News

3, September 2024

4 killed in Amba attacks in Southern Cameroons ⁰

At least four civilians were killed early Monday by Ambazonia Restoration Forces in the Northwest and Southwest, local and security sources said.

In Mbatu, a locality in the Northwest Region, the Amba fighters opened fire at close range, killing three people, including a woman who was onboard a motorcycle.

In Lyongo village in the Southwest Region, Amba shot dead a commercial motorcyclist and torched his motorcycle, several security sources and local media reported.

“There were thunderous gunshots. It was like serious fighting was ongoing. It was scary,” a resident in Bamenda, the chief city of the Northwest Region where Mbatu is located said.

“Amba fighters have now resorted to attacking civilians. We have deployed additional troops to the regions,” a senior military official in the Southwest Region said but opted for anonymity.

Southern Cameroons leaders said on social media platforms that they have intensified the “ghost town” operation every Monday, during which all sorts of activities in the two Anglophone regions would come to a halt.

The Monday “ghost town” has been effective since 2017 when the Ambazonia Interim Government began clashing with the Francophone dominated government forces to create an independent nation in the Anglophone regions.

By Rita Akana with files

3, September 2024

French Cameroun: Boko Haram attack leaves several dead and injured ⁰

A convoy of three vehicles carrying soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram fighters on Wednesday in Cameroon’s Far North region, local sources said. The soldiers were en route to Zamga to relieve their comrades, according to the sources.

The monitoring network Humanity Purpose, which tracks attacks in the region, reports that around ten soldiers were injured in the attack, with four in critical condition. Three soldiers are also reported missing. Images circulating on social media show three pickup trucks completely burned. A security source contacted by SBBC confirmed the attack but did not provide any casualty figures.

Other sources indicate that another ambush occurred on the Bame-Sandawaridji road, where a BIR soldier and the motorcycle driver he was with were killed.

Cameroon officially went to war against Boko Haram in 2014, aiming to stop incursions by Boko Haram fighters from Nigeria who seek to establish a transnational caliphate extending to Chad. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and massive population displacements. The Cameroonian army, deployed along the border with Nigeria, has managed to curb Boko Haram’s incursions. However, despite being significantly weakened, Boko Haram continues to carry out deadly sporadic attacks on Cameroonian soil.

Source: Sbbc

2, September 2024

Southern Cameroonians send President Ayuk Tabe Birthday Wishes ⁰

The president of the Ambazonia Interim Government Sisiku Ayuk Tabe is now the only sitting Southern Cameroons leader to celebrate his birthday in a French Cameroun jail breaking the record previously held by Albert Mukong.

President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, who is still being held at the Kondengui Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé, received a swell of birthday wishes from thousands of exiled Southern Cameroonians and supporters of the Ambazonia Interim Government in the diaspora across social media.

On Twitter, the Ambazonia leader reacted and said “I am deeply touched by the outpouring of warm wishes on my birthday from some dedicated Ambazonian comrades. Your thoughtful messages are not just words but a reminder of our collective resolve for our cause. I am grateful for your unwavering support. Together, we forge ahead!”

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

2, September 2024

Yaoundé: Biya’s health is a major concern ⁰

There is news coming out of the Unity Palace in Yaoundé and it is not good for Mr. Biya’s family, though it could be good news to most Cameroonians who hold that Mr. Biya has overstayed his welcome at the Unity Palace.

President Paul Biya, is in bad shape and his family and close associates are very concerned. A dying Biya is not good news to his collaborators who are taking advantage of the chaos which has become the country’s hallmark to line their pockets.

The 91-year-old Biya has not been enjoying life as his numerous diseases are rearing their ugly head to rob him of his happiness.

Mr. Biya was expected to leave for China over the weekend to attend the China-Africa Summit but could not make it due to health issues.

Though the procedures for his departure had been rolled out with security forces deployed in the paths he uses when traveling out of the country, Mr. Biya started feeling really bad a few hours to his trip, causing the entire protocol mechanism to scrap.

Speaking to Cameroon Concord News on Sunday, a source at the Unity Palace said Mr. Biya’s health was declining on a daily basis, adding that his current situation was a major concern to his family.

“Mr. Biya’s family is concerned about his health. Despite all the health precautions being taken, the strongman’s health is failing him and it seems to have taken a turn for the worse,” the source said.

“He was supposed to have travelled to China for the 2024 China-Africa Summit, but the trip was cancelled at the last minute when the 91-year-old Biya could not even stand. All the security and protocol arrangements that were in place in Yaoundé were cancelled, prompting many to question if the country’s president was indeed in good health,” the source added.

“We are all concerned. The country is in a very bad shape and there is no clear succession plan and Mr. Biya himself is still very excited to run again in 2025. Power is a real drug. It has gotten into Mr. Biya’s head and he sees himself as the only person who can rule the country,” the source added.

“I wish he could disabuse his mind of such falsehood. Cemeteries around the world are full of people who once thought that they were indispensable. At almost 92, Mr. Biya should have understood that he is hurting himself and the country by sticking to power,” the source pointed out.

“Many people around the head of state are taking advantage of his poor health and age to feather their nests. They know their days in power are numbered. They understand that without a clear succession plan in Cameroon, the country could be plunged into chaos once Biya dies,” the source regretted.

“Many of our ministers and directors do not have their children in Cameroon. Their families are in Canada and the United States, while they are robbing Cameroon blind. They are aware of the impending chaos and they do not want their families to be caught up in any mess they have helped to create,” our source concluded.

Our source is keeping a close eye on the situation and he has his ears to the ground.

Cameroon Concord News will continue to update you as more news comes in.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

1, September 2024

OIC ends Cameroon meeting with pledge to help countries combat extremism ⁰

A two-day meeting of officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ended in Cameroon Friday with promises to help member countries deal with armed conflict, violent extremism, economic hardships and climate shocks. OIC officials acknowledge these issues, among others, have plunged a majority of civilians in the 57-member organization into poverty.

About 500 delegates from 57 countries attended the meeting in Cameroon, including foreign ministers, diplomats and high-ranking officials.

Most of the conference focused on the problems faced by member countries.

Boukary Sawadogo, Burkina Faso’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and permanent representative of his country to the OIC, says he is satisfied that OIC member states have made very strong commitments to give direct assistance to nations that are tackling the root causes of conflicts, which are mainly poverty and hardships among civilians.

He says it is unfortunate that terrorism is surging in Burkina Faso with devastating consequences for its neighbors, Mali and Niger.

The OIC said it will assist Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and Nigeria — the member countries with the highest death tolls from terrorism.

The OIC also promised a donors conference before the end of 2024 to help refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria fleeing terrorism.

In terms of economic programs, the OIC said it is sponsoring construction of a road linking Chad and Cameroon, and said a second phase of that road project will be announced by November.

The organization said it will also launch reforestation programs in Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Burkina Faso, where the desert is advancing.

On a broader scale, Gambian diplomat Mamadou Tangara says the participants agreed to develop transport and communications, which he said are key tools to fight poverty and insecurity.

“The development of our transport and communication infrastructures could enhance and consolidate the sustainable social and economic development including the creation and facilitation of different economic opportunities such as job creation and market access, safety and security services contributing to improved emergency response and crime reduction mechanisms,” he said.

The OIC says it is finalizing negotiations for possible construction of a 4,000-kilometer Africa transcontinental railway linking Senegal and Sudan. The railway would connect Africa with the Atlantic Ocean, the Red Sea, Middle East and Asia and increase access to markets and reducing poverty.

The OIC says it will continue to address the repercussions of what the participants call the brutal Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people, promising to strengthen Palestinian resilience in defending their legitimate rights.

They emphasized the need for the OIC’s collective efforts to enact U.N. Security Council resolutions that call for an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip.

The OIC also said it will intensify humanitarian efforts and constructive dialogue in Afghanistan to end the ban on girls’ education and women’s work.

Source: VOA

1, September 2024

Mkpot village in Manyu: Chief Oruh, it’s true, so please go ⁰

Mbi Oruh is one of those corrupt CPDM imposed traditional rulers that shamelessly usurped the chieftaincy thrones of villages, against the wishes of their ancestors and kingmakers, with the sole purpose of promoting and abetting their interests and that of President Biya’s repugnant hegemony.

Cameroon Concord Group had earlier highlighted how after his enthronement as the chief of Mkpot village in Manyu Division, Mbi Oruh on April 2007, confessed to Elvis Tah, a reporter with the Postnewsline, that he was not the right person for the throne and therefore not qualified to be the legitimate chief of Mkpot.

Upon retirement from the position of Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Industries, Mines, and Technological Development, the immediate plan for this self-styled engineer with questionable academic credentials and persona, void of any iota of requisite genuine leadership qualities and ethics of care for his countrymen, was to focus on growing his personal wealth. He resorted to exploitation and extortion from poor and highly vulnerable villagers through various forms of agricultural land grapping and Machiavellian tactics at the expense of the livelihood security, social cohesion and overall growth and development of his village.

1n 2013, the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) in partnership with the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (UNFAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded a project that aimed to establish and equip four medium-scale palm oil processing centers in Cameroon and one center in the Federal Republic of Nigeria with new technologies that enhance the production capacities of various village groups and cooperatives to 2 tons per hour. Mkpot village in Manyu Division was chosen to be one of the beneficiaries and designated centers for this multimillion dollar palm oil processing optimization and sustainable rural development projects.

Other designated centers that supposedly benefited from the project include Teze/Ngie (Cameroon), Sombo (Cameroon) and Akwa Ibom State (Nigeria). The project with great objectives of improving the management, production and marketing of palm oil as well as engendering the livelihoods and rural economies/development in Mkpot and neighbouring villages carrying out palm oil farming, such as, Ebam, Bakwelle, Afap, Etemetek became Chief Oruh Michael’s piggy bank.

The people of Mkpot have been paying huge amounts of money to this CPDM criminal in order to process their palm oil at a substandard facility representing an oil mill, which he horribly constructed after stealing most of the funds that were meant for the project. Since Mbi Oruh’s palm plantation could not produce enough nuts to meet the production capacity of the mill, he resorted to manipulating poor and desperate famers to sell their farms to him at give-away prices. We of the Cameroon Concord Group are of the opinion that this is shameful, disgusting, disgraceful and so absurd to come from a traditional ruler who is supposed to empower his people and be the custodian of their livelihoods, survival and well-being.

My sources in Manyu hinted that Mbi Oruh used part of the stolen money to invest in real estate in Yaoundé, Buea and Limbe, which today, are his ill-gotten point of pride though living in Yaoundé as an internally displaced chief.

A senior Mkpot citizen residing in Germany told this reporter that some concerned elders are digging deeper and engaging appropriate local and international stakeholders and they will not relent until Mbi Oruh is held accountable for misappropriating rural development funds.

Mbi Oruh is the chief facilitator of summary executions and extrajudicial killings of his subjects and fellow countrymen. We of the Concord Group are reaffirming that Mbi Oruh orchestrated the killings of Mr Orock Thomas Enow, Mr Tambe John Ojongmbang, Mr. Ako Benedict Ako, Mr. Bate Joseph aka Best Joe, Mr Ayuk Peter Nayongoh, Mr Awa Armstrong, Mr Besong Valderama Takor and Manyor Ntui by the Francophone dominated Cameroon government military.

Mbi Oruh Michael carries with him Chief Moja Moja’s shadow in Mkpot. Consequently, he should be in SED for the heinous crimes he committed against civilians in his village.

He is to us in the Concord Group an internally displaced WhatsApp Chief who has now embarked on a new fraudulent scheme of luring Mkpot diaspora to pay millions of Francs CFA supposedly meant for Mkpot development projects into his personal bank account to sustain his lavish lifestyle in Yaoundé.

These days, the Saddam Hussein of Mkpot has not only resorted to fraudulent schemes but has also adopted bullying and quarrelling on all Mkpot whatsApp forums as a policy geared towards suppressing his people.

We think he should step down as the traditional ruler of Mkpot. Chief Mbi Oruh, now we know it’s true, so please go

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

31, August 2024

Yaoundé: At OIC’s moot, Pakistan calls for securing immediate ceasefire in Gaza ⁰

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi called for securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as he addressed a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states in Cameroon, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Friday.

Qazi led the Pakistan delegation to the two-day OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting on Aug. 29-30, where he highlighted the ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza and the West Bank as well as conflicts across the world, fueled by endemic poverty, terrorist and extremist groups and external interventions.

Pakistan’s top diplomat said the raison d’être of the OIC dictated “determined action” to respond to Israel’s ongoing military campaign against the Palestinian people and the depredations against Islam’s most sacred sites and symbols, noting that the war on Gaza had killed over 40,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly 2 million others.

“We must urgently secure an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank; ensure unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza; prevent the spread of the conflict to the entire Middle East, while holding Israel accountable for its criminal assassinations and violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran, Lebanon and other States,” Qazi was quoted as saying by the Pakistani foreign office.

Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October last year, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations and demanded international powers and multilateral bodies stop Israeli military actions. Pakistan has also dispatched several aid consignments for the Palestinians.

The two-day event was held in Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé, where the top Pakistani diplomat also spoke about challenges facing the Muslim world, including rising Islamophobia.

He said Islamophobia had emerged as a global crisis, marked by frequent desecration of the Holy Qur’an, attacks on mosques, stereotyping of Muslims and acts of discrimination and violence against them.

“We must work within the OIC, including through the OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Islamophobia, to reach out to the United Nations to develop an Action Plan to Combat Islamophobia,” Qazi urged.

Source: Arabnews

31, August 2024

Yaoundé: 50th OIC Council of Foreign Ministers Kicks Off ⁰

The 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has commenced in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, under the theme: “Development of Transport and Communications Infrastructure within the OIC Framework: A Key Tool in the Fight against Poverty and Insecurity.” and under the patronage of Cameroonian President Paul Biya.

At the outset of the session, Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute affirmed his country’s support for the OIC.

The Cameroonian Prime Minister emphasized the centrality of the Palestinian issue, the necessity of implementing the two-state solution, and halting the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Palestinian people.

Cameroon’s Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella, delivered a speech on behalf of his country after assuming the presidency of the session. He welcomed the guests to the 50th session, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Cameroon’s accession to the OIC in 1974, and expressed his gratitude to the President of the 49th session, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, for his excellent management of the previous session.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the theme of the 50th session: ““Development of Transport and Communications Infrastructure within the OIC Framework: A Key Tool in the Fight against Poverty and Insecurity.”, and highlighted the significance of development and achieving peace and security for member states, noting the escalation of violence in Palestine and reaffirming the principle of the two-state solution.

For his part, OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha expressed his sincere gratitude to the Cameroonian authorities for their efforts and arrangements to ensure the success of the session, praising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its generous support to the organization.

Taha pointed out that “the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds is witnessing serious developments that pose a challenge to the international community in general and the OIC in particular, as Israeli occupation forces continue their unprecedented military aggression against Gaza and all Palestinian territories, including the city of Al-Quds, resulting in thousands of casualties.”

Taha revealed that “the organization continues its efforts to address the repercussions of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people and to strengthen their resilience in their land and defend their legitimate rights,” emphasizing “the necessity of our collective efforts to implement the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions calling for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and ensuring sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of Gaza.”

He also addressed “the organization’s efforts in Afghanistan in the humanitarian field and in constructive dialogue on various issues, particularly the ongoing ban on girls’ education and women’s work and participation in public life,” noting that “the organization’s efforts have continued through the ongoing visits of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, delegations of scholars, and related OIC institutions to Afghanistan, with the aim of engaging with the de facto government to end this ban.”

Taha reiterated “the OIC’s principled stance supporting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, welcoming in this context the end of the armed conflict between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan’s restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its national borders,” expressing “deep concern about the fate of Azerbaijanis who were forcibly displaced from current Armenian territories.”

He confirmed that “the organization will continue its efforts to defend the interests of Muslim communities and societies in non-member countries,” pointing out “the issue of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and expressing hope that this issue, which faces serious challenges, will receive further support and solidarity from member states.”

He stressed that “the organization will continue its efforts in combating terrorism, addressing Islamophobia and religious hatred, and promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue, in cooperation with international partners,” noting that “the Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary-General on combating Islamophobia will soon commence his duties.”

Taha also indicated that “the organization will continue its preparations for the donor conference to support displaced persons and refugees in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin regions, scheduled to be held on October 26, 2024, at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah,” expressing “deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for graciously hosting this conference and for its commendable efforts to ensure suitable conditions for its convening.”

For his part, Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Engineer Waleed bin Abdul Karim Al-Khuraiji, in his speech, emphasized “the significant role played by the OIC since its inception in addressing Islamic issues across various fields and protecting the interests of Muslims through its proactive measures to confront various challenges,” expressing “the Kingdom’s aspirations to enhance collective action on issues that concern the Islamic nation at various levels and to advance Islamic cooperation to broader horizons and fields to ensure a better future for our Islamic Ummah.”

Al-Khuraiji reaffirmed the Kingdom’s condemnation and rejection of all forms of crimes committed against the Palestinian people by the occupying forces, stating: “The Israeli occupying forces are indifferent to international resolutions and laws, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of whom are women, children, and innocent civilians, amid a lack of international accountability and the Security Council’s failure to take deterrent measures.”

He highlighted the “support provided by the Kingdom, along with brotherly countries, to halt the Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people, which has resulted in the recognition of the State of Palestine by several Western countries during its chairmanship of the ministerial committee emanating from the extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh,” referring also to the Arab-Islamic summit’s decision to establish a legal center to document violations and another media center.

Al-Khuraiji confirmed that “the Kingdom continues to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza through a popular campaign launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, with donations now exceeding $185 million.”

Regarding the crisis in Sudan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed “the Kingdom’s firm positions regarding the maintenance of Sudan’s security and stability, and called for the conflicting parties in the Sudanese crisis to return to dialogue to spare the brotherly Sudan further suffering.”

On the Yemeni issue, he noted “the ongoing support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ government for efforts to resolve the crisis in Yemen, aiming to restore peace, security, and stability, reiterating the Kingdom’s initiative to end the war and reach a comprehensive political solution,” warning of “the danger of escalation in the Red Sea region, which undermines efforts to maintain the security and stability of international maritime routes and global trade, and threatens freedom of navigation and global economic growth.”

He confirmed that “the Kingdom has never hesitated to mobilize all its resources to serve humanitarian issues and provide developmental support to brotherly and friendly countries, to foster growth and prosperity in the region and the world,” welcoming member states, its institutions, and international donor partners to the OIC donor conference to be hosted by the Kingdom in October 2024.

Al-Khuraiji revealed that “the Kingdom continues its efforts alongside the Republic of Maldives to organize a joint conference titled ‘Promoting Integrity in the Tourism Sector,’ to enhance the objectives of Islamic cooperation, inviting relevant anti-corruption and tourism agencies in OIC member states to participate in this important conference.”

During the first day of the conference, Palestinian delegation head Riyad Mansour provided “a comprehensive briefing to the attendees on the latest developments in Palestine, noting the President’s initiative to visit Gaza,” and referring to “the International Court of Justice ruling and the ongoing campaign for recognition of the State of Palestine and its full membership in the United Nations.”

Additionally, the Deputy Secretary-Generals of the OIC took their oaths of office during the first day of the session.

The 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers is examining numerous resolutions and urgent issues across political, economic, scientific, technological, cultural, social, women’s, youth, and senior citizens’ affairs, humanitarian issues, media matters, legal and organizational matters, and other significant concerns for the Islamic world.

Source: ina.ig

29, August 2024

Norway princess and US shaman’s wedding begins after years of ‘turmoil’ ⁰

Festivities have begun for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and her American partner, self-styled shaman Durek Verrett.

Hundreds of guests are arriving in the town of Alesund, in western Norway, for a “meet and greet” in a historic hotel.

On Friday, they will travel by sea to the scenic town of Geirager, on the shores of a fjord designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. The wedding programme says that guests will enjoy a “light lunch on the boat while witnessing the majestic mountains and waterfalls”.

The couple will then tie the knot at a private event on Saturday.

Members of the Swedish royal family are said to be attending alongside various social media influencers and TV personalities, including US reality star and model Cynthia Bailey.

According to Norwegian media, guests have been asked not to use mobile phones or cameras during the celebrations and not to post anything on social media.

Princess Märtha Louise, 52, and Mr Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022.

The princess – a former equestrian and the eldest of Norwegian King Harald’s two children – was previously married to the late writer and artist Ari Behn, with whom he had three daughters – Maud, Leah and Emma. The two divorced in 2017. Mr Behn, who had discussed suffering from depression, died on Christmas Day 2019.

Märtha Louise has long attracted controversy in Norway for decades for her involvement in alternative treatments. She lost her honorific “Her Royal Highness” title in 2002 so as to be allowed to start her own business. In 2007, she announced she was clairvoyant and, until 2018, ran a school which she said taught students to “create miracles” and talk to angels.

Last year, Märtha Louise told the BBC’s Katty Kay that there had been so much “turmoil” concerning her decision to take a different path than that of a “traditional royal”.

“There’s been a lot of criticism over the years, especially with me being spiritual – and in Norway, that’s taboo,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Verrett says on his site that he is a sixth generation shaman, “servant of god and energy activator” who “demystifies spirituality” through his “no-nonsense teachings”.

In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, he claimed to have risen from the dead and said that when he was a child a relative had predicted he would one day marry the princess of Norway.

Source: BBC

29, August 2024

CPDM Crime Syndicate: Biya regime paid CFA37bn in salaries to underperforming directors ⁰

Between 2020 and 2024, directors, deputy directors, and board chairpersons of Cameroon’s public companies and institutions received a total of CFA48.4 billion in salaries. This amount was paid according to the salary scale set by a June 19, 2019 decree, which outlines the categories, remuneration, allowances, and benefits for executives of public companies and institutions in Cameroon.

Out of this total, about CFA37 billion went to executives whose entities showed poor or even negative performance, as revealed by a report titled “How Much Does the State Spend on Public Entity Executives’ Salaries?” by Cameroonian academic and governance expert Viviane Ondoua Biwolé.

She argues that the state is wasting money by paying salaries to underperforming executives who have either lowered the value of their companies or caused them to stagnate. The former Deputy Director-General of the Higher Institute of Public Management (ISMP) analyzed the performance of the 112 companies in her sample based on the January 1, 2023, decree by the Minister of Finance, which categorized public companies and institutions in Cameroon.

“The 2023 classification either rewards performance or sanctions it by reclassifying public entities based on the average turnover produced over three years, from 2020 to 2022. This reclassification affects the remuneration of executives (directors, deputy directors, and board chairpersons). In total, 37 companies and 75 public institutions are affected,” she notes.

Based on this official document, Viviane Ondoua Biwolé reveals that, concerning public companies, only three improved their performance, while four consolidated their position in category 1. However, 21 companies stagnated, and six regressed. “From the above, it appears that the executives of stagnating and regressing companies cost the state more, without significantly producing the expected value, amounting to a total of CFA16.1 billion, compared to CFA2.2 billion for executives whose actions helped create value,” she notes.

The same observation applies to the 75 public institutions in the sample. Here, it was revealed that the executives of the six declining entities and 63 stagnant ones received a total remuneration of CFA20.8 billion between 2020 and 2024, compared to just over CFA1 billion for those of the three entities that managed to create value.

Furthermore, in her analysis, the founder of the consulting firm OBIV Solutions highlights that in Cameroon, 43 board chairpersons continue to hold their positions in violation of current legislation. “Despite this irregularity, these board chairpersons improperly received a significant sum amounting to a total of CFA634 million. (…) This situation highlights major dysfunctions in governance and the implementation of reforms initiated by the Cameroonian authorities,” she concludes.

Source: Business in Cameroon