Gov’t Bans Sale of Firearms in Six Regions

By Innocent Kum in Yaounde

Government has banned the sale of small arms and ammunitions in six regions

 of the country, including the  North West and South West regions

The decision is the main substance of a communiqué issued last Wednesday by Territorial administration minister, Paul Atanga Nji.

            The regions concerned include the Littoral, Adamawa, Centre, West, North West and South West regions.

            The exact reasons for the prohibition of arms trade in only six of Cameroon’s ten regions was not stated, but the communiqué of the minister said “...government has prohibited, until further notice, the sale of hunting and protection weapons and their ammunitions in the Adamawa, Centre, Littoral, West, North West and South West regions”, according to a statement.

            Minister Atanga Nji’s communiqué also said an inventory will be taken of all existing stocks of arms and ammunitions for easy control and tracking in the regions concerned.

            The statement revealed that the proliferation and illicit circulation of firearms has taken a geometric proportion recently and it now constitutes a real threat to public order and security.

Peace & Reconciliation Effort:

Gov’t to Rebuild Burnt Down Villages in Meme?

- Meme SDO requests for inventory of burnt houses and other property from Chiefs

- Also urges chiefs to return to their villages and to subjects to return from the bushes

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Meme Chiefs tell SDO their villages have been taken over by Ambazonia fighters

The Senior Divisional Officer of Meme has instructed Chiefs across Meme Division to all discern to their villages and do a thorough evaluation of all destroyed property and hand the list to him for onward transmission to the Yaounde regime.                                                           Chamberlin Ntou’ouNdong was speaking shortly after a crisis consultation meeting with Chiefs of Meme division at the auditorium of his office Wednesday April 4, 2018.

            “We are going to make a general estimate and forward the complete bill to the head of state,” Ntou’ou Ndong said, recalling that it was the same situation in the Bakassi peninsular some years back when he was SDO for Ndian and the Head of State constructed “Shell Creek” and today it is one of the most beautiful villages in the Division. The Meme chief executive said he trusts the Head of State will do the same for the affected villages in Meme.

Ambassador of Peace Award:

Ntumfor Nico Halle Gets International Recognition

By Innocent Kum in Yaounde

Ntumfor Nico Halle

Renowned lawyer and international peace crusader, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle is winner of an International Peace Ambassador Award.

            Nico Halle who is also president of the general assembly of the Cameroon Bar Association was announced winner of the prestigious distinction Wednesday march 28 by the International Association of parliamentarians for Peace, IAPP, during an event in Yaounde.

            Before declaring the Douala-based legal expert as an international peace ambassador, officials of the IAPP said the honour was in recognition of Nico Halle’s distinguished and remarkable contribution towards upholding universal moral values, building of strong family ties and fostering inter-denominational cooperation.

            The IAPP officials added that Nico Halle’s was chosen for the international award also because of his active and indefatigable role in promoting inter-State cooperation, peaceful co-habitation and dialogue, as well as advocating positive inputs, enhancing proper functioning of the United Nations Organisation and fostering and encouraging responsible mass media communication and journalism.

            The officials noted that upholding the culture of peace is a pre-requisite for harmonious co-habitation.

            Reacting to the press after receiving the award, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle said he was humbled to have been selected for such a distinction by a renowned and reputable international organisation.

            “This award is so special to me because it comes at a time when the crisis in the Anglophone Regions is only escalating. The belligerence is quite deep and with pugnacious tendencies soaring. The award therefore propels me into more action. Men are led by toys. When one is recognized universally it acts like an impetus, a veritable catalyst for more positive action,” Nico Halle said.

            Questioned if the award came to him as a surprise, Ntumfor retorted: “Yes and no! No because I have received other International distinctions and awards before, including two Honorary Doctorate Awards (Doctor Honoris Causa). Yes because the award has provoked an avalanche of messages of congratulations and encouragements from friends and well-wishers over the country and beyond ever since it was announced at the National Assembly last Wednesday 28 March 2018.”

            Nico Halle who is also an acclaimed international elections monitor said he remains “exceedingly humbled and thankful to God for such a huge acknowledgement of the undivided and undiluted efforts I have been making since for more than 28 years now for peace to reign in Cameroon, Africa and the World.”

Political Outing:

Hon. Emilia Lifaka Empowers BONAVA Youths

-Donates farm inputs, equipment and cash for rehabilitation of community water project

By Boris Esono in Buea

Hon. Emilia Lifaka handing farm inputs and equipment to the population of the Bonavada area, in Buea rural

CPDM militants and sympathizers in the BONAVADA area have been called upon to register on the electoral register ahead of upcoming elections in the country. This was the take home message from the Vice President of the Cameroon National Assembly, who doubles as the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association CPA, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, on 5 April 2018, in Bonakanda, as she donated farm inputs and equipment to the population of the area. The items donated included: maize seeds, trucks, wheelbarrows, watering and spraying cans etc.

             Hon. Lifaka also made a cash donation of FCFA six hundred thousand (600.000 fcfa) for the rehabilitation of the community water project in BONAVADA, where water scarcity has become the bane of the community.

            Speaking whilst making the donations, Hon. Lifaka enjoined the populations to register their names on the voters’ lists and to vote for the CPDM when the time comes.

            She also exhorted the youths to be law-abiding and ensure respect for state institutions.

            The Iron Lady of Fako CPDM, urged party militants to shun divisive tendencies and put party interests at the fore.

            “We can only win in the upcoming elections if we work together and put our egos, individualistic ideas, and personal problems with our fellow militants aside and put the party interest first.”

            The same message was echoed by other speakers at the event including the YCPDM president of Fako III, Franklin Njie, who said registering for upcoming elections is very important for the sustenance of the party.

            “We may have personal differences but we have only one goal and that is for our party to succeed in upcoming elections,” Franklin Njie said.

            Speaking to the press shortly after the donation, the leader of the CPDM permanent delegation to Fako, Hon. Emilia Lifaka stated that she came to visit her electorate and remind them that there is no prize for peace and that they should continue to work for the CPDM party because it is the only party that can guarantee peace, unity and development.

Crowd-Puller Ceremony:

Minister Begs for Peace at Limbe FESTAC Opening

The Minister of Arts and Culture Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi used the occasion of the solemn opening of the 2018 FESTAC to preach peace, unity and living together

By Boris Esono in Limbe

The Minister of Arts and Culture, Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi has urged culture enthusiasts to use the Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture as an avenue to uphold the peace and unity in Cameroon. He was speaking in Limbe, on Saturday 7 April, as he opened the fifth edition of the Limbe Arts and Culture Festival, FESTAC, at the Limbe community field.

            According to the Minister, peace is vital for our leaving together and development as a nation.

            “We should maintain peace so that we can all leave in peace. Limbe FESTAC is sending a message of peace, unity and national integration and it is a celebration of leaving together in this beautiful city. Peace is very precious to our country and our cultural diversity is very important. You cannot promote culture without peace.”

            The Minister addressed words of praise and encouragement to the vision bearer, the government delegate to the Limbe City council, Andrew Motanga Monjimba, for the wonderful initiative that promotes peace, multiculturalism, security and living together.

            “Limbe has the potential to become a one of the choicest tourist destination in the country, but it requires the involvement of all to make this happen,” Mouelle Kombi said, assuring organizers of the FESTAC of the readiness of MINAC to collaborate and support them.

Abduction of Prof. Leke Tambo:

Biya Sacrifices Lebialem SDO, DOs of Fontem & Alou

President Paul Biya

A presidential decree signed on Friday 6 April 2018 appoints new SDOs and DOs to restive localities in the SW region.

            According to the presidential decree read on state radio Friday, Etta Ashu Mbokaya replaces Ungitoh Zakary as SDO of Lebialem. Etta Mbokaya Ashu was formerly the SDO of Ndian.

            He was replaced as SDO of Ndian by a son of Lebialem, Nwafua Lawrence Forwang, who until his new appointment was the SG of the Sw governor’s Office.

            Also, Ewane Jude replaced Idrissa Said as DO of Fontem. Ewane was formerly the DO of Kumba III. He had served there for barely less than a year before this new appointment.

            Meanwhile Hambi Isaac also replaces Akombo Neba Joseph as DO of Alou.

According to the decrees, Ungitoh Zachary and Akombo Neba are going on retirement.

It is understood that the administrators that were sacked did not impress the authorities in Yaounde in their handling of the ongoing Anglophone crisis in their areas of command. Lebialem division is set to have taken the struggle to extremes and apparently the SDO and Dos were not seen as taking any firm measures to counter the moves of the secessionists.

BAYEN WARZONE REPORTING:

Ambazonia “Battalion Commander” Killed In Battle of Belo

• How Gilbert Ngwani, 26, saved a captured classmate but died in battle hours after

By Franklin Sone Bayen

Some Ambazonia fighters neutralized and captured by government forces

A “battalion commander” of the Ambazonia fighters who acquitted a captured suspect, perished in gun battle with government defence and security forces less than 24 hours later. Gilbert Ngwani, 26, was found dead with bullet wounds, Thursday, April 7 on the streets of Belo, Boyo Division in the North West Region. He was laid to rest in his family compound on Friday, April 8.

            The man Ngwani acquitted narrated the following testimony to me, which I recorded after thorough scrutiny to authenticate his story. From his outlook, he could be easily mistaken for someone of another ethnic origin with peculiar features, which was the claim of the Ambazonia fighters who abducted him. His identity is withheld to safeguard his security.

            “I travelled to my village Belo last Thursday (March 29) for the funeral of a cousin who died in the village. On Wednesday, April 4, as the gun battles between government forces and the Amba Boys raged on and off, I was making a phone call at the Square when two young men on a motorbike pulled up near me. They were both either below 20 or just above 20. They were very young. I’m myself in my 20s, but they looked younger than me. They asked who I was speaking to on the phone and said I look like some of their enemies.

            “It is true people often tell me I look like people from a certain part of Cameroon, not from any of the Anglophone regions. I told them I was a Bikom from Belo here and said I was speaking to relatives about the funeral of our cousin but they said I was lying. They said they believe I was making a call to security people to locate where they were. They asked me to come with them. They made me mount the bike, one riding; the other sitting behind me. I realized I was truly in trouble when I saw knives protruding from both pockets of the rider and the man behind with a short gun.