Monday, 15 February 2016

Youths react to President Biya’s Youth Day speech



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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