Cameroon:75% of AIDS affected women in 19-24 age bracket

By Liu Fang
YAOUNDE, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Three quarters of women affected by HIV/AIDS in Cameroon are between 19 and 24, three times more than the affected men of the same bracket, the Ministry of Public Health reported on Saturday.

The figures were released as the central African country marked the World AIDS Day, when people working to control the deadly disease in Cameroon deplored the high rate, linking it to the poor economic and socio-cultural plight.

"Essential information on the methods of prevention of HIV/AIDS has not yet sufficiently reached the girls of this age bracket, " said Nestor Ankiba, executive director of Cameroon's Association of Social Marketing (ACMS), a non-profit making organization which facilitates access to health information by the Cameroonian population.

"It's an age group which is more or less naive, the majority of the girls at this age do not even know what they are doing," he added.

 The economic dependence of the girls at this age vis-a-vis their families which are not always rich is the origin of this high rate of contamination, according to the ACMS director.

A study conducted by his organization shows that the majority of their sexual partners are men who are older and have more money than the boys at their age.

In order to call for responsibility from the older people and attract the attention of the young girls on the dangers of inter-generational sexual relations, the ACMS launched in August 2008 a sensitization campaign titled "No to Sponsors, No to HIV/AIDS".

"Multiplication of several sexual partners by these young girls is certainly the main cause of contamination," said Arsene Onana Ndougsa, a peer educator at African Synergies against AIDS and suffering, an NGO headed by Cameroon's First Lady Chantal Biya.

In their multiple foray on the ground to interact with the youth, said Nadia Zibi Effa, another peer educator, the young men are more motivated to know the prevention methods and ways of contamination than the young girls.

Out of 35,780 young people tested voluntarily in August 2009 during the operation "Holidays without AIDS" organized since 2003 by African Synergies, 22,500 were boys and 13,280 were girls.

In the eyes of Zibi Effa, the fear of knowing their status explains the refusal by girls to get tested.

Antoine Socpa, an anthropologist and teacher at the University of Yaounde 1, has published a number of articles on the relationship between poverty and contamination of HIV. Other cultural factors like early marriage, female genital mutilation, scarification of the body by stained objects contribute to the contamination by the virus, he said.

Investigations carried out in northern regions of Cameroon where the practice of excision of young girls still goes on, he said, revealed a high rate of prevalence among girls because the objects used by the women are always stained by blood.

According to him, the sensitization that has cost billions of dollars against AIDS has had limitations since it has not helped in addressing some of the cultural aspects of some ethnic groups on the African continent.

 As a solution, Socpa asked international organizations involved in the fight against AIDS and African leaders to identify the factors that push the girls to get involved in risky activities regardless of the deadly consequences.

Preservatives may not be the only solution to this problem if the conditions of life of these people do not change.

 With a prevalence rate of 5.1 percent, which includes 6.8 percent of women and 4.1 percent of men, 553,000 people are living with HIV in Cameroon, where the first case was reported in 1985. The rate is 9.9 percent in the country's young population.

The central region of the country is the worst hit with 111,287sick people, who account for 47 percent of the total. In the north, 17,418 seropositives were reported, or 15 percent of the total.

The Cameroonian government on May 1, 2007 decided to provide the free antiretroviral treatment for the people living with HIV. There are now 136 health training centers across the country to take care of the patients.

The promotion of usage of preservatives for women is at the center of activities marking the World AIDS Day in Cameroon, which is marked under the theme "I am taking issues in my hands, stop AIDS, keep the promise, women and children without HIV."

The objective, according to health officials, is that each woman should decide for her own health and participate in the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and contribute to the reduction of new infections in Cameroon.

Voluntary testing, conferences, debates and distribution of feminine and masculine preservatives are part of the activities of the national health week launched on Wednesday in the capital Yaounde.
Source:www.chinaview.cn

Cameroon :Nkong Hill Gives Birth to Microfinance Institution

By Mofor Samuel
South West Regional Delegate for Agriculture and Rural Development, Lawrence Forwang, on October 18, 2009 in Buea officially inaugurated the Nkong Credit for Savings and Cooperative Society (NC4D) Ltd, a brainchild of Nkong Hill Top Common Initiative Group Buea. Commissioning the new microfinance institution, the delegate talked of the eagerness and the expectations of the grassroots population of the region with respect to this venture. He went further to say that this population is characterized by poverty, low income levels and low standard of living. And that one of the greatest problem of agriculture where close to 80% of the Cameroonian population is involved in, is the lack of finances for investments, compounded by the difficulties to obtain credits from commercial banks, high interest rates and the unavailability of collaterals and guarantees to satisfy the banks and other lending institutions.

With the only collaterals to farmers being their farmlands and crops, NC4D has come as a welcome relief to the population for their use and benefit.

The delegate equally had some words of advice to the management of NC4D on how they can make their impact felt by the needy population. Amongst others, he talked of mutual confidence within members, large deposits of money are not the type of savings to look for, savings as the basis for obtaining credit, operate on the cooperative philosophy that emphasizes on service rather than profit, loans to be granted for productive purpose and pay expenses of operation and dividends on the savings of its members etc.

Before exhorting NC4D to operate in the light of the prudential, financial and specific accounting norms applicable to savings and credit cooperatives / MFI according to the laws of the Republic of Cameroon concerning the profession, he reminded them that the Central African Banking Commission (COBAC) shall watch out on the quality of their financial situation and accounting management to ensure that ethical rules of the profession are respected.

Earlier on, in a welcome address by the Chairperson of NC4D, Anu Vincent, he said that the presence of all and sundry at the commissioning ceremony was proof that they share the vision of the mother organization, Nkong Hill Top, which strives for a world in which human dignity is protected from the ravages of poverty, ignorance, discrimination and violence. And that their presence is certainly telling them that they can count on them as NC4D sets out to achieve its mission of bringing financial services at moderate rate to the urban unbanked and rural populations.

He equally took all down memory lane by briefly situating NC4D to them. He said that it all began one evening in 1996 in a bar in Great Soppo called Hill Top, when some men and women decided to start a weekly savings club to collectively rescue themselves from the ravenous money lenders who were exploiting the financial crunch occasioned by the civil service salary cuts and the devaluation of FCFA of the early nineties.

It was out of this initiative that emerged Nkong Hill Top Common Initiative group and its several programmes notably NWOCA- Nkong Women Cash Up- project which has seen the Nkong family deliver micro credits to over 600 low income women beneficiaries in Fako and Lebialem Divisions of Cameroon since 2006.

This has been achieved thanks to the commitment of Nkong Hill Top Board and members, the over 98% payback performance of the beneficiaries and enduring support of MRDF London and recently Drombaya, their foreign partners.

Thanks to the findings of an impact assessment on the social impact of NWOCA programme carried out recently by a John Hopkins University intern, the Board of Nkong Hill Top resolved to forge ahead in 2006 to register a Category 1 microfinance institution that is functioning in conformity with the existing national legislation regulating the sector in Cameroon.

With the goal being to promote access to microfinance services for members, the community and especially the urban and rural poor women; and in line with the objectives spelt out in Section 42 of the Law on cooperatives and common initiative groups, the purpose of NC4D Ltd shall be to:

provide members financing at moderate interest rate for both investment and /or production purposes; offer complementary savings and credit services such as risk management, checking system etc; build the capacity of members and the community through educational seminars, workshops and other training activities; and provide financial intermediation services within Cameroon.

While acknowledging with profound gratitude the support that they continue to receive from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through its Regional Delegate and his extension services, the Ministry of Finance, Softsarl Ltd Douala. Aziverida Ltd London, MRDF London, Drombaya Switzerland, the NGO community in Buea and members of Nkong Hill Top, the Chairperson said in joining them will be coming to a winning community which includes local and international partners linked in productive partnerships for development.

Last but not the least he talked of their being proud of their achievement but that they are very aware of the huge challenges, challenges which are well beyond simply getting to a hill top, challenges which NC4D shall encounter as they strive to reach the mountain top.

Cameroon:RUMPI Project Approves 2010 Work plan, Budgets FCFA 8.9 Billion

By Christopher Ambe Shu

The annual work plans and budget of the Rumpi Area Participatory Development Project (fondly called Rumpi Project) for 2010 have been approved by the Project’s Steering Committee (PSC), chaired by Southwest Governor.

The PSC, which met at its 9th session at Chariot Hotel, in Buea,adopted the project’s 2010 budget in income and expenditure at the sum of eight billion eight hundred and sixty seven million five hundred and forty thousand(8,867,540,000) FCFA.

The PSC represents various project stakeholders and is responsible for the overall supervision of the Rumpi project.

The FCFA 17 billion Rumpi Project, launched in 2004, is intended to reduce poverty in rural areas of the Southwest province by increasing their incomes in a sustainable manner, through improving agricultural output as well as their socio-economic environment.

It is placed under the Southwest Development Authority, SOWEDA-Buea, and co- funded by African Development Bank (ADB75%), Technical Assistance Fund (TAF 8 %), Government of Cameroon (GOC15%) and the beneficiaries (2%), according to official sources.

Opening the 9th session, Dr. Eneme Andrew Ngome, general manager of SOWEDA ,who sat in for the PSC chairman, called on members to be realistic in discussing the budget and to make sure that the budget would not only be realistic but achievable.

He challenged Rumpi administrators and its executing agencies to double efforts in order to fully accomplish their objectives, as the project draws to an end. He said the government attaches much importance to the project with regards to its fight for poverty-alleviation.

Dr Eneme said the project, which has a six-year life span, is at its 5th year and is expected to end in June 2010, if a request for an extension for another one year is not approved. The government had earlier written to the ADB requesting a one year prolongation

The 9th PSC recommended that “the Project should contact the Ministry of Public Works to ensure that, the construction of 15 km along the Sabes-Kendem road be integrated among the works of the Ekok-Mamfe-Bamenda highway to be funded by the African Development bank”.

The PSC also recommended “that the Rumpi Project Implementation Team and partners should take all necessary measures to ensure that certified seeds and other planting materials are available to farmers at the right time of the agricultural calendar”

The PSC members(pictured), according to a statement issued at the end of the sitting, “noted with satisfaction the action taken by the Project management to reinforce the capacity of the Infrastructure Component by recruiting a senior Infrastructure Engineer”

Besong Ntui Ogork, Rumpi Project Coordinator, said they were now focusing on infrastructure development, noting that in the past the project had done much in assisting agricultural activities and farmers in the southwest region.

The PSC met barely two weeks after RUMPI awarded two contracts to E & T Engineering in Douala and SOTAR/SOGES, Douala for the rehabilitation and construction of some 227 km of feeder roads in the Southwest region, for a period of up to 10 months worth about five billion FCFA

The achievements of RUMPI as at now are many which include: education of farmers: construction of rural markets, rural roads, water schemes, and village banks.

Observers say Project coordinator, Besong Ntui Ogork, who is an agricultural expert and masters the development problems of the Southwest region, is greatly responsible for the strides Rumpi Project is making. They recall that he took over as project coordinator when the ADB had stop disbursement to the project but Mr. Besong Ntui Ogorkworked extra hard and  regained  the bank’s confidence,occasioning the resumption of disbursement

Cameroon: Presbyterian Church Elects New Moderator

By Christopher Ambe Shu

The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC), which is 52 years old, has a new moderator, who is the Chief Shepherd of this Christian organization with a membership of more than one million people.

Rev.Dr.Festus Ambe Asana(pictured) was overwhelmingly elected by the 44th Synod ,dubbed “Synod of Change” ,on November 24 in Kumba, to replace the Rt. Rev.Dr. Nyansako –ni-Nku, who has served in that capacity for ten years, and is due retirement in December.

Rev.Professor Emmanuel Anyambod Anya,rector of Protestant University of Central Africa(PUCA),who had put up his candidature to race with Rev.Dr.Festus Asana, considered the favorite, for office of moderator, withdrew at the last minute, in favor of his lone challenger.That made Rev. Dr.Asana to secure all 92 votes,hence scoring 100% from the electoral college.

Rev. Dr.Asana will officially assume office in January 2010 after an institution and induction ceremony.

Rev.Abwenzoh William Membong ,secretary of the Kumba Presbytery, was also elected as Synod Clerk, to replace Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana, who has served two five-year terms in that office. Rev Abwenzoh beat his lone challenger, Rev. Besong Johnson Tabe by 47 to 45 votes.

In his acceptance speech,Moderator-elect Rev. Dr. Asana emphasised the need for the church to become more united."My ambition is to see the church stronger and more united;that we reason as children of one family,"he said,adding that transparency,hard work and probity must characterise his leadership.

Rev. Dr.Asana’s Profile

Born in Bafut in March 1948, Rev. Dr. Festus Ambe Asana is the first of ten children of late Rev.David Chembe Asana and Monica Bi Asana.

Due to the itinerant missionary nature of his father’s service, young Festus Asana attended Basel/Presbyterian Primary Schools in Nyasoso, Nseh, Kumbo, Buwe-Bukali and Bome.

As a student of Cameroon Protestant College (CPC) Bali where he felt called to the pastoral ministry in his third year (1966). After obtaining the London GCE ordinary Level, he proceeded to Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology (CCAST) Bambili where he passed his GCE Advanced level.

Festus Asana began his theological studies at the Faculty of Protestant Theology, Yaoundé graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree and post-graduate diploma. That same year he began teaching at the Presbyterian Theological College, Nyasoso at the age of 29. He later became Principal of same college

In 1983, he moved to the USA where he studied for an MTS degree at Harvard University, the Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduating as class marshal. He later earned a doctorate degree (Th.D) from Boston University School of Theology.

Upon return to Cameroon, he was reappointed Principal of the Theological College, Kumba and he became the first Dean of the Presbyterian Seminary in 1984 when the school was upgraded to a degree-awarding institution.

Rev Dr. Festus Asana has served the church in various capacities among which are: tutor at CPC Bali (1971-1972); lecturer at Theological College, Nyasoso and Kumba Seminary for 14 years; principal of Theological College, Nyasoso and Kumba for seven years; chaplain of Government Secondary School Nyasoso for three years; pastor of English-Speaking parish, Yaoundé for two years; Chaplian of Presbyterian High School,Kumba(1990);pastor of Kosala Congregation for five years; Dean of the Presbyterian theological Seminary Kumba for five years and Synod Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon from 1999 to 2009.

He was ordained in 1978 and is married to Mrs. Jenny Nchang, a teacher by profession and holder of Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Lesley college Graduate School,Cambridge,Massachusetts,USA.They have four children.

Rev Dr Asana has co-authored two books and published many articles;been member of the board of Governors of the Cameroon Bible Translation and Literacy association(CABTAL)

EU Condemns Election Management Transfer in Cameroon

 By Tansa Musa
Cameroon’s democ­ra­ti­sa­tion process has suf­fered a seri­ous set­back this year after the gov­ern­ment trans­ferred elec­tions man­age­ment from the Min­istry of Ter­ri­to­r­ial Admin­is­tra­tion (MINAT) to the rul­ing Cameroon People’s Demo­c­ra­tic Move­ment (CPDM) party of Pres­i­dent Paul Biya, says the head of the Euro­pean Com­mis­sion del­e­ga­tion in Yaounde.

“We strongly applauded the government’s deci­sion in 2006 to cre­ate an inde­pen­dent body Elec­tions Cameroon (ELECAM) to man­age elec­tions in the coun­try, believ­ing that this would be the end of flawed polls that has almost resulted in social unrest many times, and a major step for­ward in the democ­ra­ti­sa­tion process,” Javier Puyol told a press con­fer­ence in Yaounde on Friday.

“But we were very dis­ap­pointed this year when the author­i­ties appointed the 12 board mem­bers of ELECAM and 11 of them were mem­bers of the cen­tral com­mit­tee and polit­i­cal bureau of the rul­ing party. In other words, this sim­ply meant trans­fer­ing the task of elec­tions organ­i­sa­tion from MINAT to one of the par­ties in con­test, actu­ally mak­ing it a player and ref­eree at the same time. This was a missed oppor­tu­nity to advance the democ­ra­ti­sa­tion process. This is regret­table. Its a pity. It is already a false start for the 2011 pres­i­den­tial poll which is just by the cor­ner. That elec­tion has already lost its creadibility.”

The Cameroon gov­ern­ment decided to cre­ate ELECAM as an inde­pen­dent elec­toral body in 2006 fol­low­ing per­sis­tent com­plains from the oppo­si­tion, the civil soci­ety and the donor com­mu­nity that pre­vi­ous elec­tions organ­ised by MINAT since the coun­try returned to mul­ti­par­tism in 1991, were grossly irreg­u­lar and designed to favour the CPDM. The law cre­at­ing the body stip­u­lates clearly that mem­bers of its board “shall be des­ig­nated from the midst of inde­pen­dent per­son­al­i­ties of Cameroon­ian nation­al­ity, reputed for their stature, moral upright­ness, intel­lec­tual hon­esty, patri­o­tism, neu­tral­ity and impartiality.”

The move was widely acclaimed as a major step for­ward. Unfor­tu­nately, the spir­its of Cameroo­ni­ans, includ­ing mil­i­tants of the rul­ing party them­selves, were damp­ened when in May pres­i­dent Biya appointed only the big guns of his party — three mem­bers of the polit­i­cal bureau and five mem­bers of the cen­tral com­mit­tee — as mem­bers of ELECAM. This has gen­er­ated wide­spread con­dem­na­tion from within the coun­try and out­side, with the main oppo­si­tion Social Demo­c­ra­tic Front (SDF) party already threat­en­ing “to do every­thing to ensure that the 2011 pres­i­den­tial poll does not hold.

Puyol said he under­stood Cameroo­ni­ans’ frus­tra­tions with the elec­toral sys­tem and appealed to the author­i­ties to do some­thing to regain the people’s con­fi­dence in the process. Fail­ure to do this, he said he fore­sees reg­is­tra­tion on the voter’s list and turn-out fur­ther declin­ing and cast­ing doubts over the legit­i­macy of those in authority.
“It is sad that Cameroon which has a pop­u­la­tion of close to 20 mil­lion inhab­i­tants has never suc­ceeded to reg­is­ter up to 5 mil­lion on the voter list. Things could be worst in the 2011 pres­i­den­tial elec­tion and that is not good for the coun­try,” he stated.

Observers in the nation’s cap­i­tal say the appoint­ments only came to con­firm Biya’s deter­mi­na­tion to be pres­i­dent of Cameroon for life. In April 2008, after 26 years of rule, Biya, using his party’s fraud­u­lent major­ity in the National Assem­bly (157 of 180 seats), mod­i­fied the con­sti­tu­tion by sup­press­ing the two-term man­date limit, which means he can run again for as many terms as he wants. The 76-year old Biya came to power in 1982 as the hand-picked suc­ces­sor of for­mer head of state Ahmadou Ahidjo. He is today one of Africa’s longest serv­ing rulers

Courtesy:www.newstimeafrica.com (Posted on November 15 )

Cameroon’s Decentralization Begins In 2010

By Christopher Ambe Shu
The year 2010 will usher in a significant feature to Cameroon’s political and democratic reforms .The much-awaited decentralization (devolution of powers) , one of President Biya’s Greater Ambitions’ reforms, will kick off in 2010.

The government is now leaving no stone unturned in its preparations to ensure the smooth take –off.

Decentralization shall give regional and local authorities (councils) administrative and financial autonomy in the management of their interests, and the State shall only “lightly” supervise them.

In the past, mayors who were unable to deliver blamed Senior Divisional Officers, agents of the Central Administration who acted as Supervisory Authority, of frustrating their development plans, for selfish motives.

The Head of Government and Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, who, on November 10,chaired an extra-ordinary session of the National Decentralization Council in Yaounde, has insisted that the devolution of powers ,as promised by President Biya ,must become a reality and irreversible next year.
The National Decentralization Council monitors and assesses the decentralization and implementation process.

The Finance law on the 2010 state budget is expected to set a fraction of the state revenue for the general decentralization allocations.

“The powers to be transferred in 2010 should, in a concrete manner, go to improve the living conditions, environment of the population or at least be geared towards the provision of quality basic education”, Marafa Hamidou Yaya, Minister of State for Territorial Administration and Decentralization, told a recent session of an inter-ministerial committee, also concerned with the preparation of the coming decentralization.

To reiterate its seriousness, the government has published new rules for the management of council human resources.

But decentralization, administration officials say, will start first with sub divisional and city councils, as regions have not yet been put in place.

While mayors have expressed satisfaction that in less than three months they would start enjoying greater autonomy in the management of their municipalities, they have pleaded with the government to cancel heavy debts they inherited, so to permit them to take off well.

“We appreciate government's decentralization efforts, but we are appealing to the government to cancel some of the heavy debts the incumbent mayors inherited-because of the in ability of previous council administrations to settle them.”

Cameroon:Biya urged to launch 2011 Presidential Campaigns in Buea

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Still undecided whether or not to run for reelection at the forth coming presidential polls in 2011, President Paul Biya may find it difficult to turn down popular calls from within his ruling party, the CPDM ,for him to race for another mandate.

At almost all anniversary ceremonial grounds across the country where CPDM militants assembled on November 6 to celebrate President Biya’s 27 years as Cameroon’s second President, clarion calls were made to Mr. Biya to consider running again.

The anniversary theme was “Let’s Build the Future with President Paul Biya”

In Buea ,CPDM militants not only joined the chorus but went ahead to invite Mr. Biya to launch his presidential campaigns in Buea, which they noted, hosts Mt Cameroon, the highest peak in the country.

The Mayor of Buea and Fako 3 CPDM section President, Charles Mbella Moki(pictured above addressing militants), who on behalf of his section, extended the invitation to President Biya, argued that by launching campaigns on the country’s highest peak, the message would flow easily into to the minds of Cameroonians for appreciation.

State media even reported that in some regions militants pleaded with President Biya to call for early elections.

Conscious of the repeated calls for him to run for reelection, President Biya who is also National Chairman of the ruling CPDM,in his first ever letter to militants on the eve to the anniversary, had acknowledged the calls, describing them as a sign of encouragement.

The anniversary offered an opportunity for CPDM officials to showcase President Biya’s socio-economic, political and diplomatic achievements (read: How Biya Has Modernized Cameroon on this site), as well as dismiss allegations that Mr.Biya is a spendthrift and has ill-gotten wealth hidden abroad. Grassroots militants were also urged to start preparing for future political consultations (elections) so to make the CPDM an all-time victory.

Prime Minster Philemon Yang moved to his division of origin,Bui Division ,to boost anniversary celebrations there, during which he rallied support for President Biya and warned North westerners against making wrong political choice, a veiled reference to the opposition SDF party.

In Mfoundi-Yaounde, CPDM Secretary –General Rene Sadi, who presided over anniversary activities in the City Hall, asked militants to make the nation’s capital the bastion of the CPDM. “We all have to adhere to the policy of our Prsident.What Cameroon is today is thanks to our Prsident”, he said.

In Buea,Hon. Emilia Lifaka,Vice President of Cameroon National Assembly and Hon. Meoto Paul, former Director of Cabinet at the PM’s Office, were also busy rallying support for President Biya.


The story was the same at the different ceremonial grounds across the nation.

WHY CAMEROONIAN MANAGERS FAIL

By SNOWSEL ANO-EBIE in Douala
When one critically looks at the Cameroonian society since November 1982, it is not immediately clear whether the citizens have doubted 27 years of benefits or whether their leaders have benefited from 27 years of doubt. One way or the other, there has been benefits and doubts. A dispassionate examination of the business and organizational leadership sectors in the country clearly points to 27 years of managerial failure.


One can consider management as the ability to plan, organise, and coordinate an organisation’s financial, human, material and other resources in order to achieve its objectives. You don’t need to study the management classics, or delve into “Scientific Management” by Frederic W. Taylor, “Management as a Profession” by Mary Parker Follett, or “The Manager’s Job: Folklore and Fact” by Henry Mintzberg, in order to identify managerial failure in Cameroon.


Over the years, Cameroon has been plagued by many problems like corruption which is now a national culture, crippling youth unemployment, ethnocentric calculations that breed tribalism, inability to attain a two digit growth rate and break lose from the grip of the economic crisis, a hideous debt burden, and many other challenges that can all be blamed on mismanagement.


It is the inability to plan, lead, organise, and control, hence the failure of managers, that a country like Cameroon can boast of 50 years of independence, with 27 of those years under the “New Deal”, but the most pressing needs of the citizens have not been addressed.


It is ignorance of the planning processes in management as expounded by management scholar Henri Fayol, and the inability to engage in the kind of long-range planning described by Peter F. Drucker that Cameroon has been deprived of “an express train” between Douala and Yaounde, the “Trans Cameroon Railway” has not been extended from Ngaoundere to Maroua and Kousséri, the hydro electric potential of Menchum Falls has not been tapped to solve the country’s energy needs and even export electricity to countries like Nigeria, the Limbe deep Seaport has stagnated; and the Ring Road, the Kumba-Mamfe Road, and paved roads leading to all divisional headquarters in Cameroon have remained tools of political blackmail.


The failure of Cameroon’s managers can be seen in the reluctance to create technical universities in the country, in the much heralded democratic process that is aborted in its embryonic stage, and in the wanton lack of recreational and sports infrastructure even though “the fighting Lions’ spirit” is exploited for political capital.


Those who have sat in Management classrooms, studied Management Courses, and taken time off to master the Management Classics, know that effective managers rely on two things; the ability to manage, and the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, in Cameroon, those who have been saddled with the opportunity to manage national organisations and institutions have for the most part been overtaken by their glaring deficiency in managerial skills. It is very difficult, and almost impossible to find any Cameroonian parastatal or state corporation where the managers do not squander opportunities, waste resources, and kill the talents of the people who have been entrusted into their care. The resultant consequence of managerial failure is mismanagement which can aptly be described as one of Cameroon’s greatest nightmares alongside absentee leadership.


There are many reasons why Cameroonian managers fail and the most obvious is poor education. The greater majority of people who lord it over Cameroonian organisations don’t have a management education. All those managing directors, general managers, and chief executive officers, who preside over billions of CFA Francs of tax payers money, have not been trained in the “Principles of Management”, Managerial Economics, Finance, and Accounting. Why would they not fail?


In Cameroon, many managers are technocrats who are appointed up the rungs of the organisation from service heads or first line managers to directors or middle managers and finally to general managers or top management. The disadvantage of this system is that while such managers may succeed with the operational aspects of the organisation, they woefully fail in the functional aspects like budgeting, financial reporting, accounting, and human resource allocation. When one expects teachers, medical doctors, engineers, journalists, lawyers, and other professionals to get academic training in order to become efficient and effective, people who aspire to occupy management positions or ramble into the management field by some struck of luck, desperately need to undergo training in order to speak the language of management and avoid the kind of ignorance that nurtures failure.


Even managers who claim to have training in their CVs are for the most part talking of their stay in the National School of Administration and Magistracy ENAM in Yaounde. For a long time, to qualify as a manager in Cameroon one was required to be a civil administrator trained at ENAM. Graduates from this “prestigious” school of Administration have imposed themselves on state owned companies and organisations. Administration has been erroneously equated to Management. The negative results in terms of failed policies, companies that have been brought down and driven out of existence, cumbersome organisation charts, squandered opportunities, and misplaced priorities are there for everyone to see. Unfortunately, the ENAM myth is still considered a prerequisite for top managers in Cameroon.


Another reason why Cameroonian managers fail is because they are selected through a system of appointments whose underlying motive is to reward political allies and their “God children”, punish Regions of the country that are politically hostile to the present dispensation, and perpetuate a reign of ethnic and tribal hegemony.


The other risk is that appointments are at the discretionary mercy of the person making them, and many unqualified and inexperienced people get appointed, some of them directly from school into top management. Managerial failure can only be the logical outcome.


It is indeed unfortunate that a Developing country like Cameroon has not adopted the MBA or Masters in Business Administration as a standard qualification for all top managers. In other African countries foreign and locally trained MBAs have already taken charge of the economy and national institutions but this is not the case in Cameroon.

Management by political appointments and management by “trial-and-error” have failed Cameroon. Only a logical system based on merit, a sound education, and a solid experience, can turn the tides of managerial failure in Cameroon around.

How Biya Has Modernized Cameroon

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Like it or not, Paul Biya’s 27 years as Cameroon’s President have been eventful, as his blueprint of modernizing the country is being implemented. It could be slow, but it has been steady. Mr. Biya desires to be described as a great achiever. Just staying in power, democratically elected, for 27 years  is a telling achievement.
Even if he has weaknesses - which is normal as a human being, his successes in the political, socio-economic, diplomatic domains and otherwise are there for any person of good faith appreciate. But to completely dismiss Mr. Biya‘s 27-year stay at the helm of power as wasted years, as leading opposition parties in Cameroon claim, is too unfair.
 Democratic Reforms
Politically, to begin with, when he assumed the presidential office on November 6, 1982, the country was a one-party system. Democracy was barely practiced within the party. But in March 1985, he transformed the lone party – the CNU - into CPDM, introducing democratic reforms within the party. He reintroduced multi-party democracy in 1990, against protests from some learned Cameroonians. 
 Today, Cameroon has over 200 political parties, with citizens free to belong to any of their choice or even to form more. With the multiplicity of parties came greater freedom of expression. Cameroonians under former President Ahmadou Ahidjo did not actually enjoy freedom of expression.
Since 1992 elections - notably presidential, municipal and parliamentary - have been organized for Cameroonians to democratically choose their leaders and representatives. It is true complaints of electoral fraud and rigging have been alleged by mostly loser-opposition parties such as the SDF, but the Supreme Court has always adjudicated on such complaints.
President Biya listened to calls from the opposition, who felt that the Ministry of Territorial Administration charged with organizing elections, was not trustworthy, and created the National Elections Observatory (NEO) to supervise polls. The opposition still doubted its credibility, insisting on the creation of an independent electoral body, which President Biya has created in ELECAM.
To ensure that democratic tenets are respected, President Biya set up the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms to promote Human rights, and abolished administrative censorship of the press.

Improving Infrastructure

On the social domain, the Biya Administration has been doing much to put up social facilities across the nation, to improve living standards.
One can easily find well-equipped hospitals in towns and rural settings. Health centers are spread nationwide. The telephone system has been modernized. Deregulation of telecoms has ushered in MTN and Orange, who now serve millions. Consider computer centers with internet link in many schools. Cameroon has an ultra modern television network (CRTV). With President Biya deregulating the audio-visual sector, there are over 100 private radios and 10 television stations operating in Cameroon.


Major roads have been constructed linking towns and more are still under construction. Electricity and water projects are being extended to rural areas. Almost every village has a primary school. Secondary and high schools as well as institutes are far common in Cameroon now than before. The country now has seven state-owned universities (Buea, Douala, Dschang, Ngaoundéré, Yaoundé I, Yaoundé II and Garoua), plus several privately owned universities. There are many other social facilities that can not be all mentioned here.
 In the economic arena, the Biya administration has created and encouraged foreigners to open companies and industries in Cameroon. His administration, in collaboration with the Brettonwoods institutons, is currently carrying out a structural adjustment program, intended to boost economic growth, alleviate poverty and misery and fight diseases. Cameroon‘s economic growth is steady.

Conscious that Cameroon is endowed with abundant natural and human resources, the Biya regime has set up youth employment programs and projects in different ministries. For civil servants, the Government recently decreed a 15 percent pay raise.
There is no doubt that Cameroon, with one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa, still faces problems such as high unemployment, corruption, and embezzlement of public funds, injustices and human rights abuses. But measures have taken by the Biya Administration to check such ills. Many government officials have been thrown in prison for embezzlement and corruption. Many more are currently detained, awaiting trial.
 Opponents accuse President Biya of lacking the political will to put in place institutions provided for by the 1996 revised constitution, such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council. But they forget to note that President Biya has insisted that these institutions world soon be put in place.

Successful Diplomacy

Under President Biya, Cameroon continues to forge relations and maintain good relations with other important nations and international organizations. Cameroon is known as an island of peace in a turbulent Central African sub-region.


One of his latest diplomatic victories was the the return of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon by Nigeria. Cameroon and Nigeria disputed over the legal ownership of the peninsula for years. But conscious that Bakassi belongs to Cameroon, President Paul Biya finally brought the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

In October 2002, the ICJ ruled that sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula lies with Cameroon. And in August 2008, Nigeria finally ceded Bakassi to Cameroon.This was widely considered as a huge diplomatic victory for President Biya.
Due to President Biya’s track record of successes, militants of his ruling party and other Cameroonians are already calling on him to run for re-election in 2011, when his second seven year mandate ends
NB:This Article was First Published at  www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon :Biya To Celebrate 27th Power Anniversary Tomorrow

By Christopher Ambe Shu
Preparations, at all levels, are in high gear in Cameroon to celebrate Mr. Paul Biya’s 27 years as second president of Republic of Cameroon, commonly referred to as Africa in Miniature and an Island of Peace, in a turbulent Sub-Central African region.

Mr. Biya took office as President on November 6, 1982, following the resignation of former President Ahmadou Ahidjo, who had ruled the country, under one-party system, for over two decades .Upon assuming office, President Biya promised to modernize and democratize Cameroon.

And in 1990, he reintroduced multi-party politics, ealier practiced in Cameroon but abolished in 1966, to maintain just one party, Cameron Nation Union (CNU), which in 1985 was transformed into the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM)

Today, Cameroon, with a population of about 18 million people, has over 200 political parties. The CPDM, created in 1985 in Bamenda by Mr. Biya, who is its National Chairman, is the ruling party since inception.
The anniversary is coming shortly after media reports alleged that President Biya, while in France recently for a three -week holiday, spent over FCFA 700 million on hotel bills, restaurant and shopping.

Although the Government and the hotel (la baule) where the president and aides lodged had quickly dismissed the allegation as false, ruling party officials and militants are expected to use the anniversary celebrations to further dismiss the reports.

Militants and regime apologists will, at various ceremonial grounds showcase the president’s socio-economic, diplomatic and political achievements as well as his Grandes Ambitions Program.

Militants will also reiterate their precious call for President Biya to stand for reelection at the 2011 presidential polls.

NB: First Published on November,4 at www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon: Opposition Sees Biya’s 27 Years in Power as Harmful

By Christopher Ambe Shu

As Cameroon President Paul Biya clocks 27 years at the helm of power next November 6, the country’s opposition parties, which since early 1990’s with the reintroduction of multi-party politics have tried unsuccessfully to unseat him at presidential polls, say he has since become a spent-force and spendthrift, worth- dumping for retarding the nation’s socio-economic and political progress. Cameroon has over 200 political parties, with just less than ten considered as active

Those that oppose the ruling CPDM argue that Mr. Biya, who is widely said to have been defeated at the 1992 presidential elections by Cameroon’s leading opposition Party (SDF) candidate, Ni John Fru Ndi, is still in power thanks to electoral fraud, endorsed by the Judiciary, which he heads.

Mr.Biya took over from Ahmadou Ahidjo, as Cameroon’s second president, on November 6, 1982 and promised to “greatly improve the lot of Cameroonians, modernize and democratize the country; promises, which many critics think, he has not kept.

They recall that, in declaring President Biya as winner of the 1992 controversial presidential election, largely marred by irregularities, Supreme Court President, Alexis Dipanda Mouele, said “my hands are tied”. This was widely interpreted to mean that, the Supreme Court judge lacked courage to pronounce Fri Ndi winner, for fear of the unknown. Cameroon judiciary is not independent; the Constitution says that the President of the Republic guarantees its independence.

Opposition parties describe the Ministry of Territorial Administration (main organizer of elections in Cameroon) and the now defunct National Elections Observatory (NEO) as rigging machinery, put in place by the ruling CPDM for to prolong its rule.

The opposition claim that, if not of the CPDM rigging machinery, they would have since booted President Biya out of power, won majority seats in parliament and councils to improve on life in Cameroon, which they think Mr. Biya is not ready to do.

The opposition regret that their call for an independent electoral body, forced President Biya to create but a semblance, called ELECTIONS CAMEROON (ELECAM), which Chief Albert Samba Ngwana, Chairman of Cardinal Democratic Party and Ni John Fru Ndi of the SDF, have described as another CPDM organ.ELECAM has been widely rejected in and out of Cameroon, with the opposition calling for the boycott of any elections organized by this body.

But why do the opposition parties badly want President Biya out?

They wonder why Cameroon, which is endowed with abundant natural resources to merit high standards of living, is classified a heavily indebted poor country. Cameroon, they point out, has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. But it faces many of the serious problems common in other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service, unfavorable climate for business, high unemployment, wide-spread corruption, embezzlement of Public funds, injustices and human rights abuses; so many Cameroonians are living in disease and misery. The population living below the poverty line stands at 48 %( 2001 est)

In 1994, the FCFA was devalued, followed by a 70% salary cut for civil servants, making life unbearable for them. Workers had to live in that ugly situation for many years until recently when government re-adjusted salaries by only 15%

Opponents accuse President Biya of lacking the political will to put in place institutions provided for by the 1996 revised constitution, such as the Senate, the Constitutional Council; of not properly separating the arms of Power(Judiciary, legislature and Executive) ;of tribalism, nepotism, inefficiency and inertia.

The opposition and a good proportion of Cameroonians feel so disappointed that the ruling CPDM used its crushing majority in Parliament in February 2008 to revise the Constitution, scraping off presidential term limits. The revision paves the way for Mr. Biya to stand for reelection (and may be become life president) when his second seven-year term comes to an end in 2011.

They consider President Biya’s lifestyle too expensive, as he likes spending long holidays abroad -sometimes for more than one month at the expense of the state, for what many say is for no -good reason, whereas prices of basic commodities remain high, a problem that led to rioting in February 2008

Reports said President Biya on a recent private trip to France, spent over FCFA 700 million-quite a colossal sum, for three weeks on hotel bills and shopping when Cameroon is seeking for loans here and there to finance public-interest projects.

With continued hardship and misery faced by Cameroonians under Mr. Biya for 27 years, the wish of the majority of citizens-election rigging put aside -is for him to quit power soonest. There is need for regime change else President Biya will continue to be viewed as a curse for Cameroonians.

NB:First Published on November 4,2009 at www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon:JCI Vice-President Tells UB Freshmen To Be Results-oriented!

By Christopher Ambe shu
A total of 5900 newly admitted undergraduate students of Cameroon’s lone Anglo-Saxon varsity, University of Buea (UB), for the academic year 2009/2010, have been challenged to be results-oriented, and shun practices that halt or retard development in society.

Roland Kwemain, International Vice-president of Junior Chambers International (JCI) and candidate for the post of president at JCI coming elections, threw the challenge on October 31 at the 2009 University of Buea Matriculation Ceremony, which took place on campus, witnessed by a host of dignitaries such as Simon Kwemo, Divional Officer for Buea

Kwemain, speaking in his capacity as guest speaker on the theme “Positive Change: Let’s Be The Change We Want To See In Others” at the ceremony, prescribed and elaborated on what he described as the four D’s to success. The four D’s, he said, are: Desire, Decision, Discipline and Determination

“We need change- a peaceful and positive change. Let’s be the change we want to see in others”, he told the freshmen.
He advised lecturers against putting speed brakes on students’ success path for selfish and immoral reasons, insisting that teachers ought to be role models at all times to command respect.

Kwemain used the opportunity to appeal to UB students to enroll en masse as members of JCI, an organization whose main goal is to provide development and employment opportunities to young people below 40 year old.

Earlier in his welcome address, Professor Vincent Titanji, UB Vice-Chancellor, revealed that a total of 5900 students-the highest number in the history of admission in UB, were admitted out of the 8000 who had applied to read at the varsity, which offers 114 degree programs, from bachelor to doctorate degree level.

The Vice –Chancellor noted that the State of Cameroon makes enormous sacrifices to improve UB facilities, and invited students to take good care of school property put at their disposal.
In the past, some ill-intentioned and misguided students, taking advantage of students’ strikes, had destroyed university property, amounting to hundreds of millions of FCFA.

The Vice-Chancellor hailed those who contributed to the “ the peace and harmony” found on campus, hoping that the new students would not trouble –givers.

“Studying in the University calls for a lot of discipline and commitment”, Professor Titanji said, wishing the freshmen a happy and fruitful stay in UB, which started in 1993

An ecumenical service, during which clergymen dished out moral lessons to students, preceded the Matriculation Oath by freshmen, “to obey the rules and regulations guiding student conduct and discipline in the University of Buea”