Society

Cameroonians continue to mourn the passage of General Jacob Kodji and other officers who were killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday while fighting Boko Haram.

The army general, a colonel and two other officers fighting Boko Haram in the country’s far north were killed on Sunday while on duty. Authorities said it was an accident but an investigation has been opened.

General Jacob Kodji who was leading one of the operations against Boko Haram in the country’s far north was killed in the crash between Koudjiga and Madide localities in the district of Bogo in the far north.

Three other persons perished in the crash, including  colonel Nkameni Alphonse, the commander of the 4th military police region, said Cameroonian newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel.

Details

Rita Akana

25.Jan.2017

Hits: 2546

Starting from 2017, the Urban Community of Yaoundé (CUY) is planning to plant several thousand trees to reforest Mounts Messa, Mbankolo and Yéyé, per a partnership agreement signed on 18 January 2017 in the Cameroonian capital with the Development Research Institute (IRD), the French scientific research establishment who will carry out a preliminary study.

The study to be undertaken by IRD, between January and April 2017, will propose practical courses of action to reforest and develop these three forested areas which threaten the ecosystem with risks of rock slides and erosion. The final report will include a botanical section to help in creating a list of plant species present on the three hills, recommendations on sites to be protected or reforested in priority, as well as proposals on species which may be used to reforest. At the ichthyological level, the study will produce an inventory of the river fish fauna in the zone under consideration and will propose actions to protect the biodiversity.

CUY and IRD declare having common concerns in terms of sustainable urban development, to serve both the current population and future generations. This shared vision is reflected in a joint desire to build a long-term partnership, with this study being the first step.

Details

Rita Akana

24.Jan.2017

Hits: 2221

The National Council of Communication (CNC), has threatened to close down all media outlets that are reporting or debating the Anglophone crisis.

Peter Essoka, the chairman of the media regulator in Cameroon, warned all private media houses operating in Cameroon on the airwaves of state owned CRTV.

In the warning notice, Essoka laid emphasis on Cameroonian private newspapers, radio, television and print media, which have been publishing or broadcasting articles in favor of  secession or a return to a federal state of the country.

Details

Rita Akana

20.Jan.2017

Hits: 2813

Popular Bamenda based media outfit, Radio Hot Cocoa will resume operations after a 48 hour involuntary recess. Equinoxe TV's Nfor Hanson has just broken the news over the fate of the station that was suspended, Tuesday for fueling the Anglophone problem. He reveals that the President of the National Communication Council, Peter Essoka at the end of a crucial meeting with administrators of the radio and officials of the North West Regional Delegation of Communication today in Bamenda has overturned the ban on the station. However the controversial program, "BIGGEST BREAKFAST SHOW," remains suspended till further notice.

Details

Peter Nsoesie

13.Jan.2017

Hits: 2152

A ghastly accident on the Douala Yaounde road has claimed the life of the Divisional Delegate Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development for Wouri Divion today at Dibamba, a small locality in the outskirts of the Economic capital-Douala.

Sources say A truck collided with  a pickup truck in a head on collision.The Pickup truck driver was pronounced dead on the spot.The accident occurred  at about 4 pm on Monday.The exact cause of this horrific crash is not yet known. Villagers from around the area had arrived on the scene to rescue the occupants  trapped inside the mangled vehicle.

This also comes barely a few days after several passengers were killed in a similar frontal crash between  a 70 seater coach and a truck on that same "highway".

More than 10,000 people died in road accidents in Cameroon last year, according to the transport ministry.

Details

Rita Akana

09.Jan.2017

Hits: 2378

Close to 1000 Common Law Lawyers drawn from Anglophone Regions of North West and South West and from other Regions in Cameroon are expected in Kumbe, Meme Division on January 13, 2017 to attend the much awaited Common Law Lawyers Conference.

The date was announced in a Joint Communiqué released last Friday, December 30, 2016 by the leadership of the Constituent Association of Cameroon Common Law Lawyers, made up of Barristers Harmony Bobga-Mbuton, Nkongho Felix Abgor Balla, Eyambe Elias Ebai, and Ngangjoh Sopseh Emilien presidents of NorthWest Lawyers Association, NOWELA, Fako Lawyers Association, FAKLA, Meme Lawyers Association, MELA, and Manyu Lawyers Association, MALA respectively.

The Conference will amongst other things take stock on the ongoing strike that started in October 11, 2016, share experiences from the peaceful demonstrations in Bamenda on November 8, and Buea November 10 wherein forces of law and order teargassed lawyers, seized their wigs and robes and other valuables, their encounters with the South West CPDM Parliamentarians, Bristish High Commissioner to Cameroon, American Ambassador to Cameroon, the Prime Minister in Bamenda and the recent encounter with the Ad-hoc Committee chaired by the Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Jean Pierre Fogui of Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28th December 2016 in Yaounde.

The Communique which THE SUN procured also gives a synopsis of their deliberations in Yaounde with the Ad-hoc committee of December 28 -28, 2016. It reveals that during the meeting, the twelve Common Law Lawyers to wit; Barristers Eta Besong, Nico Halle, Amazee Anthony, Harmony Bobga, Ngale Monono, Eyambe Ebai Agbor Balla, Sopseh Emilien, Ebah Ntoko, Mbah Eric, Dikuba Kitsito and Manka Rosaline had to stage a walk out reasons being that the Chairman couldn’t reply to a preliminary objection raised by the lawyers.

The Priliminary objection included the unconditional release of the young Cameroonians who were arrested in Bamenda and Kumba and ferried to Yaounde for detention. Other preliminary objections included the adjustment of the composition of the Ad-hoc committee to suit the aspiration of the common law lawyers, the unbanning of the various associations and above all that the committee should move from Yaounde to Buea.
The joint communique equally resolves that the ongoing sit down strike continues indefinitely and that the Common Law Lawyers are still open to dialogue only if the issues raised in the preliminary objection are determined and resolved.

As we went to press, THE SUN gathered from the MELA secretariat that everything is set for the conference to hold. MELA’s Scribe Barrister Pascal Nanje Meloko told THE SUN that from the records of the financial secretary, much financial contributions have come in, and that the hall to host the event is already set, meanwhile committees have already been put in place and MELA will start receiving her guests from both the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon and those in the other Regions who have indicated their presence in the conference. Barrister Meloko hinted that Kumba will be hosting about 1000 Common Law Lawyers.

The Sun

Details

Rita Akana

06.Jan.2017

Hits: 2349