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3, September 2016

The French media and the happenings in Gabon: The AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE ¹

It is abundantly clear that President Ali Bongo won the recent presidential election that held in Gabon. A lot of tongues have been wagging about the intentions of Jean Ping who after spending decades as a diplomat, fails to understand that electioneering is a contest and you MUST NOT win.

The French media is pushing for the ouster of Ali Bongo through a diabolic harsh ploy teleguided by some French multinationals operating in Gabon. The AGBAW-EBAI DEBATE is asking our readers to make known their views about the goings-on in Gabon.

Is the French media exaggerating the situation in Libreville?

A– Yes

B-No

C-None of the above

3, September 2016

France to close refugee camp in Calais ⁰

France has vowed to raze the “Jungle,” a sprawling camp in the northern port city of Calais hosting refugees waiting to cross into the UK. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve made the pledge at a press conference in Calais on Friday following a meeting with local officials.

The refugee camp will be “completely dismantled,” Cazeneuve said, adding, “I want the closure of the camp as quickly as possible.” Also on Friday, the French interior minister told the regional newspaper Nord Littoral that he would press ahead with the closure of the camp “with the greatest determination” and destroy the site in stages.

He further announced plans to create accommodation for thousands of asylum seekers elsewhere in the country “to unblock Calais.”

Meanwhile, Calais’ mayor Natacha Bouchart said that she had received assurances from Cazeneuve that the camp would be dismantled “in one go,” noting, however, that no date had been set for the operation. In February and March, French authorities dismantled the southern half of the refugee camp, which is situated around the Channel Tunnel, the undersea passage into Britain.

According to local authorities, some 7,000 asylum seekers are living in the remaining northern half of the camp, up from 4,500 recorded in June. This is while humanitarian groups put the number of those residing in the refugee camp at around 9,000.

The photo taken on August 24, 2016 shows an aerial view of the Jungle refugee camp in Calais, northern France. ©AP

Refugees’ attempts to make their way through the Channel Tunnel or to stow away aboard trucks have disrupted traffic in the area and forced French police to maintain a large deployment there.

Local lorry drivers, shopkeepers and farmers are expected to stage a blockade of Calais on Monday to demand the camp’s closure.

The Calais camp is grappling with problems such as overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and food shortages. Charities have warned that they no longer have enough donated food or money to feed the growing population of the Jungle.

“A few months ago, there would be a maximum of 70 people in the lines; now we have 500 people queuing. We started running out of food about three weeks ago,” said Marie Eisendick, who works for the Refugee Community Kitchen.

Refugees queue to receive their daily food distribution in the Jungle refugee camp in Calais, northern France, August 23, 2016. ©AP

The situation in Calais is part of a wider refugee crisis across Europe, which has been struggling with its biggest influx of asylum seekers since World War II, as people flee conflict-ridden zones in Africa and the Middle East.

Many blame major European powers for the unprecedented exodus, saying their policies have led to a surge in terrorism and war in the violence-hit regions, forcing more people out of their homes.

More than 278,320 asylum seekers have reached Europe via the Mediterranean so far this year, while over 3,170 people died or went missing in their perilous journey to the continent, according to the latest figures by the International Organization of Migration.

Presstv

3, September 2016

Donald Trump leads Hillary Clinton in terms of national support ⁰

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has finally overtaken his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in terms of national support, after trailing the former secretary of state for weeks, a new poll shows. The Rasmussen poll, released on Friday, put Trump ahead of Clinton by a tiny 1-point lead, 40 percent to 39 percent.

Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson grabbed 7 percent support, trumping the other third-party ticket Green Party nominee Jill Steins, who only scored 3 percent. This marks a significant change from the survey’s last week edition, where Clinton led the New York businessman by 4 points, 42 percent to 38 percent.

In August, shortly after the Democratic National Convention, Clinton had scored 44 percent in the poll, her highest ever since. Clinton had dominated nearly all presidential polls over the recent weeks, following several missteps by the Republican nominee.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (AFP photo)

However, more recent polls have been showing a tightening race between the two candidates, with Trump managing to cut the former First Lady’s double digit lead in half.

A Reuters/Ipsospoll released last Friday, gave Clinton a 5-point lead over Trump, 41 percent to 36 percent, a 7-point drop for the Democratic ticket from the poll’s previous edition. Moreover, the RealClearPolitics average of polls showed Friday that Clinton was leading Trump by only 4 percent nationally.

Trump has been trying to refocus his campaign over the past weeks, laying out in detail his immigration plans and economic policies. He has also directed fierce attacks against Clinton regarding an email fiasco, as well as her allegedly declining health.

Clinton, on the other hand, has been trying to fend off criticism about the lack of clarity surrounding the Clinton foundation. Trump’s campaign has accused her of engaging in “pay-for-play” with the family foundation’s donors.

The organization has come under bipartisan fire for its foreign funding and the suspicious nature of its activities over the past years. In early August, newly released emails from Clinton’s time as the former secretary of state raised questions about possible links between the department and the Clinton Foundation.

Presstv

2, September 2016

President Buhari Financial Austerity Plan: Will the Nigerian Buea Consulate survive? ⁰

Contrary to rumours of closure, the Consulate General of Nigeria for the South West and North West Regions of Cameroon remained open yesterday (1 September, 2016) and went about its daily business with the current Consul General, Dan Wari Nwazim, on sit in his Bokwaongo office. Their eight Official staff and the local 22 employees in Cameroon were at work.

Early this week, stories drummed wild by word of mouth and on some local tabloids that the Buea Consulate General, one of the three Nigerian Diplomatic missions that cater for over four million Nigerians in Cameroon, after the Yaounde High Commission and the Douala Consulate was one of the seven earmarked for closure. A Diplomat at the Consulate, who explained the criteria for closure of a diplomatic mission to include the fact that a commission must be sent from the mother Country to evaluate the assets, establish the liabilities and report back home for and act to be dressed up ordering the closure of the mission. None of that has been seen in the Consulate General in Buea so far, our source disclosed.

It happened that, on taking over at the helm of Nigerian Federal Government last year, the Buhari Government declared financial austerity to include the closure of seven diplomatic missions that did not meet certain criteria. Such criteria good for closure as indicated by the Nigerian committee set up for that purpose included those missions without property like buildings and land, missions not generating up to a certain amount of money through visas and passports, a mission that might have been closed at least once in the past 20 years.

Of the five criteria, the Buea mission fails only one that of not making money on visas and passport owing to the policies between the two countries whereby citizens from both countries can visit vice versa for up to 90 Days without any visa. So, there is no genuine need except people who intend staying longer.

Cameroon Tribune

2, September 2016

Gabon: 2 killed following overnight clashes between protesters and security forces ⁰

In Gabon’s capital Libreville, two people have died following overnight clashes between security forces and protesters who are against President Ali Bongo’s announced victory in the disputed election of August 27. Bekam Ella Edzang, a 27-year-old law student, succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Friday morning after he was shot in the abdomen. “He was injured at around 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) by the Republican Guard, who were firing tear gas and live bullets,” said Geraud, a childhood friend of Edzang.

Meanwhile, the security forces shot dead another 30-year-old man in front of his home in Nzeng Ayong district of Libreville on Thursday night, the victim’s mother said. Gabon has been in chaos over the past few days in the wake of an announcement by election officials that the incumbent president had won the presidential race.

Bongo gained 49.80 percent of the votes against 48.23 percent for opposition leader Jean Ping. Bongo, who came to power in 2009, will now remain at the helm for a second seven-year term if the results are approved by the constitutional court.

The 57-year-old president succeeded his father Omar, who had come to power in 1967 and passed away in 2009. Ping, who is 73, had been a close ally of Omar Bongo. He called the election fraudulent, arguing that he is the true winner of the contest.

The chaos has raised international concerns. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the nation to be calm. The European Union and Western countries, including the US and France, have also urged calm and called on authorities in the former French colony to show more transparency about the election results.

Presstv

2, September 2016

Cameroon: SOWEDA donates farm inputs to 63 farming groups ⁰

Some 63 farming groups from across the South West Region have received farm inputs worth over 25million FCFA offered by the development kingpin of the region, the South West Development Authority, SOWEDA. The consignment were handed over to the beneficiary groups during a symbolic ceremony on Thursday August 25th 2016 presided over by the Secretary General to the South West Governor office, Clement Fon Ndikum in the presence of Dr. Andrew Eneme Ngome, SOWEDA General Manager.

The farm inputs distributed included food crop production, seeds multiplication, 502 bags of fortification (50kg each), and 110 litres of liquid fertilizers, 500 litres of herbicides, 375 litres of insecticides and 600kg of foundation maize seeds. The beneficiary groups came from all the six divisions of the South West who went through a selection process supervised by the regional delegation of Agriculture and Rural development.

Dr. Andrew Eneme Ngome, SOWEDA GM reiterated that the distribution of farm inputs to farming groups has become common with the development driver, SOWEDA, and transformed into an annual event. He recounted that since the year 2008, the policy to implement resourceful activities geared towards improving on the agricultural productivity landscape in the region feature among prime objectives. The exercise has also involved the distribution of various quantities of improved planting material to the farming population, he said, continuing that through the extension services of the regional delegation of agriculture and rural development, the distribution of farm inputs to deserved farming groups in the region have intensified.

To the Secretary General to the Governor’s office, Clement Fon, farmers must do well to maximize the advantages offered by the South West Development Authority. The farm inputs are of high breed class and will go a long way to double soil fertility so as to improve on productivity, he said. The farmers were urged to consult regularly their respective Agric posts and delegations of Agriculture and Rural Development on how to implement these improved planting materials.

Clement Fon also strongly advised farmers to plant nothing but the improved materials in order to guarantee very high yields in order to maintain the position of the South West as the bread basket of Cameroon. The Farmers expressed gratitude and promised to make good use of the farm inputs. The donation of farm inputs is timely as the farmers approach the second planting season in the South West Region.

By Cham Victor Bama

2, September 2016

Bishop Bushu of the Buea Diocese says most priests are forced into the seminary by their parents and not a call to serve ¹

The Bishop of the Buea diocese, His Lordship Immanuel Balanga Bushu has revealed that some seminarians who end up as priests are often victims of pressure from parents and not a call to serve. The Roman Catholic Bishop was speaking recently on the side-lines of the 2016 conclave of Bishops in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province that held on August 16-19 2016 in Buea, South West region under the chairmanship of the president of Bamenda Episcopal Conference, His Lordship Bishop George Nkuo.

Bishop Immanuel Bushu, observed that the seminary is a nursery for future priests and nothing else. He regretted that most minor seminarians who enroll into the seminary are under the influence of their parents and not necessary their call. The man of God noted that it was neither late nor bad for such candidates to quit the seminary and continue with what life holds for them. “What matters is not the number of candidates but the quality”, he added.

The attendance of rectors of Minor seminarians was glaring and provided a unique opportunity for them to express worries and shortcomings encountered in the molding of would be seminarians and priests. According to Rev Fr Killian Ndukong, Rector of the Kumbo minor seminary, some of the challenges the candidates face in the course of their stay in the seminary includes the scarcity of mentors to follow up the spiritual growth of the candidates which as of now approximately 200 candidates can be entitle to just 3 mentors, he cited.

Another major difficulty Fr. Ndukong revealed was on the serious and dedicated nature of the candidates. Here, he explained that getting proper candidates into the Minor Seminary is challenging as most come and portray a different image of what they think about priesthood which is unholy. Father Ndukong added that some parents say the enrollment fees are huge and not affordable. But Rev. Father Ndukong stressed that it takes sacrifice to mold and build a religious mind to be able to transform the world. He however emphasized that only Catholic Christians who are baptized and have received the sacrament of first Holy Communion are eligible to be seminarians. Interested candidates can gain admission upon the recommendation of the Bishop during which they are taught the Catholic Doctrine and administered the sacrament of baptism.

The president of the Bamenda Episcopal Conference, Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo, explained in a soul-searching address that “all the five bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda, have come together to review our pastoral life, we began with reports from the council of education with all education secretaries and financial secretaries and all our collaborators in education. We reviewed the academic year that just finished and to plan and prepare for the new academic year. Within the week we had meetings on our houses of formation, the seminaries, Minor and Major seminaries. We equally had the opportunity to look at other aspects, the different commissions that are functioning at the provincial level. We have various commissions including health, education, social welfare, justice and peace. We also give instructions and directives on how the Church should operate in the years to come,” he added.

The meeting was attended by several Catholic priests and Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda, Father Marcel Sang the rector of the Minor Seminary in Mamfe, Father Killian Ndukong the rector of the Minor seminary in Kumbo and Father Isaac Alnuchem the rector of Bishop Rogan College Buea.

By Cham Victor Bama

2, September 2016

AFCOM 2017: Indomitable Lions in Victoria without Clinton Njie ⁰

After five days of training at the CAF Center for Excellence located in Mbankomo, some few kilometers from Yaounde, the Indomitable Lions have reportedly moved to the port city of Victoria-Limbe in the South West region without Clinton Njie. Cameroon Concord News understands the new Victoria stadium will host Gambia and Gabon respectively.

The Indomitable Lions conducted a training session at the stadium sports complex upon arrival. The session saw the presence of many cheering fans that were informed that head coach Hugo Broos will hold a press conference on Friday to speak of the Gambian game.

The Indomitable Lions next two matches are no major issues. Already qualified for the finals of AFCON Gabon 2017, Hugo Broos and his boys are going to use these matches to assess in view of the final round of qualifying for the World Cup Russia 2018 Africa area that starts in the month October, 2016.

By Sama Ernest

2, September 2016

US: New polls finds that supporters of both Trump and Clinton more motivated by fear ¹

Supporters of both Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton are more motivated by fear about the other candidate getting elected as president than they are by excitement about their own candidate prevailing, a new poll finds.

The nationwide USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll found that 80 percent of Trump supporters and 62 percent of Clinton supporters say if the other candidate wins in November, they would feel “scared.” Only 29 percent of Trump supporters and 27 percent of Clinton supporters would feel “excited” if their candidate claims the White House, the survey found.

About 30 percent of Clinton supporters say they are mostly voting against Trump, not for her and about 40 percent of Trump supporters say they are voting mostly against Clinton, not for him.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks at the American Legion Convention August 31, 2016 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AFP photo)

“I believe the alternative of a Trump presidency would be disastrous, not just for our country but for the whole world,” says Carol Fisher, 56, a Clinton supporter and registered nurse from Teaneck, New Jersey. “I’ve never been so afraid of a Republican before,” said in a follow-up phone interview.

Noel Hartman, 64, a retired farmer and rancher Humboldt, Arizona, feels the same way about Clinton. “I know he [Trump] doesn’t say stuff right, but I’m so tired of being lied to,” Hartman says. “I’m hoping for change.” Unprecedented negative ratings for both candidates and fierce polarization between the two political parties highlights the challenges ahead for whichever candidate wins in November. The new president will face a significant number of voters who view his or her election as catastrophic for the country.

The poll also found that a majority of Americans hold an unfavorable view of both Trump and Clinton. The former secretary of state is viewed negatively by 51 percent of voters and the celebrity billionaire by 59 percent. About 20 percent of likely voters say they don’t like either major-party nominee.

Presstv

1, September 2016

Criminal Proceedings against Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer ⁰

Swiss federal prosecutors say they have opened criminal proceedings against Germany football great Franz Beckenbauer as a part of corruption probe.

Attorney General of Switzerland announced that Beckenbauer with three other members of the 2006 World Cup organizing committee, Horst Rudolf Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach are under investigation over allegations of corruption in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.