Society

The Minister of Transport, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o has received in audience the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Cameroon His Excellency Wei Wenhua. Both officials reportedly discussed ways of reinforcing cooperation between China and Cameroon in the Transport sector. 

The Chinese diplomat and the Minister of Transport also had a cordial exchanged on the subject of the 2 MA 60 aircrafts purchased from China whose inaugural flight has been scheduled for January 23, 2016.

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Ngwa Bertrand

16.Jan.2016

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Louis Bapes Bapes, former Minister of Secondary Education (MINESEC), sacked from the government on Oct. 2, 2015 was expected at the Special Criminal Court on Friday for the public reading of his indictment. Cameroon Concord Intel Unit is yet to confirm if the former minister made the appearance. Louis Bapes Bapes, who has already been heard many times by prosecutors of the Special Criminal Court in Yaounde remains the first Cameroon sitting cabinet minister ever to have been placed in custody. In March 31, 2014, he was arrested and remanded in custody at the Central Prison in Yaoundé, and released the next day on "high" instruction from the Cameroonian dictator Paul Biya. 

Reportedly, the former minister continued his mismanagement policy at the Department of Secondary Education. His case is related to that of the late Catherine Abena, former Secretary State at the Ministry of Secondary Education sacked from the government on July 2009. Catherine Abena was arrested and jailed in January 2010 for an alleged embezzlement of 250 million CFA francs. Released February 4, 2011, she died March 19, 2014. On January 16, 2015, counsel for former Minister Bapes Bapes paid 35 million CFA francs to stop the prosecution.

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Ngwa Bertrand

16.Jan.2016

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John Fru Ndi, the SDF dictator met the press on January 14, 2016 at his private residence in Ntarinkon neighborhood in Bamenda. It was also an opportunity for the chairman of the so called leading opposition party in Cameroon to deliver his New Year message to the nation. Flanked by some of its employees and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the governing body of the SDF, Fru Ndi placed more emphasis on changes that may lay the foundations for a true democracy in Cameroon. Said the SDF leader, "For twenty-six years together we have fought for the advent of a new and better Cameroon. But this important time can not make us forget that for thirty-three years, our beloved country languished under the rule of a dictatorship led by a group of dishonest and corrupt leaders'. 

Fru Ndi listed what he claimed were a list of new requirements posed by the SDF for the development of our democracy. Among Chairman Fru Ndi's new ingredients were consensual electoral code, an independent electoral commission and an electoral calendar that guarantees free elections. The SDF Chairman also added that there was an urgent need to protect multiparty, transparent and democratic principles in the country. He called for a complete biometrics registration on the electoral lists and for limiting the presidential term to two.

With age telling on him, the SDF leader hinted that Cameroon should introduce a single ballot as the only way to fight against the purchase of consciences in voting processes. Ni John Fru Ndi also observed that there should be an effective implementation of Article 66 of the Constitution on the declaration of assets for holders of public office and the adoption of a law on dual nationality.

The President of the SDF also raised other issues that if reviewed could in his view guarantee equitable development. On the Chairman's scale of preference was the law governing broadcasting in the country. As a contribution, Fru Ndi revealed the SDF intends to fight against insecurity by approaching "through proactive and progressive agricultural policies that will address some of the identified obstacles hampering the development of agriculture in Cameroon." He quoted deforestation, soil erosion by water and wind, the uncontrolled exploitation of our natural resources (forests, fisheries, livestock), the insufficient involvement of local people in decision making, legislation and insufficient law enforcement, rampant corruption, inefficiency and inertia institutionalized.

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Ngwa Bertrand

16.Jan.2016

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The Ministry of Public Service has announced severe measures to be meted out on some civil servants and state agents who are non-existent or absent from their posts of responsibilities. Officials at the Ministry say such people, referred to as “ghost workers” have till 15th of January 2016 to show proof of engagement or be scrapped off from the state payroll. 

In the months of August and November 2015, the names of 11.000 ghost workers were published. Since then, many of them have failed to appear at the Ministry of Public Service. As the Ministry plans severe sanctions on such defaulters, it is worth indicating that ghost workers have over the years, defrauded the state of billions of FCFA.

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Ngwa Bertrand

15.Jan.2016

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300 Nigerians who escaped terrorist attacks along the boaders with Cameroon have gone back to their country. While preparing to leave from Maroua during the weekend, the Governor of the Far North region, Midjiyawa Bakari was there to supervise the distribution of food to them and to ensure that the health and safety facilities were available before departure. 

The Governor lauded the efforts of the Nigerian army along the border for guaranteeing security among its nationals and hinted that Boko Haram will soon be a thing of the past.

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Ngwa Bertrand

15.Jan.2016

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The Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a public agro-industrial unit exploiting oil palms, rubber trees and banana trees in the South-West region of Cameroon, announced that it is putting aside its non-standard banana selling activity throughout 2016, we learned in an official communiqué signed by the company's MD, Franklin Ngoni Njié.

The temporary suspension of this activity, which will be restarted towards the middle of 2016 for the financial year 2017, the MD of CDC stresses, follows the restructuring plan currently underway in this state company.

Exporter of bananas toward the European market (approximately 60,000 tons per year), CDC, 2nd employer in Cameroon after the state, also supplies local consumers with the non-standard bananas, a product which does not conform to export specifications.

The suspension of this activity for 2016 should have a direct impact on not only the revenue of traders, but also on the availability of industrial bananas on the Cameroonian marke

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Ngwa Bertrand

15.Jan.2016

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