to settle scores, is the question on many lips.
Reading through the 2012 NACC report on the state of corruption in Cameroon ; a report that dedicates more than10 pages to the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife; one easily leaves with the impression that Prof Ngolle Ngolle is being scapegoated. The report after accusing him of diverse inconsistencies in procedure, ranging from usurpation of the role of the chair of the Inter-ministerial Commission, through the refusal of the application of the directives of NACC to the embezzlement of public funds, he is requested to pay the sum of FCFA 1.5 million. Was the report actually tailored only to tarnish Ngolle Ngolle’s image or it actually reflected the state of things as they obtained as of the time of the investigation, which was February, March and April 2011? Amongst other flimsy accusations levied against Prof Ngolle Ngolle is hostility towards NACC team. It is common knowledge that the Inter-ministerial Commission, IMC in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife has representatives from other ministerial department and the National Assembly. It is also on record that the chair of the Inter-ministerial Commission is the Secretary General in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and not the Minister. It is no longer news that when Ngolle Ngolle realized that some unorthodox practices were going on in his ministry, he personally invited the National Anti Corruption Commission, NACC to visit his ministerial department and through light on happenings there. How could he in turn be accused of being hostile to NACC? Equally, when NACC asked for the dissolution of the Inter-ministerial Commission, the matter was referred to the Presidency of the Republic which in turn tasked the Prime Minister, Head of Government to listen to both parties; that is NACC and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife. Sources close to the Star Building adduce to the fact that during the meeting, Prof Ngolle Ngolle stated that the Inter-ministerial Commission had representatives from other ministerial departments and institutions and he had no powers to dissolve such a structure. He then requested the PM, Head of Government to give him the written authority to dissolve the structure, a thing which was not done. In the wake of the matter, it is alleged that Dieudonne Massi Gams, chairman of NACC even wrote back to Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, reassuring him that after proper investigations, NACC had found out that he was in order and should continue functioning with the Inter-ministerial Commission. Was that a mere ploy by NACC to stab Ngolle Ngolle on the back? The answer is of course in the affirmative, if not how could NACC accused Ngolle Ngolle of embezzling HIPIC funds when he was not the one managing them?  If not a ploy how could that be possible when Ngolle Ngolle complained about his collaborator that managed HIPIC funds and he was arrested and is facing justice, yet Ngolle Ngolle is tagged for haven siphoned such funds?
Ploy To Efface Ngolle Ngolle’s Billboard In Ministry Of Forestry And Wildlife  
Give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. This is just what is happening to Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis. His detractors thought that he was down and out. Yet, they realized that the indefatigable University Don was still material for use anyway anytime. To completely efface him from the political arena and public appreciation, his detractors swung into action and united their forces and concocted stories filled to the brim with fabrications just in a bid to soil him. There is no gainsaying that Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s performances as a minister were laudable and remain indelible. And in a government were inertia and mediocrity had elected permanent residence, the very workaholic and proactive Prof Ngolle Ngolle was bound to have detractors. His crime is haven succeeded where others fumbled and are still fumbling. It is common knowledge that when Ngolle Ngolle was Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, he had ferocious attacks even within his ministerial departments as most directors wanted undue advantages and he refused to cede to their machinations. Many of his collaborators tried to undermine his authority and most of them indulged in financial malpractices just as a way of tarnishing his billboard. Some of his collaborators struggled in vain to ensnare and induce him into error. Void of finding any blemish on him, they turned to the NACC and fed the structure with half-baked facts that the institution erroneously endorsed without proper investigation. There is a popular saying that administration is continuous but Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s successor seems oblivious to this principle.  When he took over, he apparently questioned everything done by Prof Ngolle Ngolle to the point of nullifying appointments and contracts with lumbering companies that Ngolle Ngolle signed. Even the SG is alleged to be behind the woes of Prof Ngolle Ngolle. Tongues are wagging that he used his filial relationship with Dieudonne Massi Gams (they are married from same family) to pinned down Ngolle Ngolle in purported acts of corruption. The amount Ngolle Ngolle is accused of haven embezzled sends giggles through people’s minds. How could he have managed billions and stole a meager FCFA 1.5 million, many are wont to ask. Even in accounting principles all accounts that balance are not correct accounts for there is always a margin for human error. But why this cabal against Prof Ngolle Ngolle?
Paying The Price For Loyalty, Hard Work And Transparency
 Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s only crime is his exceeding intelligence, political loyalty and proactive workaholic nature that propelled the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to higher heights. Conventional wisdom holds that when you transform something neglected into an enviable art, others will want to dislodge you to reap the fruits of what they did not plant. Prof Ngolle Ngolle rendered the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife enviable through his hard work and transparent management of both human and physical resources. In order to improve on the quality and competitiveness of Cameroon wood abroad, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle negotiated, obtained and signed the FLEGT partnership between Cameroon and the European Union in May 2010. He equally signed other important protocol agreements that have improved on the management policy of Cameroon forest to the appreciation of foreign donors. It is no longer news that personnel of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife arte better equipped and armed to tackle forestry problems thanks to palpable reforms put in place by Prof Ngolle Ngolle. He was one of the greatest architects of President Paul Biya’s Greater Accomplishment efforts as he did everything to push the forest sector towards becoming the life-wire of Cameroon ’s efforts towards an emerging economy in 2035. Illegal logging and lumbering that used to be legendary in Cameroon is now something of the past thanks to the efforts put in place by Prof Ngolle Ngolle to dislodge illegal powerful lumbering companies from Cameroonian forests. 

Congratulations to Dr. Nick Ngwanyam

Accept greetings from me and my Cameroonian friends in Libreville , Gabon . We were gratefully proud last night when we watched over Africa 24, and you spelled out the spiritual know how that it takes to read into our beloved Cameroon 30 years back. You truly opened the eyes of many of us who were on satellite that same evening. I called a friend back at home to follow your discussion over Africa 24, but he was not connected to the channel. He then forwarded your address, but by the time I got it, the almost 20 minutes’ interview had finished.
Dr., continue to educate Cameroonians as much as you can. Many Cameroonians are used to blaming the president, but like you said over Africa 24, they should go ahead and work for themselves and stop complaining that there is no job. I strongly support your ideas.
Many Cameroonians do not know about professional education and all they want is government to offer jobs, too bad. Do not stop to educate your country people, else you will be punished because you knew the truth and you did not save the people.
Vibunashi Kyria, Libreville Gabon

Educational Options: Cameroon Beyond 2035

Mbangfon Nick Ngwanyam
Presentation by Dr Nick Ngwanyam, MD on 27th November, 2012 at CATTU/FES Workshop; Resort 84 Hotel
 If you want something you have never had, do something you have never done.
If you plant maize for a hundred years, you will harvest maize. If you want yams, you MUST LEARN how to grow yams.
In 1960, curricula were designed and used in Cameroon to achieve one goal: CAMEROONIANS HAD TO READ AND WRITE.
This was necessary at the time because our offices were empty, we had to communicate with the rest of the world and we had to do business. There was NO adequate man power at independence.
When you are dependent, someone thinks, plans, decides and works for you.
When you are independent, you take RESPONSIBILITY for your life.
WISDOM = INFORMATION + UNDERSTANDING + DOING
Information + Understanding = 50% of the solution to your problems.
DOING efficiently and effectively = 50%
ATTITUDE = 75% OF OUR SUCCESS
CERTIFICATES = 25%
Our two sub systems of education were left in place by the two colonial masters.
The African disease is IGNORANCE and IRRESPONSIBILITY.
What Is The Problem?
So far, we have argued that it was necessary to HARMONIZE the two systems. This is because on the field, some groups of people seem to have  a lion’s share of opportunities emanating from the educational system while others are left behind.
Let us suppose that Anglophones and Francophones shared the job opportunities in Cameroon in the civil service and private sector on a 50/50 basis. Will that solve our problems? NO!
According to system thinking, harmonization is not what we need because we failed to identify our problem.
Understanding The Problem
What are genes and chromosomes for? Why is a man different from a woman? Why are some people white and some black, short and tall, fat and thin, hairy and smooth, aggressive and gentle?
Why does John look and act different from James? GENETICS!
A computer has system soft ware and operational soft ware. It can only do what it was programmed to do and nothing beyond the capacity of the soft ware that controls it.
A human being can only give you what he has got. Period!
Why can we not make a car in Cameroon ? If the Chinese open up a factory in Bamenda in January 2013 and make a car by June 2013. If you label that car as made in Cameroon , is it a TRUTH or a LIE?
Look at all the things around you and name which ones are truly made in Cameroon . That is the PROBLEM.
· When shall we have a car made in CAMEROON ?
· When shall that car be made by Cameroonians?
· What do we Cameroonians need to make a car?
· Money? Land? Youths? Roads? Airports? Sea port? Raw materials? Electricity? What???
The genetic pool in any living organism is called the GENOTYPE. It expresses itself physically in something we can see, feel, hear, smell and touch. This gives us a concrete picture reflecting the hidden codes in the genetic makeup of that organism. This unique expression of the genotype is called the PHENOTYPE. That is what makes me different from you. The GENES.
Education In A Nation
Education in any nation is the total bank of all the information, understanding and wisdom in that nation. All the development, activities, politics, health, hygiene, financial sanity, job creation, security, habits etc that you see in any nation, are the physical expression of the education the people got. They can only conceive, change and interact with their environment to the level and capacity of their thought processes.
What does education do to a person and then a people?
It brings INFORMATION. This leads to FORMATION and with the right attitude creates TRANSFORMATION in the communities.
Cameroon has a problem because we are getting the wrong information, wrong formation and so we are unable to TRANSFORM. That is the problem. Would harmonization cause transformation? NO!!!
So, why waste energy, time and resources trying to solve a ghost problem that will yield no fruits?
· Where are we? – You need to travel.
· What do we want? – Define what you want
· Where do we want to be?
· Whom do we want to copy?- Eye a model
· What do we want to create?
· Do we want to be rich, comfortable and healthy?
· What do we mean by emergence in 2035?
· Is it a political slogan?
· Do we emerge because the president said so or do we emerge from what we do?
If a decree is issued saying that we must emerge come 2035, does that in itself make us emerge?
If we study Greek, Latin and Italian, would that make for emergence? If we dance very well and sing as well, would that help?  If beer is free for all to drink, how would it help positively for emergence? What about irresponsibility, corruption, favoritism, tribalism, etc
If everybody went to ENAM or ENS, would that help us to emerge?
What do we need to emerge???
Why are there no jobs in Cameroon ? Why are the youths underemployed? Why is insecurity rising? Why is it that there is so much dishonesty?
If I want to bake a good cake and had no idea how to go about it, there is only one way. LEARN TO BAKE A CAKE. There is a curriculum to follow so that I can bake that cake after my studies. Short of this, there is no cake.
Question
What are the primordial needs of our time? 
· Development,
· Job Creation,
· Increasing Our Wealth
Can a curriculum built in 1960 to help us read and write solve our problems of being able to build a car? No!
So what do we need to do?
Change the curriculum completely. We must change the genetic make-up so that the phenotype can change. Change the computer programs. We must do genetic engineering and come up with hybrids that meet our needs.
Statement of Fact
THERE IS NO EMERGENCE WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY
What is technology?
Where do we get it from? Is it sold? Can we learn it? Who has it for sale?
How did Japan grow? China ? South Korea ? India , Brazil ?
Why is Germany doing better that some other European countries like Italy , Spain and Greece ? Why is there a trade war between America and China ?
If there is a war today between a country like Japan against all of Africa, Japan will beat us pants down. Why? They can study us via satellite, bomb all our cities and villages from the air. How many of us can read a map and tell where Japan is? How shall we get to their country to attack them? By boat or by witchcraft? Would your clubs, spears and arrows be of some help? I know we can make Dane-guns but have no clue how gun power comes about.
Can we make aspirin or paracetamol? I know we are good at making potato chips, ‘baton de manioc’ and drying bitter leaf in the sun. We have advanced because we can also dry ‘njama njama’, our invention and capacities end there. What else can we do? A bamboo chair, some mask for a masquerade and some tiger skin for the fon. How do you conquer the Japanese with these?
Do you know that all the countries of the world fall in four classes?
A) G 8 countries which include America , Canada , Britain , Germany , France , Russia , China , Japan .
B) Class B countries are newly emergent nations like Brazil , India , South Korea , Singapore , Malaysia , Israel .
C) Class C would be nations like South Africa , Nigeria , Ghana , Egypt , Venezuela , Tunisia , Pakistan , Iran , Syria
D) Class D are Cameroon , Gabon , Kenya , Mali , Central African Republic , Equatorial Guinea etc
If Cameroon wants to emerge, which country or which class do we want to copy?
To seek to be like America is foolish. There is no way you can go from class two in primary school to class seven. It cannot happen.
However, it is good to aim for the stars. So we want to be like South Korea , Brazil and India .
· What Kind of studies do they pursue from primary, secondary, high school and university?
· What kinds of universities do they have?
· If we did a survey to find out the distribution of what the students learn in South Korea and compared that with what happens in Cameroon , what would we see?
· So what must we do so that we can also build television sets, cell phones and cars like the South Koreans do?
The Way Forward for Cameroon
We should look at the curricula of studies in the countries of class B. We should merge them up by bringing together things that are common at the primary, secondary and university levels.
We can then add some other ingredients to these and we have the CAMEROONIAN CURRICULUM.
We can then translate this common document into French and English. This unique document is a harmonized version of what we have been looking for. Set a deadline for implementation. Say 2015. There will no longer be sub systems and we shall be on our way to 2035.
What is the Common Thread in this Curriculum?
You will notice that science and technology are given the pride of place. Computer studies and professional education geared towards production, industrialization, research and development, marketing, financing, customer service, accountability and transparency are top on the list. They learn net working, espionage and how to steal technology. They must learn entrepreneurship.
Attitude
To this curriculum, we have to add citizenship, respect for others and public goods. We have to learn to work and to like work that is well done. Honesty and self discipline have to be our hall marks. We must respect the environment.
We must respect merit. We must learn to appreciate each other and to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.
This Is How Cameroon Should Work To Transfer Technology
We should discourage importation and favor local production of goods and services. It will be tough to begin with but it is a necessary pill to swallow.
Machines for industrial production and raw materials should be brought into the country tax free.
Newly created industries should pay no taxes for five years and should employ certain numbers of youths to be predetermined. The more youths you employ, the less taxes you should pay.
Factories and industries setting up must comply with a policy document which obliges them to keep their doors open for students in training in technical schools, universities and colleges to come in and carry out practical work.
Foreign Companies
Foreign companies setting up manufacturing industries in Cameroon should be encouraged but tied up to certain clauses.
They have to employ a minimum number of Cameroonians in the mid level and top positions.
They have to teach our university students and lecturers their technology.
These students have to come to their factory to do practical work.
A certain predetermined number of these students must go to the countries the industries come from to learn, work and practice in those industries and universities and subsequently return to Cameron to strengthen industrial production and local capacities to produce.
Cameroonians In The Diaspora
Those of them who have learned some skills and have a production capacity should be given lots of incentives to come back home and invest.
Dr. Nick Ngwanyam, MD
Surgeon and Urologist. Director St Louis University Institute of Health Bamenda.
Tel 237 7776 46 74, stlouisclinicbamenda@yahoo.co.uk, www.saintlouisgroup.cm

Mache Joseph Bertrand: An Unassuming Senior Civil Administrator

The best thing that ever happened to Mezam in general and Bamenda city in particular was to have had Mr. Mache Joseph Bertrand as Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Mezam division. Mr. Mache Joseph Bertrand who is a senior and respected civil administrator came to Bamenda as Mezam SDO some four years ago. Apparently the longest serving SDO for Mezam in the past 20 years, Mr. Mache Bertrand has been seen as the silent locomotive in the development and progress march of Mezam in general and the city of Bamenda in particular. His stay in Mezam division has been so eventful that everybody in Mezam wished he stayed longer. His charming and disarming smiles notwithstanding, Mache Joseph Bertrand has been the very epicenter of economic and social life in Bamenda.
The one person in Bamenda who knows Mache Bertrand just so well and made it a point last November 16, 2012 at the send-off and installation of the new Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, is Vincent Nji Ndumu, Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council. Vincent Nji Ndumu, known for never mincing words said he had no doubt that Mache Bertrand has endeared himself to the people of Bamenda and was leaving the place with a very heavy heart.
 
Remarkable Achievements
In enumerating his achievements, Vincent Nji Ndumu was unequivocal about the efforts Mache Bertrand has put in transforming the Bamenda city. He stressed that when Mache Bertrand was installed some four years ago, the ceremonial grounds were not what they are today. Under the leadership of Mache Bertrand, Bamenda has had the most impressive grandstand only second to the one in Yaounde . The grandstand today is a key attraction in Bamenda city. Ndumu stressed that the general transformation of the city of Bamenda has happened under the watchful and supervisory eyes of Mache Joseph.
The outgone SDO also assisted Bamenda in no small way through their first steps as a city council, especially when it set out to clear the streets of containers, making the city centre more airy and most modern. Mache Bertrand is credited for having stood by the city of Bamenda to ensure that order was brought into the motorbike transport sector as well as in the management of traffic congestion on the main streets of the city with the introduction of parking meters.
One cannot count Mache Bertrand’s achievements without mentioning the thorny and later, effective privatization and management of public stand taps and the lighting of all street corners in Bamenda.
It is equally thanks to the tactful and methodical management style of Mache Bertrand that order was brought back to reign within the city board of the Bamenda city council, yet another new structure that saw the light of day with the municipal transformation of Bamenda under Mache’s stewardship from an Urban to a City council. Vincent Nji Ndumu however, did not fail to attribute his success to the fortunate fact that Mache Bertrand has had the singular privilege of working with two governors in the North West Region. It was under the direct supervision of Mache Joseph Bertrand that Bamenda was transformed from an urban to a city council. In paying glowing tribute to the outgone Mache Bertrand, Vincent Nji Ndumu did not fail to express his appreciation and kind regards to his successor at the council, Mr. Tadzong Sandjou Abel Ndeh, who together with Mache Bertrand worked tirelessly to see to it that Bamenda became what it is today.
Too true to himself, the Government Delegate did not fail to recognize the hurdles Mache Joseph Bertrand has had while serving as SDO in Mezam. Given the specific difficulties and challenges in Mezam given its cultural background with extremely powerful fondoms and given the fact that Bamenda is the bedrock of Cameroon politics, the outgone SDO had his share of hurdles. This notwithstanding, the Bamenda Government Delegate holds that if a panoramic view of his administrative career were to be taken, one would conclude that Mache Bertrand has been a lucky man indeed.
 
His Insightful Career
Interestingly, Mache Joseph Bertrand before coming to Mezam division was SDO for the Diamare in the Far North Region with Maroua as administrative seat and Regional headquarters. From there, he came to Bamenda, administrative seat of Mezam and Regional headquarters of the North West . According to Vincent Nji Ndumu, the one thing in common with the two is that Mache Bertrand had the Governor just next door. Like Bamenda and Maroua, Dschang, the new destination of the outgone SDO, is a University city . This means that Mache Bertrand remains in control, and the buck stops within him.
While inviting the outgone Mache Bertrand to always feel free to come back to Bamenda especially for his weekends and holidays, Vincent Nji Ndumu declared that Bamenda was and remains his second home. How could it be otherwise, Vincent Nji Ndumu opined, when he and his dear wife, Sylvie spent the best of their adult life in Bamenda. Proof positive has been the fact that it was in Bamenda that God blessed the Maches with “a wonderful baby-girl”- Joseph Marthe Kelly. The Chronicle newspaper joins the Government Delegate to the Bamenda city council, Vincent Nji Ndumu to wish Mache Joseph Bertrand well in his new functions in the Menoua and continue to share in his glory. The sky is the limit.

Editorial:Biya Concerts With His Ministers: What Signals?

Yaounde , the nation’s capital was gripped by a morose atmosphere early on Tuesday November 27, 2012. The country was not bereaved but work in all ministerial departments was apparently grounded. Even the closest collaborators of government ministers were seen skittering around with anxiety as their bosses carried heavy faces and were apparently very tense. Some of them looked very restive as they had not slept that night due to the announcement convening them to the Unity Palace for a cabinet meeting with the Head of State. What was going to be the outcome of such a cabinet meeting, most of them were bound to introspect, given that cabinet meetings are not frequent in Cameroon and President Paul Biya often reshuffles government after such cabinet meetings. Some ministers are appointed and sacked without them having the opportunity to meet the Head of State. Some of them only meet the Head of State during the routine New Year wishes at the Unity Palace . For instance, in 1993 there was not even a single cabinet meeting between President Paul Biya and his ministers. In 1994, the Head of State held four cabinet meetings and another cabinet meeting was only held on July 3, 2009. After the December 9, 2011 government, President Paul Biya united the newly formed government led by PM Philemon Yang around him on December 15, 2011 where he gave them specific instructions and deadlines to deliver while at the same time requiring from each ministerial department a roadmap of activities, projects and perspectives. These roadmaps were conceived by the different ministerial departments, forwarded to the PM, validated and forwarded to the President for final validation. After their validation and execution, they were evaluated by the services of the Prime Minister on a scale of 134 points and the results forwarded to the Head of State for final appreciation. Consequently, when the Head of State summoned the cabinet meeting at the Unity Palace , cabinet ministers who were aware of their mediocre performances were those who were carrying heavy faces to the Unity Palace for fear of the unknown. Tension was equally heightened given that President Paul Biya has the tendency of forming his government in November or December. Another issue that added to the fright of the cabinet ministers was the recent happening in Ivory Coast where the President, Allassane Ouattara dissolved his entire government during a session of the National Assembly. Thus the fear of the unknown and the unexpected was quite visible on the faces of cabinet ministers as they trooped into the Unity Palace . Civilities that often characterize a reunion of ministers with the Prime Minister were totally absent and each minister entered the conference hall of the Unity Palace situated on the third floor very tense and weary.
However, President Paul Biya diffused the tension when he started the in camera cabinet meeting that lasted for 30 minutes. The meeting had only one point on the agenda, which was the evaluation of ministerial roadmaps midway their execution. After the meeting, the cabinet ministers left the Unity Palace quite relax beaming with smiles, unlike the time they entered the hall. According to Prime Minister Philemon Yang who was the only person authorized to speak to the press, the cabinet meeting was a forum for the Head of State to talk about government work and solidarity and to give directives to cabinet ministers to double their efforts. PM Yang said the Head of State always directs the government and that cabinet ministers were happy to be around the Head of State. PM Yang was very elusive in his response and said details of what transpired in the cabinet meeting would be discussed later.
 
Is PM Yang The Scapegoat?
Like in any examination where each candidate thinks he or she has given the best and blames the examiner for failing him or her, some cabinet ministers who have performed poorly midway in the execution of roadmaps they adopted are putting their blame on PM Yang for evaluating them poorly. Despite the fact that PM Yang organized a seminar to prepare ministers on the execution of their roadmaps and the methods of auto-evaluation, some still see him as an enemy to their remaining in government. The Head of State decided to choose PM Philemon Yang as the chief examiner of the ministers in regard to the execution of the ministerial roadmaps. This is not an easy task given that some ministers have and claim filial and other special relationships with the Head of State. In this wise whether they perform poorly or not in the execution of their roadmaps, they see no reason why they should be evaluated as performing poorly by PM Yang. Immediately the services of the PM evaluated the ministerial roadmaps, some of the ministers started picking quarrels with the method of evaluation used by the services of the PM. It is even alleged and circulated in high quarters that the Head of State, powerless in front of such ministers decided to use PM Philemon Yang as the scapegoat to flush them out of government. These ministers who claim to be related to the Head of State in special ways are the ones perpetrating government inertia and have always had a gripped on the Head of State. What remains a puzzle is whether PM Yang’s evaluation of their performances in their ministerial roadmaps will be used to justify their exit from government or not. Equally, will these purported power brokers actually leave government or will they team up against Yang and ask for his dismissal from the Star Building still remains unanswered. What is certain is the fact that PM Yang has been given a delicate task and his survival depends solely on the Head of State, who can decided to maintain him or to flush him alongside some very unproductive cabinet ministers.
 
Imminent Reshuffle After The Cabinet Meeting?
Analysts of President Paul Biya’s motives hold strongly that he will reshuffle the present cabinet before mid December. They say he held the cabinet meeting on November 27, 2012 as a way to bid farewell to most of his ministers as they will no longer have the opportunity to meet him. Some even argue that the new government will be announced either on the 8 or 9 December; that is exactly one year after the last one. Those who hold this opinion argue strongly that President Paul Biya immediately after taking oath of office of his new seven year mandate vowed to make Cameroon a huge work site. And that he wants ministers who would help him push Cameroon to emerging economy in 2035. For this reason, cabinet ministers who have performed poorly within the first half of their ministerial roadmaps will be shown the exit door from government. This is why many Cameroonians are expecting a total overhaul of the government and the bringing in of new blood to pilot the several infrastructural projects earmarked for Cameroon ’s emergence in 2035. Another postulation is that Paul Biya wants to wipe the Marafa influence and bitter sentiments in Garoua by appointing somebody from there into government and also from areas where he was overwhelmingly voted during the last Presidential Elections but have no ministerial portfolio. It is alleged that with senatorial, legislative and municipal elections in the offing, Paul Biya intends to placate the electorate with ministerial portfolios where he has no strong political support.
However, many are of the opinion that Paul Biya will not reshuffle the Yang led-government soon as they have not yet finished with the execution of their roadmaps. It is alleged that Paul Biya called them to Unity Palace to sound a warning that those who will not sit-up and carry through with the projects that they earmarked in their roadmaps will face his wrath at the end of the given period. Whatever the case, ministers are gripped with fear and anxiety while intense lobbying is taken place at the Unity Palace . Some ministers have already cleared their tables and packed their bags while others that have never listened to the radio have bought potable radio receivers that they stealthily listened to during the newscasts.

Leave Quiet Biya’s Son Franck Alone: What If He Was Like Other Sons Of Other African Leaders?

Can people leave Franck Emmanuel Biya alone? Why all this mudslinging, witch-hunting and mayhem about Franck Biya, somebody who has refused to be assuming and overzealous as his peers in the African continent? It is often said that let sleeping dogs lie because they are harmless at that position. But anyone who advertently steps on the tail of a sleeping dog should prepare to face the dire consequences of its unforgiving fangs.
 Franck Emmanuel Olivier Biya, the quiet and highly studious eldest son of President Paul Biya has been leading his life in discrete solitude, far from the madding crowd of politics and publicity. But since a renowned musician sang that whether you give birth to a child or not people must talk about you and that whatever thing you do here on earth, people must talk about you or about it, Franck Biya’s name has suddenly become sugar in the mouths of some people. However, talking positively about something somebody has done can be a source of encouragement for that person to do more and for others to emulate that laudable example.  But to criticize unjustly and perhaps simply because you are not the other person by the mere law of nature and procreation and that you are unable to do what the other person has done is mere malice that needs to be energetically rebuked by people of conscience. It is common knowledge that being a celebrity or the child of a celebrity or political figure is a cause for discussions in certain areas, especially to idle minds and jealous people who have nothing to do. Equally, conventional wisdom holds that when you are unable to assail somebody, you attack that person’s dog in order to attract the person’s attention. Apprentis sorciers politicians and prophets of dome who on numerous occasions have been unable to face President Paul Biya in democratic elections, because they have no workable alternative to power, have decided to find solace in attacking his family and family members, especially as Paul Biya himself is exceedingly tolerant to insults and all sorts of attacks. But why should somebody pay for the crimes of another if at all such a person committed the apparent crimes? Even in legal jurisprudence, everybody is responsible for his or her acts, just as salvation is personal in the Bible.
   Franck Emmanuel Biya, the eldest son of Paul Biya has suddenly become the centre of attraction, albeit his discreteness. In fact some media organs are sponsored by detractors of the presidential family to soil the name of Franck Biya and by extrapolation the presidential family. Franck Biya’s company AFRIONE CAMEROUN SA is being accused of procuring treasury bonds of CAMTEL and CNPS worth FCA 100 billion at zero interest. His detractors adduced that Franck Biya acquired the treasury bonds through an obscure procedure. A little known NGO, stealthily created to soil the name of Franck Biya went as far as demanding Parliament to one an inquiry into the matter, a request Parliament quashed. The reaction of parliament just like the numerous write-ups to defend Franck Biya is not accidental. Firstly, the acquisition of the Treasury Bonds by Franck Biya’s company was done in total legality and following laid down rules governing financial transactions. This is why even a group of lawyers has swung into action to defend the quiet Franck Biya who has chosen the private sector, where there is cut throat competition to earn his life honestly.
 
Why If Franck Biya Wanted To Behave Like Sons Of Other African Leaders?  
Those who are out to soil Franck Biya’s name accused him of eyeing the presidency of Cameroon . This is completely false because since childhood, though born in the presidency, Franck Biya has never pretended to eye that portfolio. He decided to be aloof and passive about politics and very active in the private sector where he has employed many Cameroonians and is honestly earning his living without any external influence from his background. Franck Biya did his Primary, Secondary and Higher Education in Cameroon and never acted in school as the son of the Head of State. He was always simple and toed the line like any ordinary student. After High School he went abroad and obtained his Bachelor’s degree before proceeding to USA where he bagged an MBA in Business Administration. After his education, if Franck Biya wanted to behave like the children of other African leaders he would have fronted himself into the public administration and why not become a minister. But Franck Emmanuel Olivier Biya decided to fight for himself and not depend on his presidential background. News abound how children of African leaders have been chased away from schools abroad because of their extravagant life styles. Franck Biya went to school and nobody heard anything about him as he was modest and simple.
Did Cameroonians want Franck Biya to be like the children of late Colonel Khadaffi? In fact his children occupied the most important portfolios in government not through right but through might and the simple fact that their father was president. What about Kabila who succeeded his father or Faure Gnassimbe who as son of the President fronted, entered government and later succeeded his father at the helm of the State? What about Ali Bongo who was Minister of Defense and later succeeded his father? What about Karim Wade who wanted to put the entire country on fire because he wanted to succeed his father? What about Theodorin Obiang Nguema, son of the President of Equatorial Guinea that is being pursued international for financial crimes and who is second in command to his father and will possible succeed his father? Did Cameroonians want Franck Biya to be like these other sons of African leaders? Why not leave the young energetic Franck Biya pursue his business in tranquility as he has been doing? What crime has he committed? Is being the son of the Head of State, a crime? Cameroonians should instead congratulate Franck Biya for saving from collapse CAMTEL and CNPS, companies that are providing numerous jobs to Cameroonians. By the way Franck Biya is a mere shareholder in AFRIONE Cameroun S.A and is not liable to any financial crimes committed by the company. Enemies of progress should look for incriminating material somewhere else, but if they have to look for such material about Franck Biya, then it is an exercise in futility for he is financially clean.
 

Franck Biya Chose An Admirable Itinerary- Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo

Even as President Paul Biya, National President of the CPDM request with insistence that all Cameroonians contribute in their own small ways to the emergence of the nation by 2035, others have chosen to destroy and to derail well meaning Cameroonians from the reality. The latest victim of this macabre campaign is Franck Biya- a young, humble and peace loving Cameroonian, who despite his solid professional and university training and having all the opportunities and chances to walk the rungs of public administration, decided to go into the private sector where a lot of challenges tenacity and creativity is the watchword.
The Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement thinks like Albert Camus that there is more to be admired in man than to be chastised. The party abhors all attempts, all diabolical attempts where when somebody does not belong to one’s political party, he is seen to be evil. Convinced like Socrates that nobody freely becomes evil, the CPDM prefers to allow everybody that has been accused of any crime to the Cameroon Justice system which is independent to take a decision. This means that every accused person gets an opportunity to defend his/her self and a sovereign decision is taken.
Rather, some unscrupulous Cameroonians have taken upon themselves the role of the courts to be judging and sentencing people in the courts of public opinion without the smallest iota of shame. They simply identify, judge and condemn people based on their political leanings or their tribe or family of origin. When people have failed to win regularly organized elections they turn to other ultrapolitical maneuvers in order to convince their floating electorate that they still matter.
 
The Objective of These Tropical Robespierre
An exhaustive decoding of these tropical Robespierres is to enable a majority of Cameroonians believe that Operation Epervier is a politically motivated initiative where the regime goes for its enemies. They would want people to understand that this operation has nothing to do with the redressing of the economic situation and restoring a healthy financial situation. They fail to understand that this falls in line with the ‘rigour and moralization’ policy instituted since November 6, 1982. For quite some time they have been giving the impression that President Paul Biya is a satanic hero animated by the lone objective of perpetrating himself in power and has never offered anything to Cameroonians, not even roads, water, electricity, university, hospital, not even the restitution of Bakassi to Cameroon, not even optic fibre, talk less of primary and secondary schools. They see only the negatives in whatever Biya does.
But those who see things differently, those who support the politics of truth, responsibility, solidarity, fraternity and prosperity and liberty of President Paul Biya are seen as misfits and do not qualify to find favour in them. It is even inadmissible that some of these adversaries of the New Deal who have the tendency of pushing the incongruous beyond the limits and attack even people who only want to peacefully do their own businesses. After looking around in vain to crumble the political system, they have gone for Franck Biya. And in a vain attempt to criminalize him they have gone for tons of lies about his person.
 
The Unassuming Franck Biya
Franck Biya is a young brilliant and modest man who is successful as a business entrepreneur and many detractors do not take this lightly. With a rich background he still did his nursery, primary and secondary education in Cameroon leading to the obtention of certificates like the CEPEC, BEPC, Probatoire and BACC. He continued with his higher education studies in the United States of America where he obtained a B.A and later an MBA in Business Administration. In all, he has had a smooth educational and remarkable career. Can one honestly claim that he has only been spoon-fed. Not at all! After his education he chose the right path using the right means and methodology, the path of excellence. He took the pains to remain discrete and efficient, far from the ostentation that his privileged position of the son of a head of state confers on him naturally, as is obtained in other countries. After all, I am aware of other young people like him in other places who are constantly in the public eye.
Franck Biya took all the pains to be courteous, he would have decided to be arrogant, insolent, but he chose to be humble, meticulous, hardworking and creative. He took all the risk to create his own company, convinced like the Economist Joseph Schumpter that an entrepreneur is one who takes risks. In opting for this, he wanted to create more job opportunities for Cameroonians. In doing this, he also contributes by paying taxes. When he takes a loan from the bank, he does everything possible to settle the loan and on time, the same any economic operator worth his salt would do. He contributes like every youth of his age running a small and medium-size company to increasing the gross, domestic product. He laboriously cultivates his garden, as once said Voltaire. The financial operation imputed on him by certain misguided individuals who are against the New Deal and propagated by a certain media is part of a normal procedure that any entrepreneur can undertake whether he or she is a Franck Biya or M. Dupont in order to maximize his financial fortunes in all honesty and in total respect of commercial law. Mr. Jean Pierre Amougou Belinga has explained with all clarity and detail the mechanism of such operations in Cameroon Tribune of November 22, 2012 (P.7). It is needless today to come back to such explanations.
All the activism around the financial operations of Franck Biya gives the impression that Franck is a natural successor to his father. The truth I can tell you is that there is no natural successor in Cameroon . Natural succession takes place in a monarchy. Cameroon is not a monarchy. It is a democratic and liberal republic. Accession to the supreme magistracy, follows particular led down mechanisms- inscribed in the constitution.
I advise  everybody to cultivate his garden by for example mobilizing citizens who have reached voting age to go get the names on electoral rolls, judiciously treat his documents, get involved in agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, arts and craft, manage well his/her enterprise and others. Anybody who cultivates his garden judiciously, be it in politics, economy, social or cultural, will be recognized by the nation. And this is sufficient for a human being.
In the CPDM, this is the credo: that everybody should go down to work in peace and for love of county. Only Cameroonians, sovereign and masters of their destiny, would freely choose the successor of President Paul Biya, when history shall decide to come out of its quietude. Leave Franck Biya alone. He just needs but a peaceful atmosphere toi go about his business.
Translated from Cameroon Tribune, “Chronicle’s translation”

Wirsiy Fabian Yufui;Doing Ordinary Things In An Extraordinary Manner

There is no gainsaying the fact that the world is full of unsung and undiscovered heros. In his 23 years of service to the nation, Wirsiy Fabian Yufui has done so many ordinary things in an extraordinary manner. Even though like every functionary, he is overtaken by routine, Wirsiy Fabian, unlike his contemporaries, do so many ordinary things in an extraordinary manner. as an agricultural engineer, he puts a lot of innovation and inspiration as well as the love of the job into everything he does. It is for this reason that he was about the lone Divisional Delegate that organized a Farmers’ Open Day last April 20, 2012 in Ngoketunjia.
As innovative as he is, a farmers’ day would be the only communication channel by which farmers would commune with the consumers, other stakeholders and more importantly, the administration.
Mr. Wirsiy Fabian Yufui did not just end there yet. He took the pains of a caring administrator to canvass for the much-needed funds and material support worth 1.330.000 FCFA for farmers’ groups in his area of competence. He has been instrumental in the revamping of the coffee and cocoa sector in Ngoketunjia where over 50 hectares of new farmlands have been farmed for coffee and over 10 hectares for cocoa. Thanks to his proactive approach, farmers in Ngoketunjia now receive support in form of fertilizers from NWCA. He has not just ended there.
In the domain of phytosanitory activities over 20 VPIRs have been trained and supplied with equipment and chemicals for all field interventions. As somebody who loves what he does, and does what he loves, Wirsiy Fabian Yufui lobbied and obtained additional soft loan for Women’s Groups in Ngoketunjia division. A case in point is that of CCJF where 25 women groups received loans worth 60 million for the improvement of their activities.
Believing that it is worthless improving on production when there is no market, Mr. Wirsiy Fabian Yufui decided to get into the promotion of crop Enterprise Development. As if that was not enough, he helped in the reorganization of the Upper Noun Valley Rice Farmers Federation through UNVDA. He has been central in the creation and functioning of farmers organizations within the sectors of maize, coffee, solamum potato, etc. He has also been instrumental in the cultivation of Solamum potato in Ngoketunjia division. Only for the Boyo-Ngoketunjia Solamum potato producers union, Mr. Wirsiy Fabian fetched for them close to 17 million in financial assistance.
Within the young farmers support programme and from 2010-2012, Fabian facilitated the obtention of financial support of over 6 million FCFA to six youth groups. At about the same time and from 2007-2011 and as at 30th September 2012, over 89 Farmers Groups from the maize sub sector have received support thanks to Fabian Yufui to the tune of 51.098.250. At the level of small holders oil palm development programme over 38 groups with over 5700 oil palm plants. In the process, over 21 irrigation equipment to promote off-season cropping of vegetables and food crops were equally given within the same period to groups in Ngoketunjia division.
More importantly, the Divisional Delegation of Agriculture for Ngoketunjia has been instrumental in the effective implementation of the public investment budget (BIP) from 2006-2012 where over 52 farmers groups across the division benefited from close to some 53.500.000 in direct farm inputs, material and financial assistance to enable improve their farm yields.
It is important to know how this Dean of Divisional Delegates in the North West region came about this creativity and ingenuity in realizing these projects. All this is attributed to his background and training. Being a man of very humble beginning, Wirsiy Fabian Yufui has remained a man of mettle.
Born some 50 years ago to Pa Elias Wirsiy (late) and Nkwarir Victorine in Kumbo central, Bui division of the North West Region, Wirsiy Fabian Yufui is married to Emma Bongfen Lukong and God has blessed them with three children.
After his primary and secondary education, he proceeded to the University Centre for Agricultural Techniques in Dschang from 1986 to 1989 where he obtained his professional certificate as the Engineer Principal des Travaux d’Agriculture. Before then, he had studied in the University of Yaounde , department of Natural Sciences from 1984-1985. This senior Agricultural Works Engineer has climbed the rungs of administration in the ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

20.000 Old People In Bamenda On Dec. 05: What For?

By Tegha Otega
In the third year running, the Community Development Volunteer for Technical Assistance, CDVTA would commemorate the international day for the elderly. Internationally, marked every October 1, CDVTA shelved the commemoration in Cameroon for obvious reasons. On Wednesday, December 05, 2012 therefore, the effervescence would be total in Bamenda. It would begin from the Bamenda municipal stadium, move to the commercial avenue, then end at the congress hall. At last 2000 elderlies are expected in Bamenda, including the prominent fons of Oku, Mankon, Kom, Nso. Also, for the first time, the event would be presided at by Adolph Lele Lafrique, North West Governor.
Each time the elderly converge, there is an explosive presence. In Oku, Bui division last year, some 15.000 elderlies were at hand. A year earlier at Belo, Boyo division, some 10.000 elderlies thrilled their day in panache and pageantry.
It is expected that Governor Lele Lafrique would preside alongside the new Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Mezam, Nguele Nguele. Their presence would be worthwhile giving the trappings of CDVTA and its Director, Francis Njuakom.
Unlike previous editions, the elderlies would converge at the heels of the legislative/municipal elections. Chronicle is aware that CDVTA has so far, made available no less than 5000 national identity cards to the elderly to exploit in biometric registration and effectively get registered.
Francis Njuakom, the dynamic Director of CDVTA would have a prismatic billing to unveil to the elderly and the world. As Chronicle is aware, it is on such occasions that the needs of the elderly are expatiated upon.
As the count down to December 05, 2012 continues, there are great expectations about the fate of the Cameroon elderly. Njuakom may inform Cameroonians what his caucus has to alleviate the plight of the elderly.
CDVTA is one of the associations/bodies held in very high esteem by the Minister of Social Affairs and the international community. Catherine Bakang Mbock is expected to despatch an envoy to listen to Njuakom’s message. This is expected to be focial on how the plight of the elderly can be adequately alleviated.
During the past two elderly conventions, the décor has been consistent: march past, exhibition, animation and a lot more. Chronicle gathered that because it is held in Bamenda, the regional headquarters, the effervescence would be unique and unmarched.

Asongwed Quits NW!

- Cataputed As Director In Yaounde
By Musa Isa
The North West Region is in groan! Emmanuel Anyang Asongwed, the Dean of Regional Delegates has quit the scene. Asongwed, according to Decree No. 2012/4087/PM of November 26, 2012 becomes Director of Social Housing and its Promotion. He therefore quits Bamenda for Yaounde to pick up the gauntlet. Asongwed therefore quits the North West , where he served as the Doyen (Dean) of Regional Delegates. He served a region, for nearly 11 years and had his does and don’ts.
Although generally quiet and preferring to intervene when it is absolutely necessary, Asongwed Emmanuel is considered a genius of no small magnitude. His intelligence has been demonstrated in different challenging situations since he was appointed Urban Development Delegate for North West . And until he quit to be elevated as a Director in the central administration in the ministry, he has remained himself: consistent, pragmatic and frank where he loves and hates.
Nobody in Cameroon can talk about the success of President Biya’s visit to Bamenda in 2010 without making reference the central role ASONGWED Emmanuel played in the process. He worked tirelessly to see that major roads in the city received a new facelift. It could have been based on this premise that Asongwed, after serving North West for nearly a decade was thereon catapulted as Director.
Asongwed Emmanuel, being the patriot that he is, always makes sure that if there were to be an error it should not come from him. His greatest achievement however,  is the carriage way or alternative access road from UpStation to Mile Two Nkwen. The road that enables heavy duty cars to avoid the winding and sometimes ecologically unfriendly Station road gives Bamenda a completely new outlook. Another access road is also on the offing through Mbatu and what with development following. For such wonderful initiatives and tenacity, we say bravo to Mr, Asongwed Emmanuel.

Anglophones, Private Media Marginalized At Yaounde National Communication Forum

By Musa Isa
The rare forum for communicators billed for Yaounde , December 5-7, 2012 may not emerge to be a representation of the corp. threats of boycott and disgruntled over the composition of parliaments has since become an issue. By press time, Chronicle subsumed that the public media that has been soliciting for such a forum, have since regretted why it is called-up. Following Chronicle’s investigations, participants had since been reduced to only present and past state employers, especially those who have worked or working with the official media- CRTV or Cameroon Tribune.
So far, some 500 participants have been earmarked for the forum. A list of the composition of members of the scientific committee, pinpoints a neglect. Out of the nearly 300 members appointed by decision No. 057/MINCOM/CAB of November 28, 2012 less than 20 Anglophones have been selected.
Jessie Atogho, Shey Peter Mabu, Emmanuel Tataw, Eric Chinje, Nyoh Moses, Adamu Musa, Gideon Taka, Ful Peter, Anne Nsang, Tricia Oben, Ashu Nyenti, Chief Nkemanyang Paul, Ekoko and Collins Mukete and Charly Ndi Chia. Many have questioned where are the big names in Anglophone journalism. Publishers like Zach Ngandembou, Francis Wache, Boniface Fobin, Eric Motomu are not in the “so-called scientific committee”.
A fortnight ago, invitations were dished out to those considered as participants at the forum. Even Chronicle, the leading English newspaper was not invited. This has since raised doubts as to the credibility of the participants. Pricked to question why Chronicle was not invited, we were never given any adequate response. Chronicle was merely told to apply for accreditation.
The list published by Issa Tchiroma to constitute the scientific committee at the forum, Chronicle sample, is paltry. It comprises of names of those who once worked with CRTV/Cameroon Tribune or those in service; reason why the likes of Joseph Marcel Ndi, Abel Mbengue, Zachary Nkwo, Eric Chinje, Peter Esoka, were still being floated.
Some journalists have questioned whether the forum would reflect the geopolitical balance today. Worthy to note, that it was Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, who opined how Anglophone representation at CRTV overshadowed the 20:80 equation of work force in Cameroon . Yet, Chronicle’s investigation pinpoints to the fact that less than 10% of Anglophones would be represented at this week’s forum.
North West based journalists/publishers operating under the banner of the Union of North West Newspaper Publishers have expressed disgust in a memo. It is addressed to President Paul Biya.
Should it be previewed that the upcoming forum would adequately address the plight of the private press, then it would be less so. (Affair a suivre…)
 

Revealed! How 7 Detained NW Mayors Were Scammed Millions Over Communal Stamps

By Tetuh Mbah
Seven mayors from the North West Region, detained for having misappropriated some 163 million FCFA of proceeds derived from the sales of communal stamps have been crying out for salvation. They have been detained since last July, in the three separate prisons of Bamenda, Mbengwi and Ndop. Access to them has been daunting, yet, Chronicle has been on the beat. Last weekend, Chronicle finalized investigations on how all seven (7) were hooked in the misappropriation racket. We herewith begin startling revelations on each of the seven: SDF’s Tenoh Lawrence of Batibo; SDF’s Tah George Mbah of Mbengwi; SDF’s Awanakam Godlove of Andek and CPDM’s Agogho Johnny of same Andek. Then, CPDM’s Ntoh Daniel of Ndop and Wasum Augustine in Balikumbat and SDF’s Stephen Tikanjo of Babessi. Implicitly, two divisions are involved.
So far, six councils in the North West merely have interim mayors. The actual mayors are behind bars; for their alleged misappropriation of proceeds from the sale of communal stamps: Tah George of Mbengwi- 20 million FCFA; Johnny Agogho of Andek- 34 million FCFA; Lawrence Tenoh of Batibo- 17.3 million FCFA; Ntoh Daniel of Ndop and Wasum Augustine of Balikumbat each implicated to refund 9.7 million FCFA; while Stephen Tikanjo of Babessi faulted to refund nearly 20 million. But what about Godlove Awanakam, outgone mayor of Andek? Chronicle herewith begin its investigation report with Awanakam.
 
How Awanakam Was Hooked
All six (6) mayors detained for their alleged misappropriation of communal stamps money are mayors in control. Godlove Awanakam long left the Andek (Ngie) helm in 2007. Yet, he was picked-up for having swindled 4 million FCFA as proceeds from the sale of communal stamps. Was it trumped-up or simply to kill SDF in Ngie, given that Awanakam is the SDF District Chairman there?
According to Chronicle’s investigations, rather than being duped, Awanakam was coaxed to pulsate in a financial transaction; reason why Awanakam has the least sum (4 million FCFA to pay back). Yet, could he have been faulted given that it was his name that was used to lure his successor, Johnny Agogho?
It is on record that a certain Emmanuel Mbanwei alias Emmanuel Becks, championed what has brought down six North West mayors. Chronicle learnt that ‘Becks’ coaxed Mayor Awanakam to withdraw communal stamps worth 30 million FCFA from taxation in Yaounde . Yet, Awanakam settled only for stamps with 4 million FCFA. And what was the deal.
A source at the Mbengwi legal department confided in Chronicle that statements/declarations unveiled by the detained mayors have been revelating: that it is only Awanakam whose statement has an iota of truth to convince the court to grant him bail.
Awanakam, Chronicle learnt is said to have postulated how Mbanwei Emmanuel paraded self as Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Mbwame Nee Wotufu Enterprise. That he first disguised to repair the Andek council Hilux, before plunging into his nefarious deal.
Chronicle gathered that having repaired the Andek council Hilux and expected to be paid some 1.5 million FCFA, he surged to his chapter: that having realized that Andek was poor and unable to pay him, he urged Mayor Awanakam to instead pay him through communal stamps.
Emmanuel Becks” and Mayor Awanakam therefore stroke a deal. Yet, as Chronicle learnt, Emmanuel Becks instead urged the Andek Mayor to get stamps, far above what was required. Awanakam, Chronicle learnt, first did what he could. But crossed by Awanakam’s stringency, both Mbanwei and Awanakam fell out. It therefore became an issue, when a few months ago, Awanakam was picked-up alongside six other mayors.
Testimonies in court, Chronicle gathered harps on the premise that Awanakam got stamps to pay back a debt for the repair of the council Hilux. Chronicle learnt that there are vouchers to that effect to authenticate the transaction.
Why therefore is Awanakam detained alongside Agogho Johnny? Could it be because of allegations that Awanakam lured Agogho to get into a deal he hadn’t a mastery? What about  the mayors of Mbengwi, Batibo, Ndop, Babessi, Balikumbat?
Chronicle learnt that Emmanuel Becks had always pontificated to every mayor how he will make them rich. He is said to have quoted other mayors he had made rich. but who are these and why have they not been arrested too?
Meanwhile, the fate of the six detained mayors remain quizzical. Only Hon Enwe Francis has been able to question Rene Sadi, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization in parliament over their fate. Rene Sadi however opined how he will concert with Laurent Esso, Minister of Justice over the issue.
MINATD had nevertheless okayed the appointment of interim mayors in the respective councils in question. Yet, sources at the Ministry of Justice hinted Chronicle that because the crime is on misappropriation, none of the mayors can be granted bail. That though some had paid back the money, it was late and thus are subjected to face the wrath of justice.
So far, Chronicle learnt that only the mayor of Andek, Agogho has been unable to pay back the 34 million FCFA. All have paid; reason why there has been pressure for their release.
Coming Up: (How the Batibo, Andek, Mbengwi, Ndop, Babessi, Balikumbat were lured into the communal stamps racket)