Society

There are increasing indicators that the Biya’s dynasty in La Republique du Cameroun (LRC) and their 56 years of colonial grip over the territory of Ambazonia is gradually, but surely coming to a culmination. The one year and continuous resistance of Ambazonians against the almost six decades long slavery leaves no one in doubts that the strong man of Central Africa and his proxies are gradually falling from grace and falling for good. This is further compounded by the increasing exhaustion of the octogenarian lion man, without a cogent successor plan. The political stage is thus exposed for a possible free for all combat between different geopolitical interests in LRC come 2018. The worst of it, is the fact that General Ivo Yenwo, the secretly deposed Ambazonian born, Director of Presidential Security, is still nowhere to be found after he allegedly disappeared last time with a contingent of troops.

This is creating serious panic and fear among political bigwigs and citizens in public offices in theYaoundé.

Recall that BaretaNews had reported some months back the alleged disappearance of the Nso born military general after mysteriously surviving an assassination attempt purportedly orchestrated by his boss Paul Biya and those around him. Since then, there seem to be no traces of his whereabouts and so, there is serious panic in high places in Yaoundé, with different conspiracy theories that the general is either planning a revenge attack on the limping Yaoundé regime out of the country or he may be the hidden face behind the General XXX of the Ambazonian 

Interim Government. With all these, there are very high speculations of heightened political violence all over the Cameroons possibly in January 2018.

Last week, BaretaNews reporter came in contact with a senior administrator in one of LRC’s ministries in Yaoundé, who was parking out the belongings of her children from one of the cozy student hostels in Buea, and transporting them back to Bamenda, her hometown. Upon interrogating why she was doing that when the children have not yet graduated from the university, this administrator asked BaretaNews reporter; “haven’t you heard that January will be hot in the country?”

After some probing questions, she told our reporter that Yaoundé is in panic over the disappearance of General Ivo Yenwo with a group of soldiers, coupled with a fight for political succession between the North and South.

According to her, the issue of General Ivo has become a gossip story in every lip at the various ministries, to the extent that officials or civil servant only discuss about it in hiding and in a group of two. When a third person shows up, the discussion is immediately halted. She stated that there are speculations that he (General Ivo) is training the soldiers in an unknown neighboring destination to come and attack those who purportedly orchestrated his attempted assassination. Therefore, every government official in Yaounde, especially those close the old man, Paul Biya, now live in fear of the unknown.

The senior administrator, further revealed that there is also unsmiling political scheming going on in the background between the Hausa-Fulani North and the Ewondo/Beti extractions, on who to succeed the ailing president Paul Biya. While the North is spitting fire and vowing not to tolerate another mandate of Paul Biya or any one from his center-south extraction come 2018, Mr. Biya’s Kinsmen have sworn to retain the supposed Unity Palace, with or without the presence of their son (Biya) around the scene.

This is happening as Southern Cameroonians too, are insisting on delivering themselves out of the 56 years of LRC colonialism, to the resistance of the colonial master.

With all these schisms, tension and political uncertainties, the lady concluded that nearly every enlightened persons in Yaoundé, with access to information already knows that 2018, especially the month of January shall be bloody across the Cameroons. Consequently, sending her children back home until further notice is a proactive measure, aimed at preventing them from being stranded in Buea, in case of any eventuality.

Whatever happens in January, whether civil war or no civil war; whether General Ivo attacks Yaoundé or not; whether the scheming between the different geopolitical interests in LRC heighten in January or not; all what is in the agenda of Ambazonians is their freedom from 56 years of servitude. If LRC wants to become a failed state after Ambazonia has been freed, that is their own internal political squabble and is not the political business Ambazonians.

Agbor James,

BaretaNews Political Activist

 

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Rita Akana

16.Dec.2017

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A man has reportedly passed the competitive entrance examination into the National School of Administration and Magistracy after being declared dead before the oral phase.

Ndjomo Milsaint, 39, passed away on October 9, and the final phase if the exams took place in November.

The alarm was raised by one of the 'unfortunate candidates' of the exams on his timeline. 

"I'm a victim of injustice. Six of us sat the exam as internal candidates into ENAM, Cycle A of Social Affairs Administration.

"But one of us died before the interview: Ndjomo Milsaint, may his soul rest in peace.

"And curiously his name featured among the five successful candidates, though he had died before the interview.

"The only name that disappeared is mine: Eyengue Mvogo Daniel, in spite of the fact that I did the interview and am still alive," Eyengue is quoted as saying on Facebook by Cameroon-Info.Net.

The deceased is reportedly from the South region, President Biya's very own region of origin.

The 2017/2018 session of exams into ENAM was one of the most controversial, with the director of the institution and the minister of public service fighting over the power to publish results.

Over 400 names were reportedly added by the minister to a list previously published by the director . 

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Rita Akana

16.Dec.2017

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Zimbabwe’s 92-year-old president Robert Mugabe could be vying for a further term in office in the 2018 elections. According to the country’s ruling party Zanu PF, Mugabe is certain to be endorsed as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2018 polls.

The party’s secretary general Ignatius Chombo revealed that Mugabe will get the endorsement at the party’s annual conference this week, saying that Mugabe brings “wisdom and unity” to his leadership of Zimbabwe, which is struggling with a dire economic situation that has prompted periodic protests against the government.

This is a confusing twist of plot, coming after Mugabe’s announcement in early November that he would retire. Speaking to a group of war veterans in November, Mugabe admitted that the country’s economy is crumbling and said he would retire. He has previously said that he would die in office,although he said he is open to retirement if asked by his party. He has also dismissed demands by once stalwart war veteran supporters to quit, saying he was in power by popular vote and accusing critics of plotting his ouster with longtime Western opponents.

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Rita Akana

14.Dec.2017

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed a multi-million dollar partnership with Ghana on his first trip to Africa since taking office. Germany hopes the accord might help curb migration to Europe.

Germany has agreed to grant Ghana $118 million (€100 million) to promote renewable energies, energy efficiency and vocational training.

The two countries signed the “Investment and Reform Partnership” agreement following talks on Tuesday in Ghana's capital, Accra, between German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and  Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Germany earlier this year signed similar partnerships with the Ivory Coast and Tunisia. "German businesses are happy to go where there is a democracy perspective," the German president said, adding that "Ghana has shown the world over the past 12 months that it is possible to move away from a difficult situation by taking determined action."

The agreement is aimed at attracting private investment, creating jobs in the West African nation and discouraging illegal migration, said Steinmeier, who is on the first leg of a four-day visit to Ghana and The Gambia.

Better opportunities at home

"I am completely convinced that Akufo-Addo is serious about a more investment-friendly environment here in Ghana," Steinmeier said, adding that his visit highlights the strong ties between the two nations. Ghana, he said, has "done well to enhance its business climate and has provided the opportunity for the German companies to invest in Ghana."

The German President is welcomed with military honors in Accra

Ghana is West Africa's second largest economy after Nigeria. In an interview with Ghana's Daily Graphic newspaper, the German president called Ghana "a shining example in the region." 

As one of Germany’s most important trading partners in West Africa, he said, Ghana can "send a signal of encouragement and motivation to set out for new shores that will be heard far beyond the borders of your country."

Discourage economic migration

"We want to help Ghana succeed in offering better opportunities to its young citizens than embarking on the extremely dangerous option of illegal migration," the German President told the Daily Graphic, adding that it was the mutual obligation of European and African nations to warn people of the great dangers of the migratory journey towards Europe.

Pointing out that Germany grants asylum to people fleeing political persecution and conflict, but not to economic migrants, he argued that the partners must "fight together against criminal trafficking networks." He also stressed the importance of coming up with ways of increasing the number of skilled jobs in Ghana to give citizens reasons to stay in the country.

Relations between Ghana and Germany go back more than 60 years, with Germany increasingly evolving as one of Ghana's biggest development partners.

"We are taking great deal of inspiration from the commitment of German leaders in supporting the options the Ghanaian people have taken to assume greater responsibility for their economic development," said Ghana's president, who praised the "fruitful dialogue."

On Wednesday in Accra, German President Steinmeier is scheduled to open a migration advisory center aimed at training young Ghanaians and supporting business start-ups before continuing on to the Republic of The Gambia.

DW

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Rita Akana

14.Dec.2017

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Members of Parliament, MPs, of Cameroon's leading opposition party, the Social Democratic Front, SDF, have declared that the claim by govemment of securing the Anglophone Regions of the Northwest and the Southwest is a joke.

The declaration was made on behalf of the SDF MPs by the Scribe, Jean Tsomelou on December 13. at a press conference in Yaounde that was aimed at presenting a balance sheet of the just ending November budgetary session that was overshadowed by calls to include the ongoing crisis in the Southwest and Northwest Regions of Cameroon in the agenda. Senator Tsomelou reiterated in his preliminary statement that instead of opening up a constructive and inclusive dialogue, govermment has decided to use military force to arrest a crisis that is purely political. "Government can't continue to claim that their attempt of securing the two Anglophone regions is yielding fruits when civilians and soldiers are killed each passing day." Stating a number of steps SDF has taken for government to address the situation and ensure there tum to normalcy, Hon. Tsomelou said there Mated for urgent solutions to be found so as to stop what is considered as a slow pace genocide.

Concerning the just ended November session of Parliament. SDF said their action in the two houses was to draw attention on the ongoing crisis in the Northwest and Southwest Regions over which government has strangely remained silent. To the party, they were crying for children in detention, children not going to school and for civilians and soldiers who are being killed every day. Although they were happy that the message went across, the SDF Parliamentary Group Leader, Hon. Joseph Banadzem, said shallow minded people saw it as noise making, dancing, and blowing of whistle and vuvuzelas.

While questioning why the debate on the Anglophone crisis could not be discussed in the two houses, SDF said on the other hand, the issue of Boko Haram was introduced onto the agenda leading to debates and contributions of which the SDF gave closed to FCFA 13 million.

Unanimously agreeing that citizens in the two Anglophone are experiencing torture under a militarised structure, members of parliament from the two houses noted that the two regions are being occupied by forces imported from out of the regions with well-defined instructions.

Concerning Hon. Joseph Wirba, MP for Jakiri Special Constituency, it was said that his absence from the seasion can better be explained by him as they Mated that each and every member of a party hes to respect and obey a supreme organ.

According to some MPs, if Hon. Wirba was a simple militant of the party, he would have been sanctioned but since he was elected, he still has his mandate running. That notwithstanding, it was maintained that he will be assessed when his mandate comes to an end.

Reaffirming their stance on federation, the leading opposition party said between now and the next parliamentary session, people's representatives will go back to their constituencies to up-date their people about what transpired during the November seasion. Besides that, the party will permanently be in action, working towards calling for President Paul Biya to summon an inclusive dialogue on the ongoing crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

It should be noted that since the crisis went out of hand in October 2016, President Biya has made only two prenouncements ; on December 31, 2016 and on November 30, 2017. Sadly enough, the President has never extended condolences to the families of civilians killed since the crisis erupted. The press conference was also an opportunity to decry the torture inflicted on journalists in the country. While calling for the media to fight for their rights, the SDF MPs said, for 27 years, they have been fighting and that they will continue to fight for a better Cameroon.

The post Newspaper

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Rita Akana

14.Dec.2017

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Senate President Gets FCFA 2 Billion For House Repairs A whopping sum of FCFA 2 billion of tax payers' money is now being used to repair the residence of the Senate President in Yaounde. The edifice that is near the lakeside residence of the Prime Minister is the former residence of erstwhile Chief of Army Staff, General Pierre Semengue. Although the contract for the renewal of the building was awarded a long time ago.

The Post learnt that the scribe took exception to the fact that the project was over-billed. He reportedly argued that such a huge sum of money is too much for repair works on such a building. To him, FCFA 2 billion should not be spent on such a building that is also expected to host the cabinet of the Senate President. But the Senate Scribe was forced to reverse his decision when the Presidency gave its final word on the issue. Insiders moot that Meva'a M'Eboutou almost burnt his fingers because he did not know that some big guns at the Presidency also had interest in the contract. However, observers hold that FCFA 2 billion is too much for such a project. "This contract is a blank cheque for the embezzlement of public funds.

How will any normal person agree with the fact that FCFA 2 billion is not being used to construct a new edifice but to repair an old building for the president of the Senate?" one Senator, who elected not to be named, wondered in a reaction to The Post. He further asked: "How can such a huge sum of money be used for the comfort of one individual when millions of Cameroonians are suffering without roads, electricity, water and other basic necessities? For one thing, FCFA 2 billion is half of the very tiny budget allocated to the Ministry of Communication in the 2018 national budget. Critics are already chiding Government for misplaced priorities. The situation is akin to that of the moribund Economic and Social Council that gulps FCFA 2 billion every year, even though only four of its 30 members are still alive. Statistics indicate that almost 40 percent of the State budget usually gets into private pockets through the over-billing of con-tracts.

One of the scandals that animated the Mounchipou Affair that cropped up in 1999 was that a contract to fell a small tree infront of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications was awarded to somebody for FCFA 10 million. Many suchshady deals that border on the embezzlement of public funds abound. Eventhough, the building is being repaired, the current President of the Senate, Marcel Niat Njifenji, can only enjoy its comfort if President Biya reappoints him next year. Niat is one of the 30 Senators that President Paul Biya appointed in 2013. Since then, he has been living in his normal residence at the Nlonkak neighbourhood in Yaounde.

The post Newspaper

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Rita Akana

14.Dec.2017

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