Police Officer killed in Mutengene

Officer Ekanjume

Soldiers, Amba fighters, civilians also fall in Sunday shootouts in NW & SW

A senior police officer has been shot dead at his residence in Mutengene. Officer Ekanjume, a Bakossi from Kupe Muanenguba division of the South West region was shot early morning Sunday by unknown persons.

Ekanjume was killed in the presence of his daughter, who pleaded unsuccessfully with the killers to spare his father’s life.

            The town of Mutengene went restive following the news of the police officer’s killing on Sunday morning. Reports said the atmosphere in the notorious and crime-prone town remained uncertain throughout the day.

            Expectations were that a massive security crackdown will be launched in the hours ahead.

            Elsewhere, soldiers invaded the town of Tombel Sunday morning as Amba fighters brutally killed 3 gendarme officers.

            The soldiers started shooting indiscriminately forcing locals to escape their homes into the bushes.

Biodiversity Conservation:

CAMGEW Wins 2018 Cameroon Energy Globe Award 

By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda

CAMGEW Wins 2018 Cameroon Energy Globe Award

Cameroon Gender and Environment Watch, CAMGEW are the current winners of the 2018 edition of the Cameroon Energy Globe Award which is one of today's most prestigious environmental prize for her efforts in conserving the Kilum-Ijim forest.

            CAMGEW created in October 2007 with authorization number N° 000998/RDA/JO6/BAPP emerged victorious for their project titled “Kilum-Ijim forest conservation and green value chain development for Oku White Honey” which was selected from over 2000 projects submitted annually.

            According to the Director of CAMGEW, Wirsiy Emmanuel Binyuy, an Apiculture and Nature Conservation Campaigner, the NGO that works locally and thinks globally, has from 2012 to 2018, planted 72.400 bee loving trees in the Kilum-Ijim forest, trained 930 bee farmers in honey production and bees wax extraction and distributed above 730 local beehives to trained bee farmers.

            He added that the organization has organized more than 1000 bee farmers into 5 Oku White Honey cooperatives located around Kilum-Ijim forest and provided them with technical and material support. These cooperatives in the process of legalization have come to add to one existing cooperative in Oku bringing the total to 6 cooperatives.

            As of December 2017, about 987 women have receiving training on business skills and 907 women gotten financial assistance in form of loans while 24 teenage boys and girls have been trained on dress making, shoe making and hair dressing in Oku.

            CAMGEW has also developed 3 tree nurseries with more than 150.000 trees and has a HONEYSHOP in Bamenda where she converts bee farmers honey to money to fight poverty, unemployment and better protect the forest.

            The NGO has also been instrumental in putting order in the poor exploitation of Kilum-Ijim forest resources and has helped in reorganizing Forest Management Institutions that had been bedeviled by corruption.

Peace Journalism Seminar:

Journalists Challenged To Preach Peace, Reconciliation in Crisis Situations

By Fon Quinter in Bamenda

Journalists at Peace Journalism Seminar

Some 48 media practitioners from the Northwest and West regions of Cameroon have been told to uphold the principles of Peace and reconciliation Journalism in their reports especially with the current crisis plaguing the two English speaking regions of the country.

            This amongst other recommendations was the outcome of a three day workshop on “Peace Journalism and Electoral Reporting” which took place in Bafoussam, West region from July 25th to 27th, 2018 with Professor Steven Youngblood, Director of Center for Global Peace Journalism, who is also a lecturer at the Park University, USA.

            Organized under the theme: “We stand for Peace’”, the workshop which is one in a series is the initiative of the Cameroon Community Media Network, NW Chapter and the Christian Broadcasting Service and is sponsored by Bread for the World, Germany and Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.

            During the workshop the journalists were trained on how to report on peace  journalism which Professor Steven Youngblood described as “editors and reporters making choices about what to report and how to report it…that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non violent responses to conflict”.

            With the advent of social media platforms and the threats it poses to the practice of Journalism, participants were drilled on good social media tips such as avoiding the act of “ copy and paste” and “forwarded as received” which facilitators were unanimous promotes violence especially in a situation of political unrest.

            Speaking after workshop described by participants as timely, Roseline  Obah Akah, Station manager of CBS Bamenda and pioneer president of Cameroon Community Media Network was upbeat that the workshop will go a long way to help the journalists. 

Biya Organizes Decentralization Ministry, Snubs Calls for Federation

President Paul Biya has on 1 August 2018 signed a decree organizing the Ministry of Decentralisation and Local Development.

By a correspondent

The Ministry of Decentralisation and local Development (MINDDEVEL) created by the presidential decree of March 2 2018 now has the green light to become operational following the decree president Paul Biya signed on August 1 2018 organising the ministry.

            Before the decree organizing the ministry, the Head of State also appointed Ebongue Makolle Fred Rodrigu Aurélien as its pioneer permanent secretary on July 20 2018 and Minister George Elanga Obam officially commissioned Mr. Ebongue Makolle into his function on July 25 2018. With the two senior officials of MINDDEVEL already at work, all attention is now focused on the appointment of other officials as laid down in the presidential decree of August 1 and the putting in place of all the structures.

2019 AFCON in Garoua:

Prime Potomac Confident About Project Deadlines

Prime Potomac technical director talking to journalists in Garoua

The company tasked with the construction of some of the sites to host the 2019 African Nations Cup in Garoua, in the North Region, has assured that it will respect the deadlines given by CAF for the completion and delivery of the sites.

            Authorities of Prime Potomac Cameroon SA, a subsidiary of Prime Potomac Global USA, told pressmen in Garoua last week that works on the various sites are progressing according to plan and all the structures would be delivered in due time.         

           

Officials of Prime Potomac answering questions from the press

Engineers of Prime Potomac were responding to questions from sports reporters who travelled to Garoua to visit the construction sites and get first hand appraisal of what was going on.

            The journalists embarked on the Garoua trip following alarming reports on radio and in newspapers about a halt of works on the sites due to repeated workers strikes caused by non-payment of wages and poor treatment by authorities of Prime Potomac.

            “As you must have seen with your own eyes, work is going on normally and in serenity in all our project sites. It is true that we had some challenges before. But after acquiring the requisite machines and after solving some financial constraints, i can assure you that all is well with our work and we are sure to deliver on time,” said the Regional Coordinator of Prime Potomac for North Cameroon, Tuna Boniface.

Samuel Eto'o leaves Turkish club Konyaspor by mutual consent

Samuel Eto'o scored six goals in 14 appearances for Turkish side Konyaspor

Ex-Cameroon captain Samuel Eto'o has left Konyaspor by mutual consent with two years still left on his contract.

            The Turkish club say the former Chelsea and Everton striker, 37, has had his deal cancelled, "on the basis of a previously agreed negotiation".

            Eto'o joined struggling Konyaspor from rivals Antalyaspor in January, scoring six goals in 14 appearances to help the club maintain their top-flight status.

            The club thanked him for "his services on behalf of our colours".

            A statement on the Konyaspor website added: "We hope that he will bring beauty, happiness and success to his future plans."

            The four-time African footballer of the year winner has been widely linked with a move to Ligue 1 in France, as well as a possible return to Spain.

Cameroon Appoint Seedorf & Kluivert as Deal for Eriksson Falls Through

Clarence Seedorf previously had brief managerial spells at AC Milan, Shenzen in China and Deportivo La Coruna

Former Real Madrid, AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Seedorf will be assisted by his former international teammate Patrick Kluivert.

            The length of Seedorf's contract with the five-time African champions will be announced later this month.

            Seedorf, 42, has previously managed AC Milan, Chinese club Shenzhen and Deportivo La Coruna.