Society

According to the Ministry of Transport, 3,500 accidents occur nation-wide each year, causing on average 13,000 deaths. Some 82 per cent of the accidents are caused by drivers. Going by the World Bank statistics, 12 people of the ages five to 29 are victims of road accidents in the country yearly since 2010. The most killers are the Douala-Bafoussam highway with over 60 per cent and about 50 per cent on the Yaounde-Douala stretch. It states that FCFA 100 billion was lost to road accidents in 2008, while projects worth FCFA 200 billion risk being lost in 2015, with an estimated 7,000 people likely to be wounded and disabled.

Although the bank’s representative, Peter Taniform, disclosed during a Coaliroute-organised workshop in Douala that there has been some 30 per cent reduction in road accidents annually since 2010 owing to efforts at improving road infrastructure, communication, sensitisation and persuasive measures by road safety agents, much still needs to be done. It is in this light that Safe Way Right Way Foundation is organising a sensitisation caravan on the Douala-Yaounde highway from May 5-7, 2015, aimed at educating people on road safety tips.

Foundation Director, Cécile Eyike, told a news conference in Bali, Douala, April 24, 2015, that the accidents were a direct consequence of increase in car ownership and stubbornness by drivers to adopt responsible behaviour. The slogan “Save Kids’ Lives” chosen for the 2015 UN Road Safety Week reflects the need to undertake activities that educate road users about the vulnerability of kids. The foundation will hold video projections and sensitisations at Yassa, Edea and Pouma to draw the attention of drivers to respect speed limits, pedestrians’ rights and road safety rules. Key messages on road safety will be delivered through popular demonstrations, musical attractions, quizzes, posters, flyers and stickers targeting school children or students, pedestrians, drivers and residents.

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Ngwa Bertrand

27.Apr.2015

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The South West Regional Secretary General of the Human Rights Commission and Board Member of Elections Cameroon, Barrister Christopher Tambe Tiku has said that the Fako Chiefs Conference reigns supreme and that his loyalty to the traditional authorities remains complete and total. Barrister Tambe Tiku made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Cameroon Concord in Buea. The legal brain from the South West region was reacting to news that three of the seven Fako traditional rulers have pleaded for an out of court settlement over a land-grabbing battle in September 2014. Barrister Tambe Tiku observed that the President of the Fako Chiefs Conference who also moonlights as the supreme leader of the Dikolo people, Chief Samuel Epupa Ekum alongside Chiefs Njie Mbanda of Lysoka and Otto Molive Molungu of Batoke have demonstrated that the power of the chiefs is indeed divine.

Speaking to Cameroon Concord's Soter Agbaw-Ebai, Tambe Tiku sounded a note of caution that the chiefs's decision should not be seen as a form of weakness but a win-win situation for both sides. He observed that the actions of the chiefs prior to the present outcome did cause him a lot of pain but "I feel that the out of court settlement should be a new beginning in our long standing relationship". Barrister Tambe Tiku, who technically avoided to revisit the whole saga added that the Fako Chiefs were ill advised and that he was satisfied "the matter is slowly but surely moving towards its end". Asked what he intended to do with the money paid to him by three of the seven chiefs, Tambe Tiku revealed "I am going to donate the entire money to my church as part of my own contribution to the new Presbyterian Church building project in Buea Station".  

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Ngwa Bertrand

24.Apr.2015

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The underprivileged persons in the Kumbo Municipality within the context of the yearly celebration of the Kumbo Council Mayor's day which was in its 10th edition in 2015, have benefited from gifts and raw cash worth over nine million CFA (9 million CFA). Those who benefited from Mayor Njong Donatus Fonyuy's largesse were the inmates of Kumbo Principal Prison who received sweet drinks, cartons of savon and cooked food; the CBC Integrated School for the Blind Kumbo which received an electrical corn mill; the CBC Integrated Deaf School Mbingo where the Council paid the school fees of the impaired children worth over 600,000 CFA; the Shisong Catholic Orphanage where the children received food items, milk and honey and are registered by the Council in the Kumbo Mutual Health Organization; the elderly persons of Takum and Melim received a corn mill each to economically empower them to generate income and help themselves; and five handicapped persons were given wheel chairs from the Ministry of Social Affairs to ease their movements.

Mayour Njong Donatus Fonyuy and his suite including Hon. Dr. Joseph Lukong Banadzem kick started the day's activities with a visit to the Kumbo Principal Prison where he was received by the Senior Superintendent of Prison, Mr. Jacob Salomo Dioni and communed with the inmates. At the prison Mayor Njong Donatus Fonyuy laid a foundation stone for the prison resort worth 700,000CFA to be constructed near its fish ponds. Mr. Jacob Salomo Dioni in his welcome speech said the inmates while in prison are transformed and rehabilitated in order not to be rejected in the society when their prison terms are over. He thanked the Mayor for helping to transform and develop the structures of the Prison.

A spokesman of the inmates said "we have repented for good". He said the Kumbo Council coming to give them gifts was a sign of love, friendship and unity attach to the prisoners. The Mayor of the Kumbo Council Mr. Njong Donatus Fonyuy and his team left the prison and staged a walk march from the Tobin round about to Kumbo Council Hall where the rest of the beneficiaries were assembled. Mr. Njong Donatus Fonyuy in his speech said the Kumbo Mayor's day was in its 10th edition this year. He said we love the underprivileged because they are part and parcel of us. He announced that the competition for the Mayor's trophy will take place in the Municipal Stadium and prison yard respectively.

He recounted the items of gifts to be given to the various underprivileged groups of persons. He encouraged the elderly persons to continue to work hard to make their groups productive so as to deserve more assistance. He told the press that Council spent over 9 millions francs for the programme this year. The leaders of the various underprivileged groups in their various presentations traced the history of their groups and thanked the Mayor for his generosity while promising to use the gifts judiciously.

The Divisional delegate of Social Affairs for Bui on behalf of the Minister of Social Affairs thanked Mayor Njong for this gesture to the underprivileged persons. He wishes God to give him the strength and means to continue to assist the underprivileged persons. The Senior Divisional Officer for Bui, Mr. Nzeki Theophile who presided over the occasion said from the feedback of the beneficiaries the organizers did well to assist and support the underprivileged persons. He congratulated the organizers of the programme for its sustainability.

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Ngwa Bertrand

22.Apr.2015

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The saga that has been rocking the Bakundu Cultural and Development Union, BACDU and the Bakundu Chiefs Conference, pitting Justice Itoe Benjamin against Chief David Motase Ngoh, may be heading to court.The EDEN newspaper has reported that Justice Itoe has said he will not allow his reputation to be dragged in mud. The much respected former Justice Minister and senior elite from the South West region was quoted as saying that the numerous media reports as teleguided by Chief Motase Ngoh on his person has caused him a lot of pains.

It is important to include in this report that some Bakundu traditional authorities had sacked Benjamin Itoe from the post of National President of BACDU. In an unprecedented reaction, another group of Bakundu chiefs reinstated Justice Itoe and sacked Chief Motase from the post of president of the Bakundu Chiefs Conference creating an interim committee headed by Chief Mowango of Ndoi Bakundu.

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Ngwa Bertrand

21.Apr.2015

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Cameroon's Minister of Arts and Culture, Ama Tutu Muna has commended the Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture observing that it could conveniently grow to become the Central African Festival of Arts and Culture. The Post newspaper reported that Ama Muna made the declaration while presiding over the opening ceremony of the festival. The Shakespearean Juliet was moved by the carnival from the town to the Festival Village at the community field. Said Minister Ama: "I am thrilled as Minister of Arts and Culture to witness the kind of enthusiasm that the different communities have embraced".

Minister Ama Muna also remarked that the Limbe drive was commendable and needed to grow. "Everyone must come on board to make this festival work. Everyone must come on board not only to get cash. Voluntary work should be the norm".

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Ngwa Bertrand

17.Apr.2015

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After a very successful career both in politics and the judiciary, Justice Itoe Benjamin current chairman of the board of directors of the Cameroon Development Corporation is at war the  Bakundu Chiefs. Cameroon Concord understands the chiefs have taken an unprecedented action and fined Itoe 2 cows, 36 crates of beer, 36 bottles of whisky, 36 heads of tobacco and 36 bags of salt. As if to say Justice Itoe Benjamin is a common citizen, the Bakundu Chiefs went ahead and sacked him from the presidency of the Bakundu Cultural and Development Association and dissolved the entire BACDU executive headed by Itoe.

Cameroon Concord was handed a six page document endorsed by Chief Motase Ngoh David alongside 21 other Chiefs in which the traditional authorities noted that Retired Justice Itoe was extremely lacking in cultural and development finesse. At the time of writing this report, news filtered that Justice Itoe has broken the silence he had maintained over the matter observing that Chief Motase Ngoh has an axe to grind with him.   

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Ngwa Bertrand

14.Apr.2015

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