Headline News

4, September 2016

Yaounde: 300 children from military families accorded President Biya Back to School Assistance ⁰

Some three hundred children from Cameroon military families have received President Biya Back to School Assistance Package. The kids were predominantly from families whose dads or mums were killed in different operations in the war on terror. The donation comprising didactic materials and a financial package was handed over to the children by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense, Joseph Beti Assomo during a ceremony at the Military Head Quarters Brigade in Yaoundé.

The Ministers of Social Affairs, Pauline Nguele, the Minister of Basic Education, Youssouf Adidja Alim and the Minister of Secondary Education, Ernest Ngale Bibehe were also present to distribute the gifts to the children some as young as three years old. Some recipients wept for their loved ones; a woman standing by two children could not hold her tears as she recalled that her 26 year old son went to the Far North region to combat Boko Haram and never returned leaving her to fend for his young widow and two children.

Also speaking was an overwhelmed mother of three who said life has not been easy since the war against Boko Haram took her husband away. She revealed that the head of state gesture was a timely relief. The representative of the children made an emotionally word of gratitude to the Head of State.

The Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo reassured the beneficiaries that apart from the donations, government intends to always provide for their needs. He urged the children to be hardworking, respectful and courageous in order to succeed in school and in life.

CRTV

4, September 2016

Revealed: Minister Laurent Esso and Justice Yap Abdou of the Special Criminal Court wanted Yves Michel Fotso’s head ⁰

It has been revealed that Cameroon’s Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso and the President and Chairman of the so called Special Criminal Court in Yaounde, Yap Abdou covered the truth and concocted some evidence in the Camair case that led to the double life sentence of Cameroonian investor, Yves Michel Fotso, who moonlighted as general manager of the national airline company.

We gathered that on May 2014, the liquidator of Camair placed at the disposal of Minister Laurent Esso and the chairman of the Special Criminal Court, Yap Abdou, facsimile of documents exonerating Yves Michel Fotso on eight of the nine charges initially made against him.

It emerged that in one of the complaint by the state of Cameroon against Yves Michel Fotso involving a total amount of 69 billion FCFA, the liquidation changed its claim to 20 billion before the investigative judge of the Special Criminal Court.

The CBC affair worth 8.657 billion FCFA, the Albatross totalling 8.934 billion CFA francs and the insurer Chanas for an amount of 482 million FCFA were the issues that remained in the Camair debts file. The amount of 1,757 billion CFA francs that was attributed to Yves Michel Fotso was fully paid later by the businessman pursuant to the protocol accord between the two parties.

The liquidator, Emile Christian Awah did explain to the legal authorities how he intended to pursue recoveries of outstanding claims from debtors. Some internal sources have hinted that the recovering process had started like was the case of the Albatross that included the involvement of the Minister of Finance and the Presidency of the Republic.

However, despite these exculpatory and payment of the corpus delicti, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding with the civil party, Yves Michel Fotso was doubly sentenced to life imprisonment by the Cameroonian justice. There was indeed a concealment of evidence that was to the advantage of the businessman.

By Sama Ernest

4, September 2016

President Obama says US and Russia deeply divided over Syria ⁰

President Barack Obama has said the US and Russia remain deeply divided over the Syria crisis, adding it is difficult to “get to the next phase.” “We have grave differences with the Russians in terms of both the parties we support but also the process that is required to bring about peace in Syria,” Obama said in a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Theresa May in Hangzhou, China, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit. “We’re not there yet,” he said. “I think it’s premature for us to say there’s a clear path forward, but there’s the possibility at least for us to make some progress.”

His remarks come as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are negotiating a deal to boost military cooperation between the two countries in the fight against Daesh in Syria. According to a senior US State Department official, Washington is close to a deal with Russia, but some issues remain to be resolved.

The inability to achieve a deal will bring another missed deadline for the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to get the Syrian government and “moderate” militants back to the negotiating table. Moscow maintains its airstrikes have targeted “legitimate” terrorist targets, while Washington says they have hit “moderate” US-backed militants.

During the press conference, Obama said the US and the UK must cooperate to ensure that their ongoing trade links do not unravel after Britain leaves the European Union. “I’ve committed to Theresa that we will consult closely with her as she and her government move forward on Brexit negotiations to make sure we don’t see adverse effects in our trading and commercial relationship.”

Trade “is not going to stop,” Obama said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that the consequences of the [Brexit] decision don’t end up unraveling what is already a very strong and robust economic relationship.” “But first things first. The first task is figuring out what Brexit means with respect to Europe.”

The UK prime minister said she had used her first meeting with Obama to discuss the Brexit process and what it meant to the UK’s relationships with the US and European countries. “The UK has always been a strong partner for the US and that will remain to be the case. We have a thriving economic relationship,” May said. Nearly 52 percent of British voters opted to leave the EU in a referendum on June 23, in hopes of taking back control over their borders and having more economic freedom.

Presstv

3, September 2016

Indomitable Lions: New captain appointed ⁰

Cameroon head coach, Hugo Broos has appointed Benjamin Moukandjo as captain of the Indomitable Lions. The provisional selection of a new captain was necessary because of the absence for various reasons of Stephane Mbia captain and his two deputies Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Vincent Aboubakar.

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