News

25, June 2016

Nigerian army reaffirms loyalty to President Buhari after recent coup rumor ⁰

The Nigerian Army has reaffirmed its loyalty to the civil authorities of the country and that an investigation will be conducted to track down all those behind the recent Coup rumor in the country. Cameroon Concord News understands that the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai held an emergency meeting in Abuja on Friday during which he reviewed the issue of security with senior government officials.

Sani Usman, the Nigerian Army spokesman said in a statement that the Nigerian Army as a product of democracy will never endorse any “anti-democratic mishap” let alone the overthrow of a regime. The Army has said it will always remain loyal to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while defending the integrity of the constitution and National territory. The Army has also renewed its allegiance and loyalty to the civil authorities and the Nigerian Constitution.

In a statement read over state radio and television from the office of the Chief of Staff, the army noted that “We want to assure the people to be confident that a Coup will not happen in the ranks of the Army and no longer in the ranks of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.” Rumors of a coup surfaced last Wednesday from a group called the Joint Task Force for the Liberation of the Niger Delta (JNDLF) and that some army officers were approached by Niger Delta militants to support the overthrow of Buhari.

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

25, June 2016

Cameroon: Ministerial convoy kills a 5 years old boy in Douala ⁰

A group of Cameroon government officials driving in a convoy from Japoma via Bille in Douala killed a 5 year old child on Friday the 24^th of June. The high powered CPDM delegation that included the Ministers of Youth, Sports and Physical Education traveled to Douala, the economic capital to assess work that was supposed to have been going on at the Douala-Japoma Sports Complex.

The forum that held at the Littoral Governor’s office situated at the Bonanjo district was told that work on the Japoma complex to be used during the Africa Cup of Nation 2019 had not started. Cameroon Concord News got intelligence that the natives were still waiting for their compensation package which usually comes with the expropriation of land.

The members of government were accompanied to Japoma by Mireille Bisseck, the Regional Delegate of Communication in the Littoral and Seraphin Magloire Fouda, who led the mission to plead with the people of Japoma. On their way back, the CPDM caravan killed a 5 year old boy and none of the heavy jeeps in the convoy stopped. The child was pronounced death and police have still not opened any investigation.

Ebong Kingsley (Cameroon Concord News Group)

25, June 2016

Cameroon: Minister Eyebe Ayissi donates to farmers cooperatives in the South and Center regions ⁰

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Henri Eyebe Ayissi has handed over to the Farmers’ cooperatives of the South and Centre Regions four pairs of Cassava transformation machines worth 50 million FCFA. The gifts were handed on the 24^th of June 2016 at the venue of the Development and Valorization Program of Roots Tubers and Plantains at Nkolbisson.

The machines donated are four types and specialized in processing the locally consumed stuff such as Miondo, Bobolo or batong, metumba, Cassava flour, and chips, and Gari. While handing the equipment he asked recipients to apply diligence as a watchful tool so to boost food production.

The Minister also visited the National Training Centre for Experimentation of Agricultural Machines where modern farming equipment such as tractors is kept. The Centre is specialized in training drivers and technicians on the use of tractors as farming equipment. The modern equipment has been put in place by the government to promote second Generation Agriculture.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, June 2016

Cameroon: National Anti-Corruption Commission to release 2014 report ⁰

Cameron Concord News has learned that the National Anti-Corruption Commission will make public its 2014 report on the 27^th of June. A reliable but very flippant source within CONAC revealed that the report carries vital information on the Kribi sea port project and the Cameroon Society of Musical Art (SOCAM).

CONAC is one of the tools used by the CPDM crime syndicate to guarantee President Biya’s continued stay in power. Its findings are always published years after. For instance, it released its 2013 report detailing the state of corruption in Cameroon on the 25^th of November 2015.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Intelligence Report)

24, June 2016

British Prime Minister announces his resignation after Brexit vote ⁰

British Prime Minister David Cameron announces his resignation after UK’s vote to exit the European Union. Cameron, who was speaking at Number 10, Downing Street in London, said Friday that he would leave office in fall- by October- when his ruling Conservative Party will hold a conference. The premier said the British people’s will must be respected after UK voters chose to leave the 28-nation European Union in a historic vote on Thursday.

Cameron said there is no doubt about the result of the referendum but that he is not the “captain” that will steer the ship through difficult negotiations with the EU. The PM, however, noted that there will be no initial change in how British goods and services are sold in Europe.

The decision comes after a majority of Britons voted to leave the 28-member bloc after 43 years of membership. This comes as some 51.90 percent of British voters opted to leave the EU, while roughly 48.10 percent of people voted to stay in the union. More than 17.4 million Britons said the country should leave the bloc, as just over 16.14 million others favored remaining in the EU.

The ‘Leave’ campaign passed the winning post with a lead of more than one million votes and a margin of four percent. Voter turnout has been at around 72 percent. In an earlier reaction to the results, the office of the prime minister said Britain is now in an “uncharted territory” following the ‘Brexit’ vote. UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage was among the first to assume a celebratory tone, saying the country was taking its independence back.

Prestv

24, June 2016

Boko Haram indicted in Cameroon ⁰

The nebulous terrorist sect, Boko Haram, has been indicted for gross violations of human rights in the Far North Region of Cameroon. “The Boko Haram sect has committed several violations of the rights to life and to physical integrity by roads ambushing, throat slitting, recurrent kidnapping of foreigners and nationals, planting landmines on roads…” the 2015 report on the situation of Human Rights in Cameroon presented yesterday June 23, 2016, by the Cameroon Bar Association states.

While condemning human rights abuses such as torture and inhumane treatment compounded by the security situation in the Far North Region, the report states that the situation in detention and prison cells, access to justice, Public Service amongst others, still leaves much to be desired. The 82-page document divided into four parts notably Civil and Political Rights, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Rights of Specific Groups and Cross-Cutting Issues respectively, there are several discrepancies between domestic laws and international law provisions leading to a difficult and haphazard implementation of human rights. This is evident in civil and political rights as well as rights of specific groups that are protected under international human rights laws.

Barrister Simon Pierre Eteme Eteme, head of the project dubbed “Bar Association-Governance and the Situation of Rights” supported by European Union, calls for the harmonization of international and domestic legal instruments in order to create an enabling environment for the promotion of human rights in Cameroon.

The President of the Bar Council, Barrister Ngnie Kamga, stressed the determination of the Bar Association to continue to press for the implementation of international legal instruments aimed at promoting human rights. Meanwhile, the President of the General Assembly of the Bar Association, Barrister Nico Halle, underlined peace, love, justice and harmony as the bedrock of human rights.

Cameroon Tribune

24, June 2016

Construction of Kumba-Ekondo Titi road awarded to a Tunisian company ⁰

Construction work on the Kumba-Ekondo Titi road has been awarded to Souroubat, Tunisian company. Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that the contract worth 38.2 billion CFA francs. The road project which falls within the three-year emergency plan agreed last year by the President of the Republic will be executed over a period of 24 months.

It is the first time that Souroubat with expertise on roads, sewerage, drainage, bridges and buildings construction has won a Cameroon government contract. Several companies from several African countries, including Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and Chad are already in the public works sector in Cameroon.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, June 2016

Penal Code Crisis: North West lawyers stage massive demo ⁰

Cameroonian lawyers from the North West region have staged a massive demo on Thursday morning in Bamenda, against the new Penal Code. Dressed in their black robes, the legal practitioners carried banners expressing their discontent and demand for the immediate withdrawal of the Penal Code adopted by the CPDM dominated National Assembly.

Late last week, the board of the Bar Association of Cameroon had urged the government to withdraw the document and submit the text to a national consensus.

Last Wednesday in the Chamber of the National Assembly, MPs of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) and the MRC walked out when their colleagues of the ruling CPDM were preparing to vote on the text. The opposition is demanding the removal of items that grant immunity to members of the government.

Cham Victor Bama (Cameroon Concord News Group)

23, June 2016

3 billion FCFA to help Congo Basin communities ⁰

Some prominent NGOs announced on Wednesday in Yaounde the nation’s capital that they will invest nearly 3 billion CFA francs to secure the livelihoods of communities in the Congo Basin.

The consortium of NGOs (Well Grounded, Forest Peoples Program, Fern, ClienEarth and Rainforest Foundation Uk), coordinated by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), launched on Wednesday, June 22^nd the project “Congos”, which aims to support sustainable development and secure the livelihoods of communities in the Congo basin.

Five countries are involved in the scheme. They include Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville and Gabon. Cameroon Concord News understands the total cost of the project is an estimated 3 billion CFA francs from the period 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019.

Anang Valerian (Cameroon Concord News Group)

18, June 2016

Nigeria: Aso Rock confirms extension of President Buhari’s medical leave ⁰

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his four-day medical leave in London in the UK and will return to his country on Sunday, June 19 Buhari to resume service at Aso Rock palace on Monday, June 20. The announcement of the extension of the former coup leader was made on Thursday in Abuja by the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

In making the announcement, the current Nigerian Acting President reminded reporters at the presidency that Buhari had a 10-day medical leave which started on the 6^th of June for a “persistent ear infection.” And to reassure his compatriots about the state of Buhari, Professor Osinbajo said that “Mr. President is in good condition, he is doing very well, he is fine. He needs to have one or two days of rest”.

The Aso Rock announcement was prompted by rumors circulating in the country that Buhari was dying in a London hospital. The former military dictator has seen the cancellation of some programs on his agenda.

Chi Prudence Asong (CIR)