Society

Peter Essoka has been appointed as the new President of the National Communication Council (N.C.C.). The appointment is contained in a Presidential Decree signed on 27th November 2015. Before his appointment, Peter Essoka was Vice President of the Council and recently, Interim President, following the death of the former President, His Lordship Befe Ateba. 

The new President of the NCC says he and his team will continue to work hard for a proper regulation of the media landscape. Born on 28th April 1943 in Kumba in the South West Region, Peter Essoka is a journalist who started practising in 1967 at Radio Cameroun. He later retired in 2003 at the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV).

He has been the English interpreter of the Head of State’s messages since 6th May 1972, earning him the name, “the second voice of the President.” Peter Essoka is amongst other things a father, an excellent chorister and a great sportsman.

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Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 1398

Peter Essoka has been appointed as the new President of the National Communication Council (N.C.C.). The appointment is contained in a Presidential Decree signed on 27th November 2015. Before his appointment, Peter Essoka was Vice President of the Council and recently, Interim President, following the death of the former President, His Lordship Befe Ateba. 

The new President of the NCC says he and his team will continue to work hard for a proper regulation of the media landscape. Born on 28th April 1943 in Kumba in the South West Region, Peter Essoka is a journalist who started practising in 1967 at Radio Cameroun. He later retired in 2003 at the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV).

He has been the English interpreter of the Head of State’s messages since 6th May 1972, earning him the name, “the second voice of the President.” Peter Essoka is amongst other things a father, an excellent chorister and a great sportsman.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 1221

With an unusually heavy climate, engendered by repeated terrorist attacks, Paris, one of the best tourist destinations in the world, is picking up pieces and bracing itself as it host what is literally a last-ditch initiative to address the world climate catastrophe looming in the horizon. The city has not lost any of its glamour except for the very strict security checks visible at airport entry points, subways or what is referred to here as the metro, mass transportation services, hotel check-ins and access to mass leisure localities such as cinema and theatre halls as well as public parks. Even the mythical Tour Eiffel has remained closed following the terrorist attacks two weeks ago. As we went to press late yesterday evening, finishing touches were being made at the conference facility at Le Bourget in the north of Paris where the summit will take place under tight security; understandably.

Some 150 monarchs, Heads of State and government are expected to participate in the summit. The United Nations Conference on Climate Change as the come-together is formally referred to or simply as COP ’21 with reference to the 21st conference of partners who have been following the negotiations on climate change which have gone on uninterruptedly since 1994 following the decision to hold these annual conference of parties taken at the world earth summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Cameroon has been an active participant at the various negotiations since Rio. 

The main issue at the Paris summit will be to see how far the world has gone with the decision to contain global warming at the maximum 2°celsius as prescribed at the Copenhagen summit of 2009. The next summit held in Cancun, Mexico in 2010 enabled the creation of specialized bodies dedicated to the enforcement of the Copenhagen conclusions especially on adaptation, the green Fund for Climate or the technological mechanism. At the COP 17 summit in Durban, South Africa, the decision to act collectively and respect the objective of maintain warming at 2°C was manifested with the creation of the Durban Platform which had as objective, assembling around one negotiating table, developed as well as developing countries, so as to arrive at a protocol or a juridical instrument with the force of law which will be binding or applicable to all the parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.

The Paris summit is therefore working on this document which, if adopted, will be binding on all parties as from 2020. The summit is opening under favourable auspices. The Warsaw conference of 2013 marked an important moment on the way to achieving an universal agreement on climate in Paris in that is succeeded in obtaining from the various countries, their specific contributions to reducing global warming; therefore reducing the work of the Paris summit.

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Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 989

The Chairman of the anti-corruption CONAC, Rev. Diuedonne Massi Gams has said 2013 witnessed a growth of more sophisticated corruption techniques and appellations in Cameroon such as “the Chiefs Kola nut, the Lions share, avoid problems, finish with me now, the goat graces where it is tethered, the eye that has seen must be washed and never visit the palace empty hand.” The CONAC boss made the pronouncement during the presentation of the 2013 anti corruption report at the Yaounde Hilton hotel on November 25th. The CONAC head revealed that these proliferated forms of bribery impede the country’s socio-economic development. Contrary to expectations and the traditional naming and shaming of corrupt officials, the Commission decided this time to hide the names of those involved in malpractices.

Massi Gams claimed the “innovation” was in line with the principle that indicted personalities remain innocent until proven guilty. He said, “………the commission has representatives from the Special Criminal Court and other institutions handling financial management and will implement our recommendations.” From the report, SONARA, the national oil refinery, 17 ministries and two public administrative unites, the Special council support fund[FEICOM] and the Public Contract Regulatory Agency recorded vicous corrupt practices. 169 denouncements were received.  26 principals, 8 Bursars mostly from schools in the Centre Region and PTAs were indicted from vices such as corruption in competitive exams, bribery during postings and appointment of teachers, illegal sale of uniforms and other school equipments and disorderly collection of PTA levy. 

The police and the judiciary, had “intentional and selfish delays in the treatment of files, extraction of parts or entire files. The report hinted that the police and Gendarmerie officers including lawyers, notaries and bailiffs have adopted insane practices to extort from clients. CONAC also observed that there has been an increase in mushroom clinics, illegal sale of drugs and fake medical practices in the health sector. The Forestry sector was also reviewed for fraudulent exploitation of protected specie, racketeering of logging companies, fake vouchers, illegal salary increment.

Dubious pension scheme for retired civil servants known as ‘’Mboma” in the Ministry of Public Service, “Al Qaeda” in the taxation department, fake stamps, business licenses and discs are rampant added the report. The CONAC boss recommended that the implementation of the national education program on integrity and the inculcation of African cultural values of the fear of God and respect for human dignity was a means of curbing the cankerworm in the long term. 

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 1176

With an unusually heavy climate, engendered by repeated terrorist attacks, Paris, one of the best tourist destinations in the world, is picking up pieces and bracing itself as it host what is literally a last-ditch initiative to address the world climate catastrophe looming in the horizon. The city has not lost any of its glamour except for the very strict security checks visible at airport entry points, subways or what is referred to here as the metro, mass transportation services, hotel check-ins and access to mass leisure localities such as cinema and theatre halls as well as public parks. Even the mythical Tour Eiffel has remained closed following the terrorist attacks two weeks ago. As we went to press late yesterday evening, finishing touches were being made at the conference facility at Le Bourget in the north of Paris where the summit will take place under tight security; understandably.

Some 150 monarchs, Heads of State and government are expected to participate in the summit. The United Nations Conference on Climate Change as the come-together is formally referred to or simply as COP ’21 with reference to the 21st conference of partners who have been following the negotiations on climate change which have gone on uninterruptedly since 1994 following the decision to hold these annual conference of parties taken at the world earth summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Cameroon has been an active participant at the various negotiations since Rio. 

The main issue at the Paris summit will be to see how far the world has gone with the decision to contain global warming at the maximum 2°celsius as prescribed at the Copenhagen summit of 2009. The next summit held in Cancun, Mexico in 2010 enabled the creation of specialized bodies dedicated to the enforcement of the Copenhagen conclusions especially on adaptation, the green Fund for Climate or the technological mechanism. At the COP 17 summit in Durban, South Africa, the decision to act collectively and respect the objective of maintain warming at 2°C was manifested with the creation of the Durban Platform which had as objective, assembling around one negotiating table, developed as well as developing countries, so as to arrive at a protocol or a juridical instrument with the force of law which will be binding or applicable to all the parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.

The Paris summit is therefore working on this document which, if adopted, will be binding on all parties as from 2020. The summit is opening under favourable auspices. The Warsaw conference of 2013 marked an important moment on the way to achieving an universal agreement on climate in Paris in that is succeeded in obtaining from the various countries, their specific contributions to reducing global warming; therefore reducing the work of the Paris summit.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 710

The Chairman of the anti-corruption CONAC, Rev. Diuedonne Massi Gams has said 2013 witnessed a growth of more sophisticated corruption techniques and appellations in Cameroon such as “the Chiefs Kola nut, the Lions share, avoid problems, finish with me now, the goat graces where it is tethered, the eye that has seen must be washed and never visit the palace empty hand.” The CONAC boss made the pronouncement during the presentation of the 2013 anti corruption report at the Yaounde Hilton hotel on November 25th. The CONAC head revealed that these proliferated forms of bribery impede the country’s socio-economic development. Contrary to expectations and the traditional naming and shaming of corrupt officials, the Commission decided this time to hide the names of those involved in malpractices.

Massi Gams claimed the “innovation” was in line with the principle that indicted personalities remain innocent until proven guilty. He said, “………the commission has representatives from the Special Criminal Court and other institutions handling financial management and will implement our recommendations.” From the report, SONARA, the national oil refinery, 17 ministries and two public administrative unites, the Special council support fund[FEICOM] and the Public Contract Regulatory Agency recorded vicous corrupt practices. 169 denouncements were received.  26 principals, 8 Bursars mostly from schools in the Centre Region and PTAs were indicted from vices such as corruption in competitive exams, bribery during postings and appointment of teachers, illegal sale of uniforms and other school equipments and disorderly collection of PTA levy. 

The police and the judiciary, had “intentional and selfish delays in the treatment of files, extraction of parts or entire files. The report hinted that the police and Gendarmerie officers including lawyers, notaries and bailiffs have adopted insane practices to extort from clients. CONAC also observed that there has been an increase in mushroom clinics, illegal sale of drugs and fake medical practices in the health sector. The Forestry sector was also reviewed for fraudulent exploitation of protected specie, racketeering of logging companies, fake vouchers, illegal salary increment.

Dubious pension scheme for retired civil servants known as ‘’Mboma” in the Ministry of Public Service, “Al Qaeda” in the taxation department, fake stamps, business licenses and discs are rampant added the report. The CONAC boss recommended that the implementation of the national education program on integrity and the inculcation of African cultural values of the fear of God and respect for human dignity was a means of curbing the cankerworm in the long term. 

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

30.Nov.2015

Hits: 960