Breaking News

26, October 2016

Earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale hits Italy ⁰

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale has hit central Italy, including the capital Rome. Italy’s national geophysics institute said the quake struck at a depth of nine kilometers in the Macerata area of the central region of Marche on Wednesday.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the magnitude, saying the epicenter was seven kilometers south-southwest of Visso village in Macerata. There was no information immediately available about potential casualties or damage caused by the quake, which was felt in the towns of Pescara, Ancone and L’Aquila, which was jolted by a 6.3-magnitude quake in 2009 that killed over 300 people.

Wednesday’s quake rattled windows and doors in the capital of Rome. The quake comes about two months after nearly 300 people were killed as a strong earthquake hit central Italy. On August 24, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hit Italy, and almost flattened scores of towns and villages in the central parts. The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 4.2, rattling the already hit areas.

Presstv

26, October 2016

Biya to chair the 2016 edition of the Cup of Cameroon ⁰

The Cameroon Football Federation has announced that the 2016 edition of the Cup of Cameroon will be played on October the 30^that the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde. The FECAFOOT press release also stated that the match will kick off at exactly 3 pm and will be chaired by the Head of State President Biya.

The match will be staged by Apejes Mfou- a club in the Central Region and Bamboutos Mbouda in the West. For the records, the final of the Women’s Football Cup played on the 23^rd of October was won by Les Louves on penalties.

By Ebong Kingsley

26, October 2016

Former OAU Secretary General William Eteki Mboumoua is no more ⁰

According to information relayed this morning by Radio Equinoxe from Douala, William Eteki Mboumoua died in the early hours of Wednesday in Yaoundé from an illness.

83 year old, William Eteki Mboumoua was still in active service as the boss of the Cameroon Red Cross. He was elected Secretary General of the OAU to replace the late Nzo Ekanghaki who had fallen out of favour with the Ugandan thug, Idi Amin Dada. He also served as Minister of Education.

By Sonne Peter

26, October 2016

Trump says President Barack Obama should be “investigated” over his role in Hillary Clinton’s private email scandal ⁰

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says President Barack Obama should be “investigated” over his role in Hillary Clinton’s private email scandal.

Trump said Tuesday that Obama knew about Clinton’s email arrangements while she served as secretary of state during the president’s first term in office from 2009 to 2013.

“That’s why he stuck up for Hillary, because he didn’t want to be dragged in. Because he knew all about her private server,” Trump told Reuters. “This means that he has to be investigated.”

The White House did not give any comments about Trump’s accusations, but Press Secretary Josh Earnest said earlier on Tuesday that Obama did not know where Clinton’s server had been located or other details, although he did have her personal email address.

Clinton has said her decision to use the private server installed at her home at Chappaqua, New York, for official government business was a mistake and has apologized.

Presstv

26, October 2016

Cameroon government spokesman says several bodies from the train crash not yet identified ⁰

Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary has made public the CPDM death toll of the Eseka train crash incident. The Cameroon government spokesman reduced the tally to 76 and increased the number of wounded to 599 during a press conference on Tuesday the 25^th of October 2016 in Yaounde.

The minister of communication gave a breakdown of the distribution of those injured in different hospital units in the country. He observed that there were 473 persons at the Eséka District Hospital: 22 at the Mother Teresa; Mercy 25 and Urban health Centre: 79.

Issa Tchiroma Bakary also revealed that, 368 wounded continued their treatment in hospitals in Douala, Edea and Yaoundé. While 231 minor injuries returned to their families immediately after First Aid care in Eséka.

The Cameroon government spokesman added that a process has been developed on the identification and collection of bodies of victims. Said Tchiroma: “The applicants and other rights holders must bring original and photocopies of their identification and any official document that can link the family with the remains (marriage certificate at birth or other documents …)”

However, the minister noted that several other bodies have not yet been identified. Issa Tchiroma indicated that these bodies are subject to “an identification procedure in the presence of at least three members of the applicant family. For each body, the doctor in charge of the mortuary services deliver a kind of death certificate to the family, “he further informed.

The Centre for Health Emergencies of the Ministry of Health has mobilized to respond to all queries relating thereto. It responds to hotline: 1510.

By Sama Ernest

25, October 2016

Eseka train crash: Biya signs decree setting up commission of inquiry ²

President Biya has signed a decree setting up a commission of inquiry into the train derailment incident that happened in Eseka on Friday 21st October 2016. Alot of tongues are reportedly wagging already in Yaounde on the failure to include an independent personality in the commission-not even the Roman Catholic Arch Bishop of the Yaounde Diocese. Our Yaounde city reporter say there is also some under-the-table talk going on following the non-inclusion of the the all-powerful Minister of Transport, Edgar Alain Mebo Ngoo

The Commission as appointed by the 83 old leader will be headed by the Prime Minister Philemon Yang.

Its members include;

-The Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals

-The Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation

-The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of State Control

-The Secretary of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie

-The Delegate General in charge of National Security

-The Permanent Secretary of the National Security Council.

The commission is expected to;

Determine the cause of the accident and propose ways of avoiding a similar occurrence
Identify those responsible for the accident
Assess the management of the catastrophe

The decree was signed today Tuesday 25th October 2016

25, October 2016

SDF North West Regional Elections: The Patriarch of Njinikom, Njong Evaristus still in charge ⁰

The Mayor of Belo, Ben Tosam has been defeated in the North West regional elections of the Social Democratic Front. Ben Tosam was humiliated by the incumbent Regional Chairman; Hon. Njong Evaristus Ndim of Njinikom. The SDF patriarch of Njinikom, Njong Evaristus scored 217 votes as against 192 for Mayor Ben Tosam.

Cameroon Concord News learned that the challenger ran a good campaign but unfortunately with militants who had left the SDF under controversial circumstances. Our senior political commentator in Bamenda observed that Fon Martin Yembe, deputy mayor of Ndu, a prominent member in the Mayor Ben Tosam Campaign was himself a Provincial Chairman who resigned from that position and also from the SDF.

Another chartered member of the Ben Tosam Campaign was Mrs Nyah Margaret, also a former Provincial Chair Lady who too had resigned from the SDF and joined Barrister Ben Muna’s AFP party. Chop Samuel who reportedly scripted most of the speeches delivered during the campaign season for Mayor Ben Tosam served as SDF Communication Secretary but later on resigned from the SDF and joined the ruling CPDM crime syndicate. We were also reliably informed that Nico Kubri, who moonlighted in the Ben Tosam team, had been on the communication desk of the SDF and faced out of the party for almost 20 years.

The SDF North West regional electorate saw the Ben Tosam team as CPDM mercenaries sent to destabilised the party if he won. The SDF-Boyo Division clash of the Titans is now over and Njong Evaristus Ndim has another deserving mandate. At the time of filing this report, our North West regional correspondent signalled that all those elected today were all in the Njong Evaristus list.

By Eyong Peter in Bamenda

25, October 2016

Emergence 2035: 15km rural road to be rehabilitated in the Nyong and Nkelle Division ⁰

A 15km rural road in Matomb in the Nyong and Nkelle Division of the Centre Region will soon be rehabilitated to serve as deviation from the Manyai spot where the Yaounde – Douala highway split last Friday 21st October 2016.

Officials at the Ministry of Public Works made this announcement, indicating that negotiations are ongoing with a Chinese construction company to rehabilitate the road alongside five bridges to which traffic will be diverted.

Work continues on the broken spot some few days after it was officially opened for traffic. As part of the Ministry of Public Work’s policy to maintain national highways, over 300 metallic coverts will also be replaced along the Yaounde – Douala stretch.

CRTV

25, October 2016

Nigeria: Former Aso Rock spokesman Reuben Abati arrested ⁰

Reuben Abati, the former Aso Rock spokesman during the Goodluck Jonathan administration was arrested yesterday in Abuja. Cameroon Intelligence Report understands his arrest was sanctioned on Monday the 24^th of October 2016 by the Commission against financial and economic crimes (EFCC).

Our source in Abuja say Abati allegedly received funds from Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security adviser also of the Goodluck government. The Commission confirmed the arrest earlier today and stated that Abati will be interrogated by financial crime experts soon.

The arrest of Abati brings to three the number of former acolytes of former President Goodluck Jonathan currently deprived of liberty by the EFCC.

By Chi Prudence Asong

25, October 2016

Day of National Mourning: Biya shies away from inter religious services ⁰

President Biya declared Monday a day of national mourning in honour of the close to 100 people who died in the Eseka train disaster. But did not take part in any of the ceremonies held in and around the country. Some areas of the country observed a moment of silence in loving memory of the victims of the intercity train 152 and the more than 560 injured persons.

At the train station in Yaounde, the staffs of the Cameroon Railway Company simply dressed in black and also did observe a minute of silence at 1 pm local time; the only permitted activities were public religious services. Correspondingly, inter religious services held in churches and prayers in mosques mainly in Yaounde, Douala and Eséka.

In the nation’s capital, Yaoundé, a handful of people converged at symbolic places and wrongfully thought that there were going to be a special events with the 83 year dictator in attendance. But nothing happened. Cameroon-info.net reported that Cameroonians who wanted to go to the Independence Square to pray were prevented by the police. Police officers were stationed at all entrances to the historic site located at the Hippodrome district.

There only significant event in Yaounde was a Holy Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady by Bishop Jean Mbarga, Archbishop of Yaoundé. As usual, the Head of State was personally represented by René Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization.

By Sama Ernest