The employees of the Cameroon Society of Urban Transport (SOCATUR) paralyzed traffic for more than three hours by blocking the road to the Nlongkak district in Yaoundé on Wednesday the 16^th of November. The nearly 125 people claimed they have not been paid for over 12 months.  Cameroon Concord News gathered they are actually being owed 842 million CFA francs.

President Biya had reportedly given standing instructions that the workers be paid long ago. However, on November the 15th at a meeting held with the representative of the Ministry of Finance, the striking workers were told they could not be paid. According to their spokesman Hubert Mani, the strike action was to send signals to the Head of State.

The Senior Divisional Officer for Mfoundi, Jean Claude Nsila, went down to the scene in an emergency, followed by dozens of riot police officers to try to contain the strike.  The SOCATUR workers were forced to sit on the ground against their will and many were forcibly taken away and molested before being shipped to an unspecified destination.

A reporter with the Cameroon Intelligence Report hinted that some of the striking workers were detained at the Kondengui high security prison. The Prefect of Mfoundi was quoted by a local newspaper as saying “You will spend some few weeks in Kondengui”.  Jean Claude Tsila has convened a crisis meeting in his office to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

By Rita Akana in Yaounde

Boko Haram has dramatically scaled back attacks in Cameroon in recent months, analysts said on Wednesday, suggesting a regional security force is gaining ground against the militants. The Islamist movement – which controlled an area the size of Belgium in northeast Nigeria last year and raided Cameroon and other neighbours to expand its “caliphate” – had since suffered a string of defeats, International Crisis Group (ICG) said.

The report came days after security and U.N. sources said hundreds of Boko Haram fighters and their families had surrendered on another frontline in Chad. There was no comment from any of the factions of Boko Haram which is still seen as one of the main security threats in West Africa. “We’ve seen a dizzying downwards spiral in the number of attacks and suicide bombings,” said Hans De Marie Heungoup, one of the report’s authors.

Two years ago, attacks were happening on an almost daily basis, he said. But the number had fallen to between six and eight a month since September. “[Boko Haram] has suffered heavy losses and seen its conventional capacities reduced,” the study said, partly thanks to last year’s formation of a 10,000-strong regional force with troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin.

Up to 1,000 fighters with heavy weaponry and armoured vehicles joined strikes in Cameroon’s Far North Region in 2014-15, the report said. But attacks were now focused on the northernmost tip of the region where fighters continued to control part of the fishing industry of Lake Chad amid a labyrinth of waterways.

Recruitment is also faltering in Cameroon although forced enlistment remains a risk, ICG said. Up to 4,000 Cameroonians are thought to have joined the group and some were given sign-on bonuses of up to $2000 and a motorbike, according to the study, citing interviews with locals.

Those who proved their loyalty by killing their parents often enjoyed quick promotion, it added. Analysts say the faction around the Lake Chad Basin represents the stronger branch of the group, loyal to Islamic State (IS) and led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi. Another faction led by Abubaker Shekau is based further south in Nigeria’s Sambisa forest.

Culled from Reuters

Twenty people from several villages in the east region of the country died between Monday and Tuesday, after consuming an adulterated whiskey. Cameroon Concord News learnt that the 20 came from seven 7 different villages in the Mindourou Sub Division and perished after consuming a local drink known as “Odontol” a product containing a high dose of methanol.

Health officials in the East region say some people who consumed the adulterated whiskey have started to lose their sight due to poisoning caused by the consumption and others have begun to develop hallucinations. Our chief correspondent in Bertoua reported that several other victims were rushed to hospitals.  Local authorities have begun to raise awareness in communities about the consumption of this adulterated whiskey, sold cheaper and much appreciated by low-income populations.

By Sama Ernest

Following a 2 months delay, the CPDM led government has reportedly handed over the financial bill to the National Assembly. Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that the bill was tabled on the 11^th of November 2016 and it will be examined by the Committee on Finance and Budget.

However, information has filtered that the text has so many irregularities attached to it relating to the execution of the 2015 budget.  The Presidency of the Republic and the services attached to it stand prominent among the departments with short-comings in the implementation rates of their projects in 2015.  This is also true with the National Assembly, Elections Cameroon (ELECAM), the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms, the Senate, Pensions, External and Domestic Public Debt, Grants and Contributions etc

These government departments and institutions have deliberately retained data on the implementation of their programs.  The bill also revealed that the Ministry for the Advancement of Women and the Family has no rate of performance for its programs in 2015. We gathered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) conducted four programs, one of which recorded a 0% achievement rate.

The MINREX zero achievement rate program was designed for the management of Cameroonians abroad and to improve the contribution of the Diaspora to the political, social and economic life of the country.  Bello Bouba Maïgari, the Minister of Tourism, led two of the three budgeted programs in his ministerial department with the tourism and leisure showing a 0% execution rate- a program that should improve the quality of tourism and leisure facilities in the country.

During the year 2015, the Ministry of Water and Energy posted rates ranging from 0 to 55%. In energy supply, the meter has remained at zero according to the information sent to the Ministry of Finance (MINFI).

By Rita Akana with files from CIN

President Biya has granted audience to Stephane Fouks, Vice President of the Havas Group (a multinational advertising and public relations company) on Friday, the 11^th of November 2016.  Biya and his guest evaluated the impact of the International Economic Conference, which was organized recently in Yaounde. In an exchange with journalists after the audience, Stephane Fouks said his host focused on the exploration of new channels to attract international investors to Cameroon.

The media mogul revealed that the Head of State insisted on the need to effectively implement the resolutions of the economic conference. Mr. Fouks shared President Paul Biya’s optimism that these measures shall greatly improve Cameroon’s perception internationally. “Despite its challenges, Cameroon continues to march towards development when compared to other countries in the region,” he said.

It should be noted that Cameroon hosted, in May 2016, an international investors’ conference, under the theme: “Investing in Cameroon, Land of Attractiveness”. The objective was to secure international investments in the industrialization of agricultural products, the exploitation of raw materials and the development of information and communications technologies (ICTs).

However, foreign investors are not responding due to the political situation in the country. With an 83 year old leader and a senate and house of assembly packed with men and women above 70 years of age, the issue of succession is disturbing to some economists.

CRTV

Kah Walla, the national president of the Cameroon People’s Party (CPP) has declared her party’s support for the Cameroon Anglophone lawyers. The new generation opposition leader expressed displeasure over the attack by government forces against a peaceful demonstration organized by lawyers in Bamenda on the 8^th of November.

The CPP leadership denounced the deployment of state violence against nonviolent protesters. As earlier reported by the Cameroon Concord News Group, the lawyers’ peaceful protest in Bamenda was greeted with tear gas and police violence that almost claimed the life of Barrister Elvis Leuma.

Cameroonians from what was previously known as British Southern Cameroons are so frustrated that many are now considering the solution of secession. Kah Walla stated that “The growth of this secessionist movement is the direct result of bad governance.”

The Cameroon Common Law Lawyers’ movement registered another massive demonstration in Buea in the Southwest region. The city witnessed a heavy deployment of security forces and troops from the gendarmerie. Our face book team received disturbing images of repression of the demonstrators.

By Sama Ernest

Philip Ngole Ngwese, the Minister of Forests has suspended for a period of 6 months 23 companies  and 2 ICG (inter Community Groups) operating in the forest sector.

Philip Ngole Ngwese signed the ministerial order on Wednesday and added that the decision shall take effect immediately. The suspended parties are accused of non-compliance with standards related to sustainable environmental management and illegal logging, in accordance with applicable laws.

Cameroon Concord News Yaoundé city reporter hinted at the time of filing this report that Minister Ngole Ngwese has also threatened to withdraw the licenses issued to the companies if they do not comply with the law.

It is estimated that Cameroon loses more than 2 billion CFA francs related to illegal logging in a sector contributing up to 10% to the GDP.

By Sama Ernest

More than two weeks after the railway accident in Eséka that reportedly killed 79 and wounded over 600, only 45 families have so far received the 1.5 million FCFA promised by the Cameroon Railway Company, CAMRAIL for funeral arrangements. Cameroon Concord News understands, CAMRAIL has been incessantly flashing out signals for families of the victims to contact its representatives in hospitals in Eseka, Douala and Yaounde for payments to be made.

Regarding compensation for damages, which remain the priority and the most important issue, CAMRAIL recently issued a statement that its insurers will foot the bills for personalized treatment and pay damages directly to the wounded and their families. Some 20 experts are engaged on the ground in coordination with health institutions to attend to each passenger affected by the accident.

The railway company has also set up a refunds department for property lost by various passengers in the accident. CAMRAIL says all compensation will be paid in the fastest possible means to all the victims.

By Rita Akana

The Minister of State in charge of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso on the 26^th of October 2016 granted an interview to update public opinion on issues related to the OHADA instruments and legal practice which is part of the demands of the striking common law lawyers in Cameroon.

Laurent Esso observed that the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa, OHADA was predominantly French and French was its working language. The Biya acolyte said Cameroon requested that Article 42 of the OHADA Treaty be applied. Accordingly, English, Portuguese and Spanish became other working languages of OHADA.

Minister Esso also said, the adoption was delayed because some legal practitioners in Cameroon opined that the English version provided by the Permanent Secretariat were of doubtful technical quality. The Minister revealed that the committee was now ready to transmit the corrected version to the Permanent Secretariat for the publication in the OHADA Official Gazette.

The 42nd session of the Council of Ministers of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa OHADA held a two day session in Brazzaville Congo recently and recommended that the translated version be published in the three official languages.

CRTV

Opposition parties, prominent members of the civil society and many concerned citizens are skeptical of the official report of the Eseka train crash that rocked the nation on October the 21^st 2016. Accordingly, each camp has reportedly set up its own commission of inquiry.

This weekend, the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the main opposition party announced that it will conduct its own investigation into the train crash which government sources say claimed the lives of 79 people and wounded 600 others.

The SDF Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi was quoted as saying that a legal commission has been established to investigate the Eseka train accident consisting of 7 members including experienced lawyers. An SDF insider hinted Cameroon Concord News that the commission will burst the truth that the government is trying to bury.

Cameroon’s opposition groups have unanimously described as “misleading” the commission created by the Head of State, composed of members of government, which must render its findings to the President of the Republic by 24 November.

By Rita Akana