The members of the so-called National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism have been installed into their functions. The Thursday 27th April 2017 ceremony at the Yaoundé Conference Centre has been rubbished by the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. The team headed by an anti grass-field former Prime Minister Peter Mafany Musonge was commissioned by the Head of Government, Philemon Yang, on behalf of the Head of State.

In trying to divert from the Southern Cameroon problem and quest for an independent state, the PM called on the members to foster the two official languages for the sake of peace and national unity. The PM said bilingualism remains a rare asset of development and social cohesion at a time when French Cameroun political elites orchestrated the longest internet shut down ever recorded in the African continent against West Cameroonians. The ceremony came just two days after President Biya signed a decree appointing a certain Cornelius Chi Asafor as Secretary General of the commission. The Chairman of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism said work will effectively begin this coming week.

Created by a presidential decree that was made public on the 15th March 2017, the Musonge Commission which composed of 15 members is a primitive and cheap design by the Biya Francophone regime to downplay the Southern Cameroons crisis. Its objective is to ensure the equal use of English and French as two official languages which has no bearing with the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

By Sonne Peter

Former Governor David Abouem a Tchoyi has said that the members of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism are not out to impress President Biya. The members were installed on April 27, 2017 by Prime Minister Philemon Yang.

Abouem observed that “The President has signed a decree setting out our powers, and now there is the law and the spirit of the law, and each one of us should indicate how he understands the spirit of the text.”  “We have a road map set by the decree of the President of the Republic. The first task is to understand the full extent and then on the basis of the program of action that we are going to put in place, each one will intervene according to his / her sensitivity and according to the problems on the agenda. What he thinks, we exchange and then we move towards a common position “.

On the fact that the Commission remains an advisory body, David Abouem, noted that “I have been in these commissions before.  I can tell you that we sat on a similar commission in 1979 and made a number of recommendations, with medium- or long-term application and President Ahidjo applied all of them, at least, those that were of immediate and short-term application.”

The former baron of the regime pointed out that “If someone had reflected on the problem of Anglophone justice, on the problem of Anglophone teachers who had even made forward proposals to the president of the republic in October when the crisis began, I am sure that the situation would not have evolved.”

Fru James

Cameroon Concord News

A business man who considers himself an advocate of peace, Jean Blaise Gwet has declared his intention to take part in the 2018 Presidential Election in Cameroon. He made the announcement on Wednesday 26^th of April 2017 at a press conference organized in Yaoundé.

Jean Blaise Gwet, a member of the Patriotic Movement for Change in Cameroon MPCC Party was endorsed by his party. Apart from announcing his candidature, the candidate unveiled his plans to reshape the country’s political landscape. Jean Blaise said he will be campaigning for peace, human rights and social cohesion.

Nothing is known of him at the national level and some commentators have already opined that he is a Biya agent. The 60 year old Entrepreneur and Executive Officer of Lucky Gwet Solar Energy Company was candidate in the 2011 Presidential election and later declined due to unpreparedness. He is positive that his party will bring meaningful change to French Cameroun.

The President of the Republic has appointed Chi Asafor Cornelius as pioneer Secretary General of the National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism. His was appointed 48 hours to the official installation of members of the National Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, a ceremony to take place today Thursday, 27th April 2017.

Shortly after his appointment, the new Secretary General expressed profound gratitude to the Head of State for the confidence bestowed. He vowed to use his over 30 years experience at the public service and university to foster bilingualism and multiculturalism in the country.

In a CPDM-style declaration, Chi Asafor advised all to be hardworking because “The President never forgets hard workers in this country. By making it possible for me to be part of an important organ like commission to help promote togetherness, to help bring peace in the country is something I have to formally thank him for”.

The 15 commission members appointed on 15th March 2017 will be installed by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, and Philemon Yang. The commission is headed by Peter Mafany Musonge, a common politician and former Prime Minister and Senator.

State radio and television noted that each of the members of the commission is experienced. They are expected to use their knowledge to build a stronger cohesion among Cameroonians while promoting the effective use of the two official languages and the valorisaration of Cameroon’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

Southern Cameroonians are justified in holding firmly that with the collapse of the purported federation, the bilingual, bijural and bicultural character of the country, and a return in 1984 of East Cameroon to its name and identity at independence on January 1960, the putative union was dead.  They were entitled as a matter of international law, to regain their own identity at independence on October 1, 1961.

The actions by Paul Biya in disbanding the Consortium, kidnapping its leaders and other significant Southern Cameroon leaders and charging them on spurious politically motivated charges before a Francophone court-martial for presenting the very grievances which he has trivialized by decreeing a so-called National Commission on Bilingualism are to say the least infantile and laughable.

Not only are the Consortium Leaders, Barrister Felix Agbor Nkongho and Dr Neba Fontem along with Mancho Bibixy, Hon Justice Chief Paul Ayah, Mola Njoh Litumbe and hundreds of Southern Cameroonians still in detention, the perpetration of  widespread and systemic crimes against humanity and genocide of the Southern Cameroons is ongoing with impunity.

By Rita Akana

Prime Minister Philemon Yang has chaired the April 2017 Cabinet Meeting. During the session on the 26^th of April 2017, three Cabinet members took turns to brief the Head of Government on different measures put in place to meet French Cameroon’s objectives. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Jean Claude Mbwentchou presented a CPDM program for urban renovation in the country.

The Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr Taiga spoke of the regime’s initiatives in the development of livestock, animal industries and aquaculture sectors. He also discussed projects put in place to train producers.

For his part, the Delegate General for National Security, Martin Mbarga Nguelle, enlightened the forum on the implementation of the new identification system. After deliberations, Prime Minister Philemon Yang exhorted the Ministers to keep up with the good work.

He gave specific instructions to all three Cabinet members who did presentations and he recommended that a strategy to stop the importation of aquaculture products by 2020, be elaborated. The Anglophone premier declared his supports for local authorities in designing community plans for urban renewal and authorized the harmonious implementation of the new identification system.

President Biya signed a decree on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, which terminated the functions of Samuel Fonkam Azu’u at the head of Elections Cameroon (Elecam).

Samuel Fonkam served as President of Elecam for 8 years. The new decree of the Head of State appointed Enow Egbe Abrams as new board chairman.

Three other decrees were signed appointing a vice-president and members of Elecam and their mandates extended for another two year period.

Former Governor Enow Abrams Egbe now has the job of guaranteeing Biya continued stay in power.

By Rita Akana

The Biya Francophone government has announced that it will use the internet as a political weapon against Southern Cameroonians. The statement was made public by the Francophone Minister of Communication and so-called government spokesman, Issa Tchiroma Bakary.

In a release read over state radio and television, the regime in Yaounde threatened to disconnect internet in Southern Cameroons “if individuals use it to create public disorder or preach hatred.” The communiqué also did inform West Cameroonians that the Francophone Government reserves the right and duty to take appropriate measures and when necessary to block any form of internet misuse in Anglophone Cameroon.

The 84 year old Paul Biya on Thursday ordered the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to inform the various Telecommunication companies to reinstate internet in the two English Speaking regions of the Country. Biya whose Beti Ewondo tribes uses the internet and state television to promote pornography and immorality in the country further stated that the people of North West and South West regions should use the internet for appropriate reasons and should avoid being lured by secessionist messages, propagation of false information and other practices which could put the State in danger.

By Sama Ernest

Cameroon Concord News Group

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the Rt. Rev Fonki Samuel has been summoned to appear at the Buea High Court on Monday April 24, 2017 to answer charges which at Press time have not been mentioned. However, local media sources say the issue is related to the so-called Consortium of Parents created by the Biya Francophone regime and headed by senior army officers.

The Information has been confirmed by a close aid of the Moderator and by the Communication Secretary of the PCC, Rev.MOKOKO Mbue Thomas who however said he has not yet read the summons but was aware that his Superior will appear in Court next week.

The Moderator reportedly posted a message to Christians in which he observed, “Dear all, I have been summoned at the Buea High Court on Monday 24th of April 2017.The summons is in my name. We need your prayers. Moderator PCC.”

Last week some Christians had dispelled rumors that the Moderator had been ordered to appear in court.  A sister publication, Cameroun Info.Net reported that observers hold the affair may be connected with the non resumption of classes by Presbyterian Schools.

The summons comes barely one week after Roman Catholic Bishops in Bamenda received a ‘Direct Summon’ form from the CPDM Consortium of Parents claiming damages amounting to the sum of 150.000.000 FCFA.

The Minister of Communication and governments spokesman, Issa Tchiroma Bakary says the 2015 deadline set aside for the effective transfer of competence and resources to councils has been met successfully. In a statement to the press, Tchiroma revealed that 97% of the competences listed in the law applicable to councils were honored as planned. However, Cameroon Concord News understands nothing seems to be happening deep within the councils.

The Minister said, “The process of decentralization has not been static in the last 20 years. Much effort has been made so far, I would even say that most of the path has already been covered and this process will continue and be accelerated. It is not only a constitutional prescription but also a permanent and irreversible willingness of the President of the Republic, Paul Biya. It is an essential component of his political project for the people of Cameroon of which it embodies sovereignty.”

Tchiroma blatantly refused to take questions from journalists who wondered aloud that the decentralization process has been plain fiction and the so-called success of the decentralization process as painted by the Minister was absurd.

By Sama Ernest

The March session of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament in La Republique du Cameroun have officially ended. The closing ritual at the Lower House took place on Tuesday the 11^th of April 2017 in Yaoundé amid confusing declarations from National Assembly Speaker, Cavaye Djibril.

Speaking during the closing ceremony at the National Assembly, the Speaker of the House, Cavaye Yegieu Djibril appealed to the Biya government to be proactive in handling the socio- political issues in the country. Hon. Cavaye stressed on the need to avoid situations that can push the country into an endless cycle of professional demands that cannot be handled.  The Speaker then made a u-turn at the tail-end of his speech and saluted what he described as the different measures taken by President Biya to improve on the working conditions of Cameroonians.

A beaming Cavaye emphasized the need for dialogue and a climate of peace to be maintained hoping the situations in the North West and South West Regions returns to normal. Present during the closing ceremony were Members of the Supreme Court, the Diplomatic Corps, Members of Government led by the Prime Minister Philemon Yang and the Senate President Marcel Niat Njifenji.

It is vital to include in this report that the March session did not deliberate on the current Southern Cameroons crisis which has culminated to numerous rapes, extra judicial killings and massive arrests including many abductions in West Cameroon.

By Rita Akana