By Tazoacha Asonganyi in Yaounde.
Governing a country is very complex business. What every country is worth largely depends on how this complexity is managed. The extent to which the citizens ensure that no single individual is in general charge, and to which everyone involved is partly in charge, determine how well a country fares. The general health of a country depends on the extent to which the people run their own affairs without any citizen feeling the need to be in phase with some political grouping, religious creed, or tribal cabal in order to enjoy their freedom and happiness, or live a fulfilled life.
The management of the complex business of governance involves bargains and accommodations among factions and interest groups, to give enough room for individual initiative and discretion, group adaptation, and functional variations between communities.
The centralized set-up that has prevailed in Cameroon since the ‘60s has meant that an all-powerful central figure stuffed the top with political appointees and civil servants. It has meant that in daily life, recommendations move upwards and orders flow downwards. This is why most appointees, civil servants, and politicians always give the impression that they lack initiative, and always do what they do because “His Excellency the Head of State” directed them to do so. They hardly ever exercise independent judgement, let alone think for themselves, since they always do only what they are told to do! And so commonsense, imagination, and other personal talents hardly have any room in the daily work of citizens.
Centralisation has been discredited by corruption, embezzlement of public funds, waste of resources, indolence and laxity, human rights violations, secretiveness about the people’s business, the rule of power in place of the rule of law, and generalised distrust and suspicion of the people by those in power. It has been discredited by the monopoly model of electricity and water supply inherited from colonial government, which has not only been incapable of continuous supply of the amenities to all local council areas, but also of supplying them at affordable prices.
Centralisation has converted us into hostages of the rainy season during which most rural areas are cut-off from urban centres by bad roads; and road construction and maintenance works, as well as the movement of goods and services across the country are at a standstill. Central control freaks have shown a self-interested unwillingness to plan investment activities to coincide with the dry season. Centralisation has confiscated the power the people are supposed to wield, and reduced them to beggars, while those they have put forward to fend for them have elevated themselves to the position of bountiful givers.
This evidence that centralization and the complexity of governance are not good bedfellows generated the hope that the mode of decentralization that Cameroonians have been clamouring for, and that was finally inscribed in the 1996 constitution would break the stranglehold of centralization on the state. Unfortunately, the way in which the decentralization programme is being implemented leaves the impression that it is just another aspect of centralization! The work to be done is being subdivided and parcelled out, while the same people are still hanging desperately on to central control. The people are still being prevented from the free exercise of opinion and initiative – from electing their representatives. The top is still being stuffed with appointees and civil servants.
It was hoped that decentralisation would allow council areas to plan investment activities strategically; and with vision for the future of the council; and with help from a responsible and responsive government, procure enough funds to allow council areas to freely carry out road construction and maintenance works, and other investment projects – like building of schools, health and administrative infrastructures, and the provision of various social amenities – only during the dry season. The rainy season would therefore be reserved for all the paper work related to investment projects in readiness for serious investment works during the 3 – 4 months of dry season each year. Two to three cycles of such strategic planning and execution of investment projects by local councils would cause serious positive changes in economic and human development indicators of not only the local areas, but the country as a whole.
Indeed, it was hoped that such decentralisation would empower the people, promote subsidiarity, transparency, and local democracy, and institute local regulatory structures and sources of funds, leaving the central government to be the facilitator, not the all-encompassing provider. This would make it possible for services like electricity and water supply to be set-up in local areas as competitive businesses, not privileges guarded by monopolies. These expectations have been dashed by what we are witnessing today.
Many persons like Hans Eysenck and other racist scientists, in order to justify slave trade, colonization and exploitation, and the present social, economic and political backwardness of Africa, argued that it was all due to hereditary determinism; that it is due to our genes. However, the recently concluded human genome project that has mapped all the genes in man has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that “race" is a fallacy that has no basis in science. In other words, our backwardness in Africa is not due to the fact that our genes are different from the genes of the people that live in the western world; we are all just human beings.
What is certain is that human beings are affected by nature and nurture; backwardness and progress depend on how humans deal with the two factors. Nature would be about how we face the hills and valleys, rain and sunshine, the dry and rainy seasons, winter, spring, and summer, etc. Nurture would refer to how the environment in which we grow up allows us to face and dominate these natural forces to the advantage of the advancement of society. In the domain of nurture are freedom and liberty, democracy and the rule of law, education and the discipline that free the mind of the individual citizen who is symbolic of the hen that lays the "golden egg" of development.
Organisation of flawed elections, sit-tight leaders, daily violation of human rights, embezzlement and misuse of the common wealth that is controlled by the government, are all reasons why man in Africa falls far behind man in the western world in many aspects of life. Citizens are interested in freely running the affairs of their communities. The more reason why they should be given the opportunity to control their own affairs, in order to put an end to an organisational structure that creates a sea of poverty and helplessness, with a bloated island of arrogance and opulence floating at the centre.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
THE WORLD YOUTH CONFERENCE 2010:Chief A.S Ngwana's View
The United Nations officials who set up the World Youth Conference 2010 (WYC) thought that they had everything under control. They had carefully choreagraphed the event in order to achieve the results that they wanted. But things at the conference, held in the city of Leon from August 25–27, did not go entirely as they had planned. Sergio Burga, of PRI (Population Research Institute), provided on-the-scene, in-depth coverage from Mexico as the U.N. launched its new attack on children and families. The conference agenda was greeted by strong protests by many of the young people in attendance. The UN did not look kindly upon this deviance from its agenda, and expelled these young people from the event.
UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNAIDS and other UN agencies had begun their preparation for WYC 2010 by handpicking about two hundred youth delegates from around the world to attend.
Their selection criteria was highly restrictive, so it is no accident that almost all of these "youth representatives" were actually radical activists of one stripe or another, ranging from leaders of pro-abortion organizations, to members of homosexual and radical feminist groups. At the same time, these UN agencies attempted to exclude all young people belonging to pro-life, pro-family groups. As the protests inside the conference showed, this effort was not entirely successful.
Among the mainstream groups that were excluded from the conference was the International Youth Alliance (IYA). This is an umbrella organization that includes over 50 youth groups from Mexico, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and the U.S. The IYA publicly rejected the UN's pro- abortion and pro-homosexual policies and demanded that the UN respect the Latin American culture, with its strong emphasis on family values.
The UN, supported by the government of Mexico, had picked as the theme of the 2010 WYC the phrase “Say it Strong.” The International Youth Alliance brought together hundreds of young people excluded from the 2010 WYC on a march under the banner of "Say it Right." The contrast between the UN's loud propagandizing of falsehoods about life, family and human sexuality, and the IYC's insistence on telling the truth about these same subjects could not have been starker.
Another UN gambit—this one used to maintain iron-fisted control of the wording of the “Final Declaration”—was to make participation in the conference incredibly complicated. The public was given the impression that the declaration represented the collective voices of young people worldwide, but in fact it was drafted by UN bureaucrats. To further complicate matters, the WYC was divided into three tracks: the Social Forum (which itself was subdivided into an NGO forum and a gathering of the youth), the Government Forum, and the Legislative Forum. The three of these forums operated almost simultaneously from the beginning to the end of the conference.
Even the hand-picked UN delegates had little input into the “Final Declaration.” These young people, as a few of them belatedly realized, were there only to provide window dressing. They were kept busy participating in workshops, thematic conferences and roundtables, and had little or no opportunity to ensure that their real opinions were reflected in the final document.
The Legislative Forum provided another example of this kind of anti-democratic manipulation. The Legislative Forum, according to the UN, will work independently of the Government Forum, since both will give their findings on the same day without any contact with each other. But this is just more window dressing. It is not difficult to see how the UN will use the Legislative Forum, which is packed with more of its hand-picked supporters from around the world—all there on the UN's dime—to approve another pre-fabricated “Declaration” which dovetails with the others.
Like China's one-party dictatorship with its rubber-stamp National People's Congress, the UN bureaucracy pays lip service to democratic forms while ensuring that its own party line prevails. And so we hear its young puppets declaring that abortion is a human right, the family is a social construct, and any expression of sexuality, however perverted, is OK.
Don't believe it.
UNICEF, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNAIDS and other UN agencies had begun their preparation for WYC 2010 by handpicking about two hundred youth delegates from around the world to attend.
Their selection criteria was highly restrictive, so it is no accident that almost all of these "youth representatives" were actually radical activists of one stripe or another, ranging from leaders of pro-abortion organizations, to members of homosexual and radical feminist groups. At the same time, these UN agencies attempted to exclude all young people belonging to pro-life, pro-family groups. As the protests inside the conference showed, this effort was not entirely successful.
Among the mainstream groups that were excluded from the conference was the International Youth Alliance (IYA). This is an umbrella organization that includes over 50 youth groups from Mexico, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and the U.S. The IYA publicly rejected the UN's pro- abortion and pro-homosexual policies and demanded that the UN respect the Latin American culture, with its strong emphasis on family values.
The UN, supported by the government of Mexico, had picked as the theme of the 2010 WYC the phrase “Say it Strong.” The International Youth Alliance brought together hundreds of young people excluded from the 2010 WYC on a march under the banner of "Say it Right." The contrast between the UN's loud propagandizing of falsehoods about life, family and human sexuality, and the IYC's insistence on telling the truth about these same subjects could not have been starker.
Another UN gambit—this one used to maintain iron-fisted control of the wording of the “Final Declaration”—was to make participation in the conference incredibly complicated. The public was given the impression that the declaration represented the collective voices of young people worldwide, but in fact it was drafted by UN bureaucrats. To further complicate matters, the WYC was divided into three tracks: the Social Forum (which itself was subdivided into an NGO forum and a gathering of the youth), the Government Forum, and the Legislative Forum. The three of these forums operated almost simultaneously from the beginning to the end of the conference.
Even the hand-picked UN delegates had little input into the “Final Declaration.” These young people, as a few of them belatedly realized, were there only to provide window dressing. They were kept busy participating in workshops, thematic conferences and roundtables, and had little or no opportunity to ensure that their real opinions were reflected in the final document.
The Legislative Forum provided another example of this kind of anti-democratic manipulation. The Legislative Forum, according to the UN, will work independently of the Government Forum, since both will give their findings on the same day without any contact with each other. But this is just more window dressing. It is not difficult to see how the UN will use the Legislative Forum, which is packed with more of its hand-picked supporters from around the world—all there on the UN's dime—to approve another pre-fabricated “Declaration” which dovetails with the others.
Like China's one-party dictatorship with its rubber-stamp National People's Congress, the UN bureaucracy pays lip service to democratic forms while ensuring that its own party line prevails. And so we hear its young puppets declaring that abortion is a human right, the family is a social construct, and any expression of sexuality, however perverted, is OK.
Don't believe it.
Cameroon’s leader reshuffles security services
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| Martin Mbarga Nguele |
The head of the police investigation department, Emmanuel Edou, who was appointed in July 2009, was replaced by the Cameroonian serving ambassador to Spain, Martin Mbarga Nguele, who held this post in the 1980s.
The head of the intelligence service (DGRE), Bienvenu Obelabout, was taken over from this post by Léopold Maxime Eko Eko.
In the same ambit, former Premier Peter Mafany Musongue, Grand chancellor of national orders, was replaced by Leon Honore Tikolo, the Prime minister’s former attaché.
President Biya also appointed Paul Atanga Nji as permanent secretary at the National Security Council (CNS). Until his new duty, Atanga was minister-official representative at the Presidency.
Created in January, CNS is tasked with working out a periodic report on the country’s domestic and foreign security.
Reporting to the secretary general of the Presidency, the CNS is in charge of drafting guidelines on the forward-looking information and give its advice on the issues the Head of State would entrust him.
In addition, President Biya massively reshuffled the permanent secretariats in 15 ministerial departments.
-APA
Cameroon To Host African Youth Forum in November
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| Song Stephen, ICOYD officials and journalists at conference |
By Christopher Ambe Shu
Youth leaders from all over Africa will meet in Cameroon beginning November 6th to 14th to strategize on how to actively take part in the different development processes of their various communities and countries.
Song Stephen, president of International Coalition of Organizations for Youth Development,ICOYD,a new Cameroon-based NGO whose mission is to provide a platform and necessary tools for youth empowerment and development, broke the news to journalists at a recent press conference at Fakoship Plaza,Buea -Cameroon.
He told reporters that the African Youth forum, which will be the first of its kind in this Central African country, will have high-ranking resource persons notably from Liberia, Ghana, South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. The forum, he said, will hold under the theme “Re-awakening of the African Youth” and will be under the patronage of Cameroon’s Prime Minister Philemon Yang.
“ICOYD strives to bring about youth empowerment, to ensure their effective participation in the developmental processes of their countries, continent and the world at large - by playing a consultative, proactive and representative role nationally and internationally,” Song said.
“ICOYD intends tp partner with other organizations in and out of Africa in to share knowledge and enhance young people’s creative power and optimize their potentials for action and participation in development processes…”
Song,who was assisted in answering reporters' questions by other memnbers of ICOYD executive board, said that ICOYD is not only concerned with sensitization and education through conferences, seminars, and documentaries but will also “conceive and execute projects on youth entrepeurship, environmental protection, human rights and women empowerment”
Song said for inquiries about the coming forum, interested persons should contact the forum secretariat:
Email: icoyddevelopment@yahoo.com or +237 33 32 29 19 or +237 76 24 64 21
Monday, August 30, 2010
Cameroon:Mayor Moki to Rehabilitate Buea Town Green Stadium
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| Mayor Moki (wearing hat) greets match officials before kick-off |
The Mayor of Buea, Sunday 29 August, used the occasion of the finals of the maiden edition of Buea Council Inter-quarter Football Cup Competition (BUCUFOCC) to announce his plan to rehabilitate the long-time abandoned Buea Town stadium, which is today called Buea Town
“I want to use this occasion to announce here that after the on-going Buea Town market project (estimated to cost several hundreds of millions of FCFA), the next project the Council will engage will be the restoration of this abandoned stadium-called Buea Town Green”, said Mayor Charles Mbella Moki, admitting that the pitch on which the finals was played was really in bad shape. “We must restore the lost glory of Buea”
Buea is the chief town of the Southwest Region, but it has no befitting stadium. Even the functional Molyko Omni sport Stadium has but a sandy pitch and insufficient infrastructure. The rehabilitation of the Buea Town
Mayor Mbella Moki’s announcement was saluted by the over 3000 people who turned out to watch the finals between Mokunda FC and Gulf FC, with a thunderous applause.
The football cup, which carried a cash trophy of FCFA 1.5 million, was won by Mokunda FC, which beat its opponents by 4 goals to zero
Sixteen teams had participated in the tournament, which was intended to keep students and other youth relaxed during the long vacation and to expose young football talents.
While lauding the participating teams and partners of the tournament, Mayor Moki announced that, the cash prize for the cup will double next year.
The acting Divisional Officer for Buea, Thiery Meboga, who presided at the finals, hailed the Mayor for the initiative, and expressed happiness at the announcement that the abandoned stadium would be rehabilitated soon.
Cultural dances and musical displays added color to the finals
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Cameroon: Dr.Ngongi’s Inter-quarter Football Tournament Keeps Buea Lively during Long Vacation
By Christopher ambe Shu
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| Fan Club Eto'o Fils | <><><><><><>
The finals of the second edition of Dr. Namanga Ngongi’s Inter-Quarter Football Tournament, which has kept residents especially youth and students usefully occupied during this long vacation, will be played tomorrow, Sunday August 22 at the Molyko Omni sport Stadium-Buea.
Fan Club Eto'o will battle it out with Molyko FC,for the Cup Winner to emerge.
The tournament has a cash trophy of FCFA 1.5 million. Cultural dances and other side activities are expected to add pomp to the finals, to be watched by hundreds of soccer lovers.
Edwin Ngwana(pictured greeting match officials), socio-cultural adviser at Buea Governor’s Office presided at the launching ceremony of this year’s tournament, which took place last July 4, attended by hundreds of people.Mr. Ngwana personally did the kick-off in the opening match between Eto’o Fans Club of Molyko (current cup holders) and Veteran FC of Muea, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Ngwana was sitting in for the Southwest Regional Governor, Koumpa Isa.
Dr. Namanga Ngongi is President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) with residence in Kenya and frontline elite of Fako Division.
This year’s tournament has been competed for by 14 teams. And it is worth-noting that each of the participating teams gladly received a new set of jerseys as gift from the cup donor.
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| Massive turn out of soccer lovers |
Cup donor Dr Ngongi, in his opening remarks at the launching said he was impressed by the high participation of the youth in the tournament. He sad the competition is intended to develop football talents, as well as keep residents of Buea especially students and other young people usefully busy during this long vacation.
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| Cultural dancers displaying |
“We need to build the spirit of dedication, hard work and discipline,” he said, hoping that one or more of the players participating in his tournament would be playing the World Cup in 2014.
The launching was witnessed by a host of dignitaries such as retired Ambassador Tabong Kima,Dr. Mrs. Dorothy Limunga Njeuma(ELECAM Board Member);Charles Mbella Moki,Buea Mayor; Professor Victor Julius Ngoh,UB Deputy Vice-Chancellor; Ngale kinge Jacob, retired SDO and Buea Traditional rulers.
Effoe Max, president of the tournament’s organizing committee told The Recorder that, even though the trophy carries a cash prize of FCFA 1.5 million, Dr. Ngongi will have spent about six million francs to sustain the competition and its other aspects by the time it comes to an end.
+and+Chief+Kima+Tabong.JPG) |
| Mayor Charles Mbella Moki,Dr Ngongi and Chief Kima Tabong |
“This tournament is a good initiative. I heard the radio announcement about the tournament and decided to come and relax here”, remarked Professor Lydia Luma in a chat with reporters after the launching ceremony. “I feel really relaxed now. Many people appreciate it”
Observers said the tournament is in line with Dr. Ngongi’s growing philanthropic spirit.
They recalled that last February Dr.Ngongi came to the assistance of two Buea health centers, by making material donation to one and supplying electric energy to the other.
He had donated to Muea Health Center 30 cupboards, 20 mattassses, 30 bed sheets and 30 pillow cases.
And he got Bonakanda Integrated Health Center electrified, for the first time since the center was built several years ago.
His assistance to both health centers was estimated to cost over two million FCFA.
Cameroon OIC to Celebrate Silver Jubilee Next Year in Grand Style.
By Christopher Ambe Shu
Barrister Elad dropped the hint last month during the graduation ceremony of the 20th batch of trainees from COIC, which was presided at by Edwin Ngwana, Social & Cultural Adviser at Southwest Governor’s Office.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Adolf Ngundu Lyonga, Program Director of COIC-Buea, had this remark about the graduates: “These young men and women have been adequately trained and we are proud of the hard work and dedication they exercised through out their training here. They have not only received training in their various vocational fields but also on needed life skills training on managing a business.”
Lyonga noted with joy that, when trainees of COIC’s department of ICT last December sat for the Government Exam, they came out overall first in the Southwest region, scoring 86%
He assured employers that COIC graduates would be an asset to them rather than liability.
He reminded graduates who would want to be self-employed that the HIPC/COIC Revolving Loan Scheme is open to them.
The Program Director disclosed that since inception in 1986, COIC has trained 25,000 Cameroonian youth in its regular programs and over 3000 in its outreach programs. Over 15000 COIC Trainees are gainfully employed, he said
He lauded Fako Elements Cultural association (FECA0 Minnesota in the US for their decision to henceforth sponsor six Bakweri youth yearly in COIC.
It emerged that new vocations such as Textile and Fashion Design (dress-making), Agriculture, Weaving and Handicraft will soon go operational at COIC-Buea
.Highlights of the graduation included an discourse by university don, Madam Ngeve Rebecca Eposi on the theme “Vocational Training ,Youth Employment & Moral Responsibilities of Youth in Economic Development” ,and award of prizes to meritorious graduates.
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| COIC graduates:ready for job market |
Cameroon Opportunities Industrialization Center, (COIC)-Buea will turn 25 years next year and plans are underway to celebrate the Silver Jubilee in grand style, Barrister Sam Ekontang Elad, COIC Board Chairman has hinted.
“Cameroon OIC would by next year be 25 year old and we are going to celebrate our 25th anniversary in a very grand style-God willing”, Barrister Elad said in his address to the audience at the graduation.
COIC was graduating 301 trainees who undertook a two-year vocational /technical training in different fields that include: Auto Mechanics/Motor Electricity, Information & Communication Technology, Building Construction, Hotel Catering & Management, Metal Fabrication Welding and Spraying, & Wood Work.
The Board Chair said COIC Buea, an affiliate of OIC International with headquarters in Philadelphia, USA, was established in 1986 as a non –profit, community-based skills training program.
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| Adolf Ngundu Lyonga:COIC Director |
He expressed gratitude to those who worked hard to ensure that COIC came into being such as Late Rev Leon Sullivan, Dr Mrs. Theresia Elad and Late Athanasius E.Kome. He recalled that when COIC started with 60 trainees, it was USAID that funded it and when it stopped funding, Bread –for- the -World came in and also ended its support in 2002.
From 2002 to date the Cameroon Government is the main financier of COIC.
Since 2004 Government’s annual subvention to COIC increased from 75 million to 150 million FCFA, Barrister Elad said. The Board Chair added that“COIC is the only NGO in the Southwest Region to have benefited from the HIPC funds, which funds at their first phase, are expected to empower the Centre with about 107,500,000 FCFA”
He disclosed that about 48 million FCFA of the HIPC funds would be set aside “to provide graduating trainees with seed capital for them to borrow to set up on their own”. He lauded the Government and the various funding agencies for their support to COIC.
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| Board Chairman Elad handing Prize to deserving graduate |
While congratulating the graduates, Barrister Elad warned advised them, “You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be great.” He called for collective support to keep COIC afloat despite the problems it faces. “I encourage parents to join us in sustaining a bright hope of the future for our Centre”
Barrister Elad strongly called on Buea Council to relocate the Great Soppo market, which is on COIC land, so that COIC can use the land “for the benefit of the young Cameroonians we are training”
But COIC is at crossroad. “We are working hard to align the present vision our Government has for COIC with the vision OIC International expects us to follow. The next several weeks may redefine what COIC will stand for. Whatever the case, we are determined that the winners will be our young people”, remarked Barrister Elad, COIC Board chair
Presiding at the graduation, Edwin Ngwana, who sat in for the South west Governor Koumpa Issa, explored the graduates to put the skills acquired into proper use. He assured COIC management that the Government would continue supporting the Centre, noting that COIC is on the right course as concerned human resource development.
Earlier in his welcome speech, Adolf Ngundu Lyonga, Program Director of COIC-Buea, had this remark about the graduates: “These young men and women have been adequately trained and we are proud of the hard work and dedication they exercised through out their training here. They have not only received training in their various vocational fields but also on needed life skills training on managing a business.”
Lyonga noted with joy that, when trainees of COIC’s department of ICT last December sat for the Government Exam, they came out overall first in the Southwest region, scoring 86%
He assured employers that COIC graduates would be an asset to them rather than liability.
He reminded graduates who would want to be self-employed that the HIPC/COIC Revolving Loan Scheme is open to them.
The Program Director disclosed that since inception in 1986, COIC has trained 25,000 Cameroonian youth in its regular programs and over 3000 in its outreach programs. Over 15000 COIC Trainees are gainfully employed, he said
He lauded Fako Elements Cultural association (FECA0 Minnesota in the US for their decision to henceforth sponsor six Bakweri youth yearly in COIC.
It emerged that new vocations such as Textile and Fashion Design (dress-making), Agriculture, Weaving and Handicraft will soon go operational at COIC-Buea
.Highlights of the graduation included an discourse by university don, Madam Ngeve Rebecca Eposi on the theme “Vocational Training ,Youth Employment & Moral Responsibilities of Youth in Economic Development” ,and award of prizes to meritorious graduates.
Cameroon:"PNDP to Support SW Councils with FCFA 600 Million This Year"
-Dr. Nkem David Atenchong, PNDP Regional Coordinator for Southwest.
Six councils in the Southwest Region have been identified for technical and financial assistance this year by the National Community-Driven Development Program (PNDP).
According to Dr. Nkem David Atenchong, PNDP Regional Coordinator for Southwest, the six identified councils will collectively receive a huge financial package of FCFA 600 million this year. He adds that PNDP will assist up to 25 councils in the Southwest Region amounting to several billions of FCFA by 2013
Nkem Atenchong, who holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Commonwealth Open University, UK and an MA in Development Policy from the University of Bremen, Germany, is quite convinced that PNDP would greatly help in alleviating poverty in the southwest region.
Dr.Nkem(pictured) sat down for an interview with Recorder Editor Christopher Ambe Shu in his office in Buea
You are the pioneer Southwest Regional Coordinator of PNDP.What is PNDP all about?
Can you tell us about the institutional set of PNDP?
The set up is as follows: The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development(MINEPAT) is at the top and there you have the National Orientation Committee that is chaired by the Secretary-General of MINEPAT.At the regional level, you know we work with the councils, so the SDO’s are the main supervisory authorities. Then at the council level, you have the municipal council board extended to sector-based ministries. Of course, you have the grassroots population.
You also have the National Coordination Unit with head office in Yaoundé. Mme Marie Magdalene Nga is the National Coordinator of PNDP. There are regional units-for the case of Southwest it is Buea .Of course; I am the Southwest regional coordinator. And under my supervision are four units: unit in charge of capacity-building; unit in charge of infrastructure, unit in charge of social and economic aspects and unit for Accounts. There are other support staffs.
There are service providers who go between the regional coordination units and the councils.
There are three major components: the first component is Support to Local Development, which makes sure that allowances meant for development are disbursed to the councils. The second component is Support to Decentralization-mainly for technical and financial capacity-building. The third is the Coordination, Management and Communication, Monitoring and Evaluation component.
So that is how PNDP is set up to ensure the effective implementation of the projects in the field.
NB:First Published in The Recorder Newspaper(Cameroon),of August 19,2010
Six councils in the Southwest Region have been identified for technical and financial assistance this year by the National Community-Driven Development Program (PNDP).
According to Dr. Nkem David Atenchong, PNDP Regional Coordinator for Southwest, the six identified councils will collectively receive a huge financial package of FCFA 600 million this year. He adds that PNDP will assist up to 25 councils in the Southwest Region amounting to several billions of FCFA by 2013
Nkem Atenchong, who holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Commonwealth Open University, UK and an MA in Development Policy from the University of Bremen, Germany, is quite convinced that PNDP would greatly help in alleviating poverty in the southwest region.
Dr.Nkem(pictured) sat down for an interview with Recorder Editor Christopher Ambe Shu in his office in Buea
You are the pioneer Southwest Regional Coordinator of PNDP.What is PNDP all about?PNDP stands for the National Community-Driven Development Program. It was conceived in 2005 as a tool whose objective is to assist the Government of Cameroon in poverty-alleviation and in enhancing opportunities for growth and employment.
PNDP is in its second phase –that is from 2010 -2013.It has a phase of four years. In the first phase the project was in six regions of the country excluding Northwest, Southwest, Littoral and East regions. But in the second phase these regions just named are included. So PNDP is now in all the ten regions of the country.
Why were some regions excluded from the first phase?
It is a matter of programming. You cannot do everything at once. You have to start somewhere. Certain criteria were used to identify the regions for the first phase.
Are the regions that benefited from the first phase are still benefiting from the second phase?
Yes, they are still benefiting. It is an on-going process. They could still be involved in the third phase.
In the first phase over 1.2 million households benefited from the project either directly or indirectly-in terms of rural infrastructure-roads, markets, equipment of classrooms and capacity-building in one way or the other.
Let us come back to the overall objective of PNDP.Can you throw more light on it?
In the first and second phases the funding mechanism has been put in place to assist councils. That is PNDP gives allowances to councils to elaborate their communal development plans, to follow-up development activities in rural development areas and again to assist capacity-building. The PNDP will work with councils, recruit and train technical and financial assistants who will serve as focal point in every council on behalf of PNDP.
We have to draw up legal and regulatory mechanisms for decentralization and rural development. It is a program that is also out to accompany the government in the on-going decentralization process.
When you give allowances to councils, do you actually follow-up how these funds are used?
Yes! First of all before we give money to councils we open a joint bank account in a credible financial institution. The signatories to this account are the mayor, the municipal treasurer and the PNDP coordinator. At the level of the PNDP there is a follow-up committee; there is a monitoring and evaluation unit that tracks how this money is being used. At the level of the council there is a follow –up committee that is put in place to follow-up micro-projects financed by PNDP.
In addition, you have external auditors coming from either the side of the donors or the National Coordination Unit of PNDP which is in Yaoundé.
How do you identify councils for assistance? Do they have to apply?
Councils are state institutions. The PNDP is a government program and with the implementation of decentralization, the councils are seen as the main focus of PNDP –because they are out there to reach the grassroots and to reach the grass roots, the interlocutor has to be the councils and the mayors are heads of councils.
In the Southwest, by 2013 we are going to cover 25 councils. In 2010, we are starting with six councils. In Fako, it is the Tiko council; in Meme ,you have Mbonge council; in Ndian Division, you have Bamusso Council; in Lebialem ,you have Menji council ;In Manyu ,it is the Eyumojock council and in Kupe Manenguba ,you have the Tombel council. We will work with nine councils in 2011 and 10 councils in 2012.And of course .follow-up will extend up to 2013.Let me note here that these councils have their financial allowances ready. It just like having your credits and be able to use. It is just for us to open up a joint bank account and follow-up certain procedures that have been put in place by PNDP for councils to meet up to benefit from these allowances.
How financially viable is the PNDP regional office you are heading? How much money is there for the councils to take home?
This gives me the opportunity to tell you about the PNDP financing plan. .The program is financed by both the government of Cameroon and international donors. You have the World Bank, through the IDA funds; you also have the German Development Bank and the French Development Assistance. The councils have to make some contribution as well. In all, the package that PNDP has for councils this year is close to Fcfa 600 million. Take note that the least given to each council is about Fcfa 90 million. You also have some amount for the functioning of the PNDP office and to follow-up field activities.
As pioneer regional coordinator, what have you achieved so far?
Things have been happening so fast. In PNDP action speaks louder than words. I effectively took office as pioneer coordinator in April this year. PNDP is under MINEPAT-the titular ministry. And when we came here the regional delegate of MINEPAT was so receptive and gave us two offices .But we have just transferred to our new building here in the CPNS complex, Mile 17 -Buea
When we came in we immediately organized an initiation workshop in Tombel for the mayors, secretaries-general and municipal treasurers and other sector based-ministries from the six councils that are benefiting this year. The workshop was to brief them on the PNDP, its principles and how we are to partner in the field. During that workshop we also announced another phase-that of carrying out a diagnostic study -so to get basic data about councils and local development economy, social and environmental indicators as baseline for us to start working. And it is from this baseline information that we will either actualize the communual development plan or elaborate a new communual development plan for the council .It is from these communual development plans that we will finance projects.
Now we are at the phase of signing conventions. We signed the first convention on July 16, 2010 with the Tiko council. In the convention we gave them a package of over Fcfa 28 million for Tiko to actualize their communual development plan. They have a plan but it doesn’t suit the standards of PNDP. The plan they showed did not show a village- by- village approach in the elaboration of the development plan. And with PNDP the approach must be village- by-village one. What we realized from the development plan that was elaborated in 2008 is that they concentrated on Mutengene, Likumba, Tiko, Misselle and another village. But we said for them to benefit we need a village- by-village approach…
In addition to the over Fcfa 28 million given to Tiko, there is money to take charge of the tenders’ board committee and the functioning of another committee extended to other sectors and also the award of contracts. We have also just financial conventions with the Menji, Mbonge and Bamusso Councils.
So far, have you come across any challenges?
As a new office, the challenges are enormous; we don’t yet have means of transportation on our own; we are still hiring vehicles but we are sure to have ours soon. In the field, we have the problem of communication during the rainy season-to move to areas such as Menji,Mamfe or Ndian is not easy. And you know our activities also cover the Bakassi area so moving by sea at times is a big challenge; there is this fear of insecurity around.
You are a development expert and now coordinating PNDP here. Are you convinced that this project will succeed here?
I think it is going to be a huge success. It will be a land mark success because the approach is very participatory. Right form the elaboration of the communual development plan you see the grassroots people being involved. And we are there to guide them on how to go about the micro-projects. We are telling them that, it is not just building a school or markets but also looking at social and environmental aspects- because from experience there are some projects such as markets that are built without toilets or proper drainage system. But the approach of PNDP takes care of environmental issues.
I am very convinced that we will make .The project has come to stay and the impact will be felt.
The set up is as follows: The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development(MINEPAT) is at the top and there you have the National Orientation Committee that is chaired by the Secretary-General of MINEPAT.At the regional level, you know we work with the councils, so the SDO’s are the main supervisory authorities. Then at the council level, you have the municipal council board extended to sector-based ministries. Of course, you have the grassroots population.
You also have the National Coordination Unit with head office in Yaoundé. Mme Marie Magdalene Nga is the National Coordinator of PNDP. There are regional units-for the case of Southwest it is Buea .Of course; I am the Southwest regional coordinator. And under my supervision are four units: unit in charge of capacity-building; unit in charge of infrastructure, unit in charge of social and economic aspects and unit for Accounts. There are other support staffs.
There are service providers who go between the regional coordination units and the councils.
There are three major components: the first component is Support to Local Development, which makes sure that allowances meant for development are disbursed to the councils. The second component is Support to Decentralization-mainly for technical and financial capacity-building. The third is the Coordination, Management and Communication, Monitoring and Evaluation component.
So that is how PNDP is set up to ensure the effective implementation of the projects in the field.
NB:First Published in The Recorder Newspaper(Cameroon),of August 19,2010
Cameroon:Rumpi Project to End on Satisfactory Note Next Year
As the Rumpi Area Participatory Development Project (fondly called Rumpi Project) draws to its end in June 2011- after one year extension, its coordinator, Besong Ntui Ogork, has said efforts are being intensified to ensure the project ends on a happy note.
“We have resolved to go an extra mile to make all sacrifices needed so that by June 2011 we should not be looking for another extension, but rather we should be closing the project, that is-writing its completion report on a satisfactory note,” Besong Ntui Ogork told reporters recently at Chariot Hotel –Buea as the 10th Project Steering Committee (PSC) wrapped –up its meeting.
The PSC is responsible for the overall supervision of Rumpi, which is a FCFA 17 billion project, launched in 2004 to reduce poverty in rural areas of the Southwest region by increasing their incomes in a sustainable manner, through improving agricultural output as well as their socio-economic environment.
Rumpi 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%).
The 10th PSC meeting, which was chaired by Southwest Governor Koumpa Issa, discussed the project’s progress report for the first semester of 2010, examined and adopted the 2009 audit report, as well as planned the speeding- up of activity implementation.
Rumpi’s 2010 budget in income and expenditure stands at the sum of eight billion eight hundred and sixty seven million five hundred and forty thousand (8,867,540,000) FCFA.
.In his welcome speech at the 10th PSC, Dr. Eneme Andrew Ngome, general manager of SOWEDA, called for greater commitment as the project comes to an end next year.
He said Government attaches much importance to the project with regards to poverty-alleviation. He congratulated Koumpa Issa, for his appointment as Southwest Governor, a position which automatically makes him the PSC chair. Dr Eneme was upbeat that Koumpa Issa‘s chairmanship would boost the PSC mechanism
He said the project, which was supposed to end last June, has been extended for another one year by the ADB upon the request of Cameroon government.
The 10th PSC made among others the following recommendations:
“That the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) should ensure that contractors whose contracts are likely to be completed and delivered after the last disbursement date provide cautions to the project instead of 5% retention provided for in the contracts, in order that the project does not face difficulties to pay the concerned contractors upon expiration of the retention period
“That the PIU, RDARD and IRAD should prepare and deliver the training on the production and multiplication of planting materials within the second semester of 2010
“That the PIU, SOWEDA and MIFED should put a mechanism in place to ensure the sustainability of village banks when the project ends
“ That the RDARD should reinforce the existing mechanism for the collection of proceeds from the sale of panting materials from farmers to seed Fund account ASAP and report to the PSC in the Next sitting
“That The PIU should make sure that the 2011 budget takes care of staff pay off package at the end of the project”
Speaking to the press after the meeting, PSC chair Governor Koumpa Issa said, “We discussed the progress report of the first semester 2010 and were staifisfied at activities carried despite some difficulties. The rate of execution stands at 58%.We adopted the audit report for 2009.We discussed what PSC can offer to the project, so that activities can be carried out smoothly since the project is ending on June 30,2011”
For his part, Project Coordinator Besong Ntui Ogork explained to reporters that, extending the project for another one year did not mean that funds too would be increased. “The extension of the project is to provide us enough time to complete its activites.It does not mean increase in money... Since 2004 when the Project was approved till toady, I think the Project has lost quite a significant amount of money”
“The project’s physical execution is 58 %. Financial execution of the project at the moment stands at about 35% for the ADB loan-not including the Technical Assistance Fund and the Government of Cameroon funding,” he told The Recorder, adding, “Physical execution is higher than financial because most of the contractors who have already done their work have not yet been paid. But on the ground we count what they have done as realized”
Work to be done
According to the Project Coordinator, “We have constructed 19 out of 20 markets. We are just starting with the roads; so we still have roads to do. We still have to finish the water schemes-these are the key areas. For the agricultural component we still have some materials to be distributed during the next planting season.
“There are 55 village banks and 28 are already functional. We have 14 of them under construction and another 14 yet to start. But all the 55 village banks already have members of the Management Committee-and all have been provided with safe deposit boxes for the security of funds. I think before the end of this year we will be able to boast of 55 operational village banks through out the region”
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Cameroon:Fako CPDM Begins Fund-Raising for 2011 Presidential Election!
The ruling CPDM party in Fako Division is reviewing its electoral strategies, and has started raising funds in serious preparation for next year’s presidential election, which the party has since been calling on its militant President Paul Biya to put up his candidature for re-election.
Meeting (in conclave) in the conference hall of NASPW Buea last July 29 and at the behest of Hon.Emlila Monjowa Lifaka(pictured) Vice President at the National Assembly (Parliament) of Cameroon, senior Fako CPDM officials and some special invitees raised about five million francs.
The fund-raising, said to be the initiative of Hon Lifaka, shall henceforth be a monthly exercise, The Recorder gathered from reliable sources.
The idea of fund-raising has been hailed by many militants, who think that it will keep the party in Fako more financially viable as it prepares for the coming presidential polls.
“The proposal by Hon. Lifaka for us to start raising funds in preparation for the coming polls is a welcome initiative. That is a wise political proposal. And we immediately subscribed to it”, said a local party official who attended the conclave but preferred not to be named. “Hon. Lifaka is proving to us that she is a great political leader”
Fako CPDM sources told The Recorder that the conclave held under the theme “Presidential Election 2010 -The Way Forward: Strategic Planning Meeting”.
The real purpose of the meeting, whose attendance was restricted, a participant disclosed, was to strategize on how to “strengthen and increase the ranks of the party in Fako, how to ensure massive registration on the electoral lists, and how to win over undecided voters for the CPDM”
Although it was Hon. Lifaka who convened the meeting, she was one of many senior party officials reportedly sent by Rene Sadi., Secretary-General of the CPDM Central Committee, to the various divisions to strategize for the coming polls.
The Buea conclave had in attendance Fako CPDM bigwigs such as Hon. Paul Njie Meoto, former Director of Cabinet at the PM‘s Office and Charles Mbella Moki,Buea Mayor.
There are several political parties based in Fako and many others represented there but in the last several years, according to official records, the CPDM has won majority votes in the different elections-municipal, parliamentary and presidential
The Recorder also learned that Hon.Lifaka took advantage of the political trip to Buea to commune with some women’s groups in Fako.She met with Bonjongo women, gave them foodstuff and financial assistance (150,000 Frs.). She also provided foodstuff and financial assistance (100,000 Frs.) to FAWODA women
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Cameroon:Letter to Pius Njawe
(And the thousand Njawes to bloom!)
Dear Pius,
I thought I would just keep quiet, and silently mark your passing with my tears flowing inwards. But as the days go by, utterances by politicians, rumour mongers, friends and foes have pushed me to make my weeping visible through this last letter to you.
Needless to say that the news of your demise shook me to my foundation, and left me dumbfounded, asking the stupid question – why? Of course, the One and only who decided that your day had come may retort with a "why not?", but that will not easily erase the haunting question from my grieving mind.
You will remember that this is the second time I am writing a letter to you. The first was when you were released from New Bell prison through a presidential pardon. I wrote then to congratulate you for walking defiantly out of prison – without thanking your supposed pardoner. You knew very well that he did not pardon you because he wanted to, but because of the weight of national and international opinion that protested against the injustice of your imprisonment.
A president the citizens have empowered, and over whom they should retain sovereignty should not set limits beyond which he cannot be talked about or criticized. This is why you fought so hard to ensure that criticism of the president, the government, and public officials was always robust and unlimited. Your defiant attitude was different from that of Yondo Black, Bebbey Eyidi, André Marie Mbida, Charles Okala, and others that suffered the same injustice like you, but chose to give thanks and apologies following their release!
Some people usually say that journalists and politicians should always sit on opposite sides of the table, not on the same side. This is why some naive politicians have been asking what you were doing in Washington, hobnobbing with politicians. I know that if you returned alive and met such people, you would have told them that you left your side of the table to share the same side with politicians because you were interested in politics – which serious journalist is not? Further, like all good journalists, you wanted to be where the action was. More importantly, you were trying to do what many of our so-called politicians have failed woefully to do – furnish the glue to hold people together, and the imagination around which people can mobilize for 2011.
Since you have been using Le Messager Newspaper to diagnose our society’s ills, you had developed a wider curiosity, and wanted to lead in integrative thinking that has escaped the same politicians that were questioning your purpose and intentions.
You know that some of the invited politicians did not make it to Washington, claiming that their past experiences in "coalitions" were a deterrent, or that they have different strategies; others are even saying that the struggle for change should be inside, not outside the country! Again, I know that if you had the opportunity to meet them, you would have reminded them that the past is just prologue, not a forecast. You would have reminded them that change is too complicated, too multifaceted – too human – to be arranged in linear logic from cause to effect.
Such "politicians" may not know that the seed of change is in all of us; and that for the seed to sprout, it needs just a change of attitude by those who have failed us before; just the casting away of their selfish attitudes; just their coming together to make something different, something that has not happened before, happen.
I know that you would have told them that like you, a leader should always maintain a lively intellectual curiosity, and an interest in everything. After all, it is said that everything is related to everything else, including what they call their different strategies, and their past experiences. You would have advised them to always maintain a genuine interest in what other "leaders" think, and why they think the way they think. I know that you would have done all this because the type of future you thought about is neither a straight line projection of the past, nor the present. You knew that there can be a better outcome than would be got by adding up past experiences...
You were always an uncompromising purveyor of the truth. You always stood up to power with rare courage and integrity. Through the daily information you carried in Le Messager, you tried to help us to make sense of the torrent of information released on us by the present communication revolution. In the process, at the detriment of your freedom, your radio project and many others, you exposed wrongdoing in our society, causing our reluctant public officials to avoid certain actions due to the fear that you would hold the actions up to public scrutiny. You were good at whipping up public outrage, and directing it at wrongdoing in the private and public spheres. See where your sudden disappearance has left us!
Well, I know that you were more a teacher than a journalist. Therefore I trust that your passing will cause the thousand Njawes that you trained to bloom. Only then shall we realize that, indeed, every cloud has a silver lining!
Go well, Brother!
Tazoacha Asonganyi
Yaounde.
Dear Pius,
I thought I would just keep quiet, and silently mark your passing with my tears flowing inwards. But as the days go by, utterances by politicians, rumour mongers, friends and foes have pushed me to make my weeping visible through this last letter to you.
Needless to say that the news of your demise shook me to my foundation, and left me dumbfounded, asking the stupid question – why? Of course, the One and only who decided that your day had come may retort with a "why not?", but that will not easily erase the haunting question from my grieving mind.
You will remember that this is the second time I am writing a letter to you. The first was when you were released from New Bell prison through a presidential pardon. I wrote then to congratulate you for walking defiantly out of prison – without thanking your supposed pardoner. You knew very well that he did not pardon you because he wanted to, but because of the weight of national and international opinion that protested against the injustice of your imprisonment.
A president the citizens have empowered, and over whom they should retain sovereignty should not set limits beyond which he cannot be talked about or criticized. This is why you fought so hard to ensure that criticism of the president, the government, and public officials was always robust and unlimited. Your defiant attitude was different from that of Yondo Black, Bebbey Eyidi, André Marie Mbida, Charles Okala, and others that suffered the same injustice like you, but chose to give thanks and apologies following their release!
Some people usually say that journalists and politicians should always sit on opposite sides of the table, not on the same side. This is why some naive politicians have been asking what you were doing in Washington, hobnobbing with politicians. I know that if you returned alive and met such people, you would have told them that you left your side of the table to share the same side with politicians because you were interested in politics – which serious journalist is not? Further, like all good journalists, you wanted to be where the action was. More importantly, you were trying to do what many of our so-called politicians have failed woefully to do – furnish the glue to hold people together, and the imagination around which people can mobilize for 2011.
Since you have been using Le Messager Newspaper to diagnose our society’s ills, you had developed a wider curiosity, and wanted to lead in integrative thinking that has escaped the same politicians that were questioning your purpose and intentions.
You know that some of the invited politicians did not make it to Washington, claiming that their past experiences in "coalitions" were a deterrent, or that they have different strategies; others are even saying that the struggle for change should be inside, not outside the country! Again, I know that if you had the opportunity to meet them, you would have reminded them that the past is just prologue, not a forecast. You would have reminded them that change is too complicated, too multifaceted – too human – to be arranged in linear logic from cause to effect.
Such "politicians" may not know that the seed of change is in all of us; and that for the seed to sprout, it needs just a change of attitude by those who have failed us before; just the casting away of their selfish attitudes; just their coming together to make something different, something that has not happened before, happen.
I know that you would have told them that like you, a leader should always maintain a lively intellectual curiosity, and an interest in everything. After all, it is said that everything is related to everything else, including what they call their different strategies, and their past experiences. You would have advised them to always maintain a genuine interest in what other "leaders" think, and why they think the way they think. I know that you would have done all this because the type of future you thought about is neither a straight line projection of the past, nor the present. You knew that there can be a better outcome than would be got by adding up past experiences...
You were always an uncompromising purveyor of the truth. You always stood up to power with rare courage and integrity. Through the daily information you carried in Le Messager, you tried to help us to make sense of the torrent of information released on us by the present communication revolution. In the process, at the detriment of your freedom, your radio project and many others, you exposed wrongdoing in our society, causing our reluctant public officials to avoid certain actions due to the fear that you would hold the actions up to public scrutiny. You were good at whipping up public outrage, and directing it at wrongdoing in the private and public spheres. See where your sudden disappearance has left us!
Well, I know that you were more a teacher than a journalist. Therefore I trust that your passing will cause the thousand Njawes that you trained to bloom. Only then shall we realize that, indeed, every cloud has a silver lining!
Go well, Brother!
Tazoacha Asonganyi
Yaounde.
Friday, July 23, 2010
IMF sees pick-up in Cameroon's economy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cameroon's economy is set to improve as global economic activity picks up and spending on government projects rises, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday,July 22
In an annual review of Cameroon's economy, the IMF forecast that economic growth would gradually climb to above 4.5 percent in 2014 from an expected 2.6 percent this year. It said the rise, in part, reflects recent investments in the West African country's oil sector.
Meanwhile, inflation should remain below 3 percent, the fund added.
The biggest risk to Cameroon's growth outlook is whether the global economic recovery is weaker or slower than anticipated, the IMF said. The country depends on commodity exports and global demand for its products which include oil, wood, rubber, cotton and aluminum.
The IMF welcomed steps to address concerns about the 2010 budget and urged the authorities to adopt measures to close the financing gap.
The fund said it was "important to protect priority capital spending, make vigorous efforts to mobilize revenues, and gradually phase out fuel subsidie"
In an annual review of Cameroon's economy, the IMF forecast that economic growth would gradually climb to above 4.5 percent in 2014 from an expected 2.6 percent this year. It said the rise, in part, reflects recent investments in the West African country's oil sector.
Meanwhile, inflation should remain below 3 percent, the fund added.
The biggest risk to Cameroon's growth outlook is whether the global economic recovery is weaker or slower than anticipated, the IMF said. The country depends on commodity exports and global demand for its products which include oil, wood, rubber, cotton and aluminum.
The IMF welcomed steps to address concerns about the 2010 budget and urged the authorities to adopt measures to close the financing gap.
The fund said it was "important to protect priority capital spending, make vigorous efforts to mobilize revenues, and gradually phase out fuel subsidie"
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Cameroon's Ace Journalist ,Pius Njawe ,Dies in Road Accident in USA
Pius Njawe,Cameroonian front line journalist and publisher of the daily ,Le Messager, is no more.
He died at the age of 53 in a ghastly road accident in the USA last night at 11 pm. He was known to be one of the most courageous press freedom fighters in Cameroon.He founded Le Messager in 1979.
Njawe(pictured) traveled to the USA since July 9 to attend a political forum by Cameroonians in the Diaspora billed for July 10 in Washington DC.
A speeding truck reportedly crushed them as his driver stopped by the road side and was trying to replace a punctured tyre of the vehicle in which they were driving in a road in Virginia.
The said driver(a certain Eric) is said to be in a critical condition in hospital while Pius Njawe died.
Noted for his sharp pen and criticism of the Biya regime,Mr Njawe has been arrested and imprisoned more than 100 times in his journalistic practice .
In 1990, he published an "Open Letter" to President Biya, which led to his arrest.
In 1998, he was sentenced to two years in prison because his newspaper carried an article about President Paul Biya's health that suggested he had a heart condition. The sentence for publishing this article was later reduced and, due to pressure from Human Rights groups, he was pardoned after almost a year in prison.
His exemplary practice of journalism and the defense of press freedom earned him several international awards: In 1991 he received CPJ International Press Freedom Awards and 1993 the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award
Born on March 4,1957 in Babouantou in Haut-Nkam Diviison of the West Region of Cameroon,Pius Njawe joined the journalism profession while a teenager(19)
It should be noted that Njawe's wife, Jane, had years back died as a result of a road accident.
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