Many of the youths who spoke to The Median
were of the opinion that president Biya’s message on 10 February was empty; it
did not address the myriad of problems plaguing youths in Cameroon. Some
concluded Biya is at a loss of solutions to the problems. The vox pop was
conducted by our Buea correspondent, Ajongakou Santos
The same fake promises
Any
youth of this country who has critically followed President Biya’s speeches for
the past years will join me to conclude that the the president’s speech was not
actually a speech per say, but an edited template of his past speeches, all geared
towards making fake political promises that are never materialized. I therefore
call to question what President Biya means by a national youth plan which is to
cost 102 billion when a common three-year emergency plan that was launched last
year is nowhere to be found. What else can he tell the youths apart from
promises, fake analyses of his government and more to that, giving youths some
cheap and dying conscience talk on moral behavior and patriotism. However, his
fatherly advice to the youths to get to the farm to become the agricultural
entrepreneurs that they are is worth applauding. As an optimistic youth, I just
doubt what the future holds for us because the future seems bleak, with
hopelessness.
Doh Bertrand- Buea
We should embraceagriculture and ICTs
The
president is versed with ICT terms. He calls the youthful age of now “Jeunesse
Android”. That means he is conscious of growing world technologies. But he
still insisted that the youths of Cameroon should never relegate agriculture.
Agriculture has always been the backbone of Cameroon’s economic growth.
President Biya concludes by saying: for an emerging Cameroon, the youths need
to work in close collaboration with the elderly population. That means the
youths still have much to learn in Cameroon.
Nsonyi Armstrong- Buea
A slap on our faces
I
believe the president’s speech was a slap in the face of the youths. This is
because the president thinks that celebrating the youth day means the youths
are given much attention; meaning without the day, youths will not be given any
attention. Also, his three-year plan for the youths means at 83, the President
is still planning in the future of youths. Calling the youths “Android Youths”
implies the president was just joking. I believe the president does not know
the youths or does not know the way to solve our problems. What will the youths
be doing before his three-year plan come to realization? I believe the youths
should be allowed to participate in decision making.
Gola Emmanuel-Buea
He is a true father
President
Paul Biya has once again proven to be the father of the youths. He identified
in his key note address some vibrant sectors of the economy where the youths
can easily excel; Agriculture and ICTs. No doubt today presents major opportunities
in terms of Job creation and auto-employment; all major solutions to the
plights of the youths. The president’s message gives hope to the youths with
the creation of a special fund worth 102 billion FCFA to support youth
projects. As a youth, I think the president is sending across a powerful
message to us not to slumber. With these opportunities at hand, we have to, as
patriotic Cameroonians, make use of the resources put at our disposal by the
government to develop our country, Cameroon and accompany the president in his
2035 development drive.
AnselmeNgoufake-Student IRIC
That Android youths should do farming?
The
president’s speech this time was not as the other ones where pressing issues
like unemployment was talked about. This time was the call to return to
agriculture as an asset for an emerging economy. My worry is what happens to
the fabulous promises of thousands of job opportunities if we go to the farm?
Are we going to be industrial or major construction sites in agriculture? Truly
the soil will never betray us, but is that what we need at this hour? I thought
he was going to encourage the “Android Generation” to study hard for a “digital
economy” than abandon if for farm. Yes, if we have to invest in farming, are we
guaranteed of the essential tools to facilitate agricultural production like
farm to market roads and a ready market?
Shuye Obi-Buea
He has not addressed the problems
The
Head of State failed to address the ensnaring problems staring the Cameroon
youth to the face, like unemployment. He talked of the creation of Youth
Excellence Centres in Limbe, Yaounde, and the South. Tell me, how can a youth
in NJINIKOM or AKO benefit from them? He talked of the youth going into
agriculture; how many youth have access to land and the technological know-how
to engage in the venture? You must be 45 years to have a land title in
Cameroon. To me, the speech was a piece of well-rehearsed group of words.
Ngong Song Jean Marie
Only promises and nothing concrete
I
think the president’s speech was still made of promises. He spoke on youth
involvement in agriculture and ICT. The question is how youth should be engaged
when subsistence farming is still the main practice in Cameroon? When farm to
market roads are still very bad? When there is no mechanized agriculture? I
dint think the Cameroon system is youth friendly at all. As concerns ICT which
he talked of; how accessible is internet to the Cameroonian youth? As concerns
unemployment, the president said nothing that will change the situation. I
expected the president to give out a laid out plan to foster youth initiatives.
The question I have often asked myself is why government has refused to setup
the Cameroon Youth Service which will allow University graduates to carry out
voluntary service for a period of time just like the Nigerian National Youth
Service (NYSC)? Well, I commend him for calling youth to be patriotic.
Lukong Leslie-Buea
He said nothing
In
all, the Head of State ended up saying nothing in his long address. He
announced a 102 billion project to the youths, but he never explained what the
project was all about. He encouraged youths to get into agriculture, but he
forgets that every business venture needs investment. Worst still, he left
those of us who are English speaking with the feeling that we do not belong. It
was his 33th speech on the 50th National Youth Day; a day which originally is
celebrated due to the plebiscite which lead to Cameroon’s Reunification. Why
didn’t the president make a difference by addressing youths in English? He
claims Cameroon is bilingual but he has never made a statement in English. To
me, his speech was just a tradition with no impact.
Amos Fofung- Journalist
It meant nothing to me
President
Biya’s speech meant virtually nothing to me. It didn’t move me one iota. I
followed a long speech that was lacking in meaning. The only thing I could
retain from it was his sending us toiling the farm and the 102 billion Youth
Programme fund sthat will soon be embezzled. I expected the president to
mention something about football but he didn’t. I equally expected him to
mention stringent measures as to deal with embezzlers, but again, nothing was
said. Well it’s obvious those who wrote President Biya’s speech had other
things in mind. There was nothing special there.
Ittia Bruno-Buea
We cannot rely on farming to emerge
In
economic reasoning, a common characteristic of an underdeveloped or developing
country is that a greater percentage of her national population is still
involved in agriculture (which of course is a primary activity). We can’t be
talking about emergence and at the same time asking all the young people who
make up the national labor force to go back to the farm. To achieve emergence
and proceed to development, we should be talking about going industrial; where
products from primary activities are processed/transformed and value addition
is achieved for economic growth. The president should have made this statement
in the 1980’s when he was still early in office.
Tambe Augustine-Buea
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