Society

One would have thought that after the historic Cameroon-Nigeria Green Tree Accord, it would be followed by a spate of complacency. Far from it. Rather, stakeholders of both countries are ever striving to device resourceful ways to ensure that the tree is not only irrigated sustainably but will forever, remain green and abundantly fruitful. That is the raison d’etre of, ‘Launching of [the] Nigeria High Commission Annual Charity Project in partnership With Nigerian Community and UBA,’ in Buea, on Friday February 11, 2016. 

Good attracts Goodness

In her keynote address, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E Hadiza Mustapha disclosed that the annual charity project initiative was started in 2014. Its objective, she went on, was to donate relevant services to needy Nigerians in Cameroon, with special emphasis in Bakassi zone, and by extension, to those in the host country. As she put it, good attracts goodness. She hinted how the donations in 2014 that amounted to 50m Cfa had been used judiciously. Her Excellency said, some assistance was handed over to the Nigerian refugees in the Far North region. She spoke about the renovation of a school in the Center region whose roof was blown off. This was shortly followed by the provision of a much needed borehole to the said school, she recounted. The High Commissioner equally mentioned pending projects to be carried out in a school located in the Adamawa region.

Zooming into the plight of the needy in Bakassi zone in particular, High Commissioner Hadiza Mustapha, praised the indomitable will of the inhabitants there, for weathering the storms of life, despite sever challenges. She paid tribute to all those who have collaborated in one way or other to make the Charity project as successful as it turned out to be. Special praise went to the Managing Director of United Bank for Africa, UBA who, on the spot, handed a cheque of 15m frs to the President of the Nigerian Community in Bakassi.

Projects

Speaking earlier, the representative of Blessed Enterprise, the Body that is responsible for executing the earmarked projects with part of the 15m FCFA donated by UBA, in Bakassi, Mola Nganje Njuma Peter, disclosed that the said projects include, sanitation (toilets), the construction of a Vocational Center to empower the women and girls in Bakassi to use sewing machines skilfully, among others. It was reiterated that Blessed Enterprise will execute the projects under the direct supervision of the Consulate General in Buea. Other speakers included, the Consul General of Nigeria in Buea, H.E Dan Wari Nwazim who observed that the social corporate projects are geared to provide relief, comfort and harmony in the lives of the lucky beneficiaries in Bakassi zone and where need arises.

Senator Ankie Affiong Rebecca of Isangele and Madam Esther Omam of Reach Out both lauded the community centered approach initiative by the donors. The Managing Director of UBA, Isong Udom appealed to the beneficiaries to use their gifts judiciously. The ceremony was witnessed by a representative from the Southwest Governor’s office, Kenfack Fabien.

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Bama Victor Cham

13.Mar.2016

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Over 35,000 Cameroonian nursery and primary school children from 147 public schools in the Far North Region abandoned school as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, over 8,000 of the children of Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, were traced and returned to school, thanks to a FCFA 460.5 million funding from the European Union to the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, through the ‘EU Children of Peace,’ ECHO Project. The Far North Regional Delegate of Basic Education, MINEDUB, Ousmanou Amadou Garga, said the funds were from the EU’s win of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012. He added that, the funding was timely because the children lost almost everything – birth certificates, books and other official papers. 

Also, parents of some of the children were either killed by Boko Haram militants in their presence or separated from them following armed attacks on their communities. UNICEF sources say the ECHO Project has since enabled thousands of refugee and IDP children to be registered in schools and the creation of leisure spaces for pupils. Similarly, teachers and other educational officials have undergone refresher courses and children offered stationery, psycho-social coaching and lessons on peace education, non-discrimination, amongst others. “The ECHO Project, which began in August 2015, has been so timely because the IDP children were not only traumatised, but were in great lack,” points out Ousmanou Amadou. “The problem of IDP school children is so serious that it requires the urgent attention of every government ministry. We need to as quickly as possible determine what has become of most of the over 35,000 children who were obliged to abandon school as a result of the conflict,” Ousmanou Amadou warns.

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Cameroon Tribune

11.Mar.2016

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Officials from the ministries in charge of Basic Education, Secondary Education as well as representatives of international organisations participated in a two-day brainstorming seminar from 9 to 10 March, 2016 in Mbalmayo, Nyong and So’o Division of the Centre Region, to chart strategies for the generalisation of the teaching of human rights in primary and secondary schools in Cameroon. The workshop was organised by the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms (NCHRF). In a keynote address on March 10, 2016, the representative of NCHRF’s Chairman, Mrs Ekoan Mebiame Tangono, told the participants that their recommendations will serve as guides for the drafting of a sustainable national strategy which will provide a favourable framework for the integration of human rights teaching at the national level especially in primary and secondary schools. 

The participants were reminded that following the United Nations First Decade (1995-2004) for Human Rights Education which encouraged member States to set up national Human Rights Education (HRE) programmes as well as the United Nations Second Decade (2005-2014) for the strengthening of such HRE programmes, the NCHRF by virtue of its mission of human rights promotion, implemented several activities during the said decades. Achievements include the drafting of a National HRE Programme for all levels of learning in Cameroon and a Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Cameroon. More so, a Pedagogic Guide for the Teaching of HRE and two Teachers’ Guides for primary and secondary schools were also drafted. A pilot implementation phase saw the training of teachers and students in 80 pilot schools nationwide.

According to Mrs Ekoan Mebiame, an evaluation of the first phase in 2012 revealed impressive results, hence the need to now generalise HRE in all primary and secondary schools in the country. The ceremony was also an opportunity for the representative of the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Itoe Mispa Fule, to disclose the path covered by her ministry in integrating HRE into the 2000 Basic Education syllabuses for both English and French sub-systems as well as the introduction of HRE in 50 pilot schools across the country, with five schools per region. “At the moment, the Ministry of Basic Education is in the process of curriculum reforms,” she disclosed, adding that her ministry was looking forward to a continued partnership in the process with the NCHRF.

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Cameroon Tribune

11.Mar.2016

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Apart from some religion that sees pig as an unclean animal, pork is loved and eaten by many in metropolitan Douala. 26,000 pigs inspected and slaughtered in 2015 alone with an average of 73 slaughtered daily, is telling of the number of city dwellers that consume pork. The love of pork has triggered modern butchering practice by most supermarkets, which is gradually attracting local pig butchers clients. In a meeting that grouped over 200 pig butchers in Wouri Friday February 25th, the Divisional Delegate of Livestock, Dr Guy Mimbang urged them to form a cooperative. As a cooperative, Dr Mimbang said, they can easily solicit funds from national and international Non Governmental Organisations, companies and even the government and procure modern equipment in order to improve on the quality of services render to costumers. 

With 38 sales points in Wouri also classified as 38 markets, unofficial figures indicate that over 200 pigs are slaughtered in the Division on a daily basis. Since some of the butchers don’t observe the norms of the profession to the letter, hygiene and sanitation worries abound. Though butchers are suppose to carry out slaughtering at the New-Bell slaughtering area before transporting the carcases to their various sales points, some slaughter along the road which is uncalled-for. Reason why as a cooperative slaughter houses can be constructed, better cold houses for conservation provided and good slabs for the sale of pork constructed. Bopda Noutsegue Dayan, President of one of the pork markets in Douala III is optimistic that as a cooperative, work condition will improve and they will be able to compete with their supermarket counterparts while the Sub-Divisional Delegation of Minepia for Douala II, Alain Ghomsi said only good results awaits them as a cooperative.

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Cameroon Tribune

10.Mar.2016

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Cameroon’s first lady Madam Chantal Biya was conspicuously absent during celebrations marking this year’s World Women's Day. The nationwide event started with a women’s fashion show at the 20th May Boulevard in Yaounde. The 30th edition of the International Women's Day held on Tuesday in the absence of both the first lady, Chantal Biya and her husband. 

Cameroon Concord understands Chantal Biya and the head of state left the country since the 23rd of  February 2016 for what is often described by state owned radio and television as a "short private stay in Europe." Some of the women who took part in the Yaounde festivities were heard murmuring privately how a Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO could afford to miss out in such day of international significance.

Despite Chantal Biya’s absence, Cameroonian women in all categories sacrificed and performed the scantily attended parade ritual in the presence of Hon. Marie Thérèse Abena Ondoa, one of President Biya’s numerous cabinet minister in charge of promoting women affairs.

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Sama Ernest

09.Mar.2016

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Songs and meaningful messages spiced March Past to grace Women’s Day commemoration in Yaounde. Commemorating the 31st Edition of the International Women’s Day on the theme “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Meeting the Challenges and Overcoming the Obstacles”, thousands of women who gathered at the 20th May Boulevard in Yaounde yesterday, March 8, 2016 brandished messages not only in support of the theme of the celebration, but also the need for gender equality which is an important component for the development of Cameroon. 

Taking place under the patronage of the First Lady of Cameroon, women from all walks of life March Past the 20th May Boulevard with a message not only for the President of the Republic but also for the First Lady whom they expressed gratitude for her contribution to the wellbeing of women and young girls in Cameroon and beyond. Through a banner, Cameroonian women pray “God almighty to continue granting wisdom and inspiration to His Excellency Paul Biya to pursue the building of our Dear and Beautiful Fatherland.” For over three hours, as the women marched past through different messages they said: Yes to equality of sex, yes to the autonomy of women, yes to the leadership of women and yes to the guarantee of decent jobs.

Women through banners noted that the fight against mismanagement of public funds is an important aspect for their development and that besides being next to their husbands for security and peace in the country, authorities concerned should create a platform for them in zones of conflict. Besides being engaged for autonomy in the professional milieu, women through a banner did not only mobilise against the common enemy Boko-Haram, but urged each other to counsel their children against joining the terrorist group.

Besides acclaiming the Universal Digital Economy which according to women is an added value for their employment, the women through placards stated that they are committed to the implementation of digital economy in the country. The women, through banners reaffirmed some of the major impediments against their autonomy. As such, they cried out through a poster “No to Violence! No to Genital Mutilation! No to Forced and Early Marriage!” Women did not also ignore those aspects which are a major problem to their health.

As such they called on each other to fight cancer of the cervix and breast as well as bleeding which is a major cause of mortality amongst them. As Cameroonian women decided to depend on Jesus Christ to break all challenges and overcome all obstacles, they were joined by workers from the United Nations Systems in Cameroon as well as those from the United States Embassy in Yaounde to step up gender equality. A prominent message in this light read, “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it Up for Gender equality.”

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Cameroon Tribune

09.Mar.2016

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