Editorial

Yesterday's headlines reported two major collapses in Cameroon, a poor West African nation ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world. A portion of the only major highway linking the economic port city of Douala and the political capital of Yaounde caved in, leaving thousands of travelers confused.

Hours later, at least 53 people died and nearly 300 were injured when an overloaded passenger train traveling between Douala and Yaounde derailed and overturned, according to Aljazeera reports. Basically, every direct access point between Yaounde and Douala has collapsed. Only the rich can afford flying with the country's ailing airline company, CAMAIRCO.

Well, the Biya administration's national policy has failed, and every sector sustaining the country's economy is waning. I will explain.

Data from the CIA World Factbook revealed that among other countries in the world, Cameroon ranks 112 for its airports, 87 for its railways, and 76 for its roadways. Its railway connections are generally "efficient but limited," linking only four in 10 regional capitals. No English-speaking regional capital is linked.

Roadways total about 51,000 km, but only slightly over 4,000 km is tarred. A 2011 study finds that there is nearly 29,000 km of national roads. Take a deeper look at the transport system again. Most of Cameroon's roads were paved by former president Amadou Ahidjo who ruled between 1961 and 1982.

No major quality road construction work has taken place ever since President Paul Biya took office. Instead, the 34-year-old regime has been hawking from one foreign bank to the other, begging for loans like a 19th-century gangster. Many of its citizens and supporters are unaware of the dangers of international debt. Perhaps, I could better clarify this once and for all.

In International Political Economy, we often use a term "bad luck." It basically means that money is borrowed in huge sums in response to external factors, particularly the oil price shocks, high-interest rates, recessions and weak commodity prices. Also, political factors play a major role too. Cameroon borrows and spends more than it receives as revenues.

Estimated revenues in 2015 hit nearly $5 billion USD. But expenditures that same year were over $6 billion USD. We owe more than $4 billion dollars of international debt, roughly 28 percent of GDP. So ever since Heavily Indebted Poor Countries' Initiative canceled off Cameroon's loans in 2006, living standards even became worse.

Debts have been accumulating once again from 9 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2014 and 28 percent in 2015. And no one is stopping it? What in the world! Here are the big questions: What have we been doing with the borrowed money? Who has been taking how much for what project?

Spending FCFA75 billion to supply laptops to some favored students instead of building laptop manufacturing factories or tarring roads across major cities. With the absence of the rule of law, weak institutional checks and balances, bad democratic governance, opaque public accountability, the danger is that if Cameroon foreign debt exceeds 50 percent of its total revenues, it would be time to say goodbye.

Here is Tapang's take.

Halt the unwanted borrowing and stop relying on oil revenues. The oil wells are drying up and are unsustainable. In fact, as of 2007, a Correlates of War (COW) study revealed that all of Cameroon's oil would have been depleted in 7.1 years if it continued extracting it at that same rate COW recorded. Cameroon should diversity to agriculture. Investing more in that sector would not only pull back the country from teetering on the brink of an economic collapse but also from a conflict trap.

Oil has caused unresolved wars in most of Africa ever since sovereign states began producing the back gold. Cameroon has been saved from oil-related violence because of its heavily divided ethnicity. Paul Collier, an economist and conflict researcher argues along my lines. It takes decades for oil-related conflicts to be resolved but it takes hours for food-related conflicts to be resolved. And ever since Cameroon started oil production in 1979, there has been no oil-related violence. The first violent was food related in 2008. And that claimed over 100 lives, according to some media reports.

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Tapang Ivo

22.Oct.2016

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Cameroon, situated politically in Central Africa and geographically in West Africa is reputed for its uneven distribution of development projects.

If the architects of the reunification of Cameroon were still alive, then they would not only be regarded as traitors but they would have to explain why the 1961 plebiscite wherein they encouraged Southern Cameroonians to sign for a 50/50 economic development and political power sharing is yet to yield any fruits.

50 years after the reunification of the former British and French Cameroons, the former is not just deserted and abandoned to itself in the socio-economic and political aspects of life but equally, none of the clauses of the reunification is being respected.
French speaking regions developing very fast

In French-speaking regions of #Cameroon which constitute 80 percent of the national territory and population, the development of air, land and water transport systems is evolving at the speed of light. Talking about #air transport, the French-speaking part of Cameroon can as of now boast of at least three international airports namely, the Douala, Yaounde and Garoua airports not forgetting the newly created national travel routes to Bafoussam. These are  now all operational.
With the plethora of air routes already established in Francophone Cameroon, one will expect at least more from a nation which reunified on a 50/50 basis. Anglophones  compose the minority, occupying barely 20% of the national territory with two regions, the North West and South West.
English speaking infrastructure a ghost of the old days

Air transport which originally started in the English Speaking part of Cameroon is today a ghost of its former self. The Tiko airport constructed by the Germans during the pre-colonial period around the 1940s is today a mirror of what it used to be.

As the Female African Cup of Nations to be hosted by the South West and Center regions was announced, Anglophones in the South West Region breathed a sigh of relief as it was proclaimed that the Tiko airport was to be renovated and used to transport teams before, during and after the competition in Limbe.

As expected, the project died a natural death and recently the main road leading to the airport that was linked by an age-old bridge constructed during the pre-colonial period collapsed, handicapping the residents of the area and putting the road users in a difficult situation.

In the North West Region, the story is a similar one. A demarcated piece of land in Bali -Nyonga that at first was set aside for the construction of the Bamenda International airport has been turned into a hunting ground where idle youths go for hunting.
The Bafut military airstrip

A tiny one found in Bafut and used by the military has in recent years received a lot of criticism due to its soft nature of the ground which does not permit heavy aircraft above a certain number of tons to land on it.

Anglophone pressure groups, trade unions, lawyers and teachers among others have continued to decry the unjust treatment and uneven distribution of development projects even though they say their regions (North West and south West) are the breadbasket of Cameroon, having all the mineral deposits.
Calls for separation

While a group of individuals have classified themselves under the banner of the Ambazonia republic and are calling for the separation of the former British Southern Cameroons, the majority of the population remains indifferent with some focusing their minds on having just their daily bread.  

It has been announced that air routes will be extended to Bamenda. #reunification of Cameroon

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Amos Fofung

20.Oct.2016

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The absence of the Head of State and wife has been a call for concern, as all Cameroonians keep wandering if their leader has surrendered powers to an unknown ruler.

Since he left the country on Sept. 16th on invitation to attend the UN General Assembly, there are no signs of his return, eventhough he is working in abstentia, appointing SDOs and firing others, sending his Ministers to represent him where he was supposed to be in person.

The rest of what we hear about him is the disgrace CODE is giving him wherever he goes, the numerous memorandums by different traditional rulers airing their own selfish grievances, the fights in the CPDM, where even top militants themselves are not sure of what is happening to the party etc.. 

"L'Epevier Newspaper" of today Oct. 17 got curious on the subject as well, but outlined that the First Lady had requested her husband to remove some of his Officials in place, and replace them with her own people, which became a bone of contention for the couple.

This unfounded story can however have some grounds, because the Head of State's long stay out of the country with eleven of his most trusted personnel, is an indication that they are working out something that will only be unfolded upon their arrival.

Whatever it is, one thing is certain. President Biya has had it up to the throat, and now that things are hot all round for him, he will rather prefer to do his best to kick whoever or whatever obstacle that has had a hand in his present crisis.

henrietteslounge.com

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Miss Tatchter

18.Oct.2016

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Its really sad for a well informed elite from the North West Province and the South West Province that has been forcely assimilated to La Republique du Cameroun in a dark scene with short sigted Policians who needed just Positions and not Responsibilities.
We are all Aware of the Clear differences between the British Southern Cameroons and the La Republique du Cameroon.

We are all Aware of the Different independence Date of the TWO States.

We are all Aware of the Referandum that was Pioneered by the United Nations with Complicity of President Ahmadou Ahidjo and who deceitfully used some Southern Cameroons to facilitate the Annexation.
We all Know the Federal Plan that gave La Republique du Cameroun VETO Powers over the Anglophones in the governing of the Federality Systems.

We are all Aware of the unsolicited Decree of President Biya to single handedly with a click of some unpatriotic, corrupt and short sighted Southern Cameroons Elites to ammend the Constitution from Federalism to United Republic to Republic as at this time.
What is strange for Cameroonians to understand that the the claim of the Southern Cameroons is just and has been proven by all legal instruments and institutions?

Where the Lawyers of the British Southern Cameroonians apprentices to their Law that its now that they are raising their voices with tears?

Its time to understand that British Cameroon TOP Ranking Lawyers and Politicians of the CPDM and SDF Party in Cameroon are accomplices of KEYED Padlock hindering the Peaceful Liberation of Southern Cameroons from La Republique du Cameroon.
La Republique du Cameroun and the British Southern Cameroons are two States of different cultures and histories. The Politicians, Lawyers, Civil Society, Teachers, Businessman, Students, Doctors, Military and Security Officers fron Southern Cameroons have been suffering from unpredicted menances, touture, frustration, inhuman degradation, abuse of human and property rights, subordination in Official responsibilities, Extinction and Exploitation of Resources in Southern Cameroons Resources without Accountability, Oppressed in their liberty of Expression; OH MY GOD!!!

Time is now, Nothing Leaves my Bedroom without my permission and conscent. Our Politicians have failed us; Its time to empower Emerging Leaders and Politicians. Support does not go with Words but Action.
We all Know what is happening in Cameroon NOW. President Paul Biya of La Republique was harrassed in Switzerland by Cameroonians in Diaspora who are far more living happily than US; Why not you Feeling the Pains in Cameroon.

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Francis Ebongue

17.Oct.2016

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Recently Cameroons Minister of State, Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso has represented President Paul Biya in two major international events. The first was on September 27, 2016 during the Installation ceremony of the re-elected President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba. In fact Laurent Esso was the only Minister to represent his President, because other presidents sent their Prime Ministers. The Second event is the ongoing Summit on Maritime Security and Development in Africa in Togo. Again Laurent Esso is heading a Cameroonian delegation in Togo including foreign Affairs Minister Le Jeune Mbella Mbella.

These two outings of Laurent Esso, popularly called ‘the heart of the Nation’ have left many speculating that Mr Biya could be playing his card once again. That Cameroon has a Prime Minister Philemon Yang who is head of government and who on these occasions has been bypassed for his subordinate is a warning signal that Etoudi could be preparing a bombshell. But can Mr Biya show his cards openly to Cameroonians?

The Head of State is known for his game plan, he doesn’t want people to speculate on what he will do next. Is Mr Biya trying to get public opinion about Laurent Esso being the next president of is he trying to tell Yang Philemon that his time as Prime Minister is over? Is he ready to relinquish power to Littoral at the expense of his brothers of the South and Muslims in the North who have both being fighting a cold war over who take over after Biya?

These answered questions only keep Cameroonians wondering what Mr Biya is up to. The head of state has spent over 28 days now out of the country. He left of September 16, 2016 to prepare for the 71st General Assembly of the United Nations. Since then the whereabouts of Mr Biya is not known.Some sources say he returned to his hotel suit at the Swiss based Continental hotel.

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Prince Nfor Hanson

16.Oct.2016

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Late Professor Bole N Butake is among the group of young Cameroon intellectuals who got to Yaounde some time after independence - as big university boys.

 In his case, he really had to drudge hard at every turn, given that he was an orphan of both parents, and had managed to go through his pre-university education studies thanks to the charity of benefactors, who had been rightly convinced to have seen him a very intelligent and focused young man.

 From his St Patrick Primary School Nkor, through SAHECO to CCAST Bambili, the young Butake was a bubble of mettle and teeming potential. By tye time he got to the Yaounde university, freshman's proclivity for letters was already evident. His creative streak first came to light especially as a post-graduate student, with the founding and managing of The Mould magazine in 1976; thus would serve as the creative magazine of the then Faculty of Letters, Arts and Foreign Languages for long.

 Butake's initial love was poetry as his many poems in the copies of this mag showed & he was editor while it lasted and came to feature many who later became writers: the Ndumbe Eyohs, the Kitts Mbebohs, the Nalova Lyongas, the Edward Akos, the Tala Kashims, the Tangyie Suh-Nfors, the Tah Protuses, the Bumuh Martins,etc. Even masters like the eminent Bernard Fonlon of blessed memory, who trained them to be writers and critics, as he loved to put it,like the Prof Ze Amvelas, etc, published in that famous mag.

 Prof Butake would later study in Leeds University,after which he became a full time university don in UNIYAO - not yet the splintered I and II. With his peers the likes of late Lambo, late Siga Asanga, late Mbeboh, Lyonga, Futcha, late Jikong Stephen, late Ebot, late Tambi Jot, Alobwede d'Epie, etc and under the mentorship of their venerable Professor Fonlon and his co- professors, the late Butake was among the first group of Cameroonian teachers recruited to man the English Dep't. He would later on move to the African Literature Department, where he made a name as theatre guru and playwright and established an enviable reputation with peers the likes of late Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh, Gilbert Doho,etc.

It was sometime in 1984, after a creative writers' training course which he attended in Iowa in the US of A that Bole Butake abandoned his first love, poetry, to adopt drama, especially drama for "conscientisation" and social awareness. He retired from the Faculty of Arts, Letters and Human Sciences in 2012 and was given a rousing send-off from that dep't that spanned 2 days, 14/06/2012 & 15/06/2012, with testimonies from the likes of Prof Breitinger from Bayreuth Germany, Prof Odhiambo from Moi University Kenya and the cream of the Cameroon intelligentsia.

 He leaves behind a rich legacy of plays: The Rape of Michelle; Lake God; The Survivors; And Palm Wine Will Flow; Shoes and Four Men in Arms; Dance of the Vampires; Family Saga; Bethrotal Without Libation; Zintgraff and the Battle of Mankon (coauthored with Gilbert Doho)

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Valentine Nfon Tameh

03.Oct.2016

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