Publisher/Editor: OJONG Steven AYUKOGEM. Tel: (+237) 77 07 27 79. E-mail: themedianpaper@yahoo.com
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Poverty in the midst of plenty
What future for the poor in Cameroon?
Rather than celebrating Barack Obama’s package for Africa, Cameroonians, whose country is beset by poverty, neglect and myriad social ills, should rather be asking themselves what the future holds in store for them. Just take a look at the picture below. Take a really hard look at the picture and tell me what you see…
Let me help out. What you see is not an abandoned latrine. It is a school: Government School (GS) Pomla near Figuil in the North region of Cameroon. That building serves as classroom for all the different grades of the school. The blackboards (or what passes for that) for different classes are pasted on different walls and at different angles of the classroom. That’s the face of poverty in most parts of the Greater North of Cameroon. Other parts of the country are not too different.
Rather than celebrating Barack Obama’s package for Africa, Cameroonians, whose country is beset by poverty, neglect and myriad social ills, should rather be asking themselves what the future holds in store for them. Just take a look at the picture below. Take a really hard look at the picture and tell me what you see…
Let me help out. What you see is not an abandoned latrine. It is a school: Government School (GS) Pomla near Figuil in the North region of Cameroon. That building serves as classroom for all the different grades of the school. The blackboards (or what passes for that) for different classes are pasted on different walls and at different angles of the classroom. That’s the face of poverty in most parts of the Greater North of Cameroon. Other parts of the country are not too different.
Discomforting message for Biya
Obama sends warning to sit-tight African leaders
In his remarks to African leaders during the recent US-Africa leaders’ forum, US president Barrack Hussein Obama said that America was firmly opposed to presidents who would want to change their constitutions to permit them stay longer in power. Obama warned that the days of sit-tight presidents are numbered.
It was certainly not a comforting message for Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who amended the country’s constitution in 2008 to enable him succeed himself in 2011. The message was also not soothing for other African leaders including Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Idriss Derby of Chad, Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso, Theodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and several others.
By these remarks, president Obama was simply emphasizing a point he made in one of his rare visits to Africa. In his address to Africans during a visit in Ghana in 2009, Obama said: “Africa needs strong institutions not strong men”.
In his remarks to African leaders during the recent US-Africa leaders’ forum, US president Barrack Hussein Obama said that America was firmly opposed to presidents who would want to change their constitutions to permit them stay longer in power. Obama warned that the days of sit-tight presidents are numbered.
It was certainly not a comforting message for Cameroon’s Paul Biya, who amended the country’s constitution in 2008 to enable him succeed himself in 2011. The message was also not soothing for other African leaders including Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Idriss Derby of Chad, Blaise Campoare of Burkina Faso, Theodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea and several others.
By these remarks, president Obama was simply emphasizing a point he made in one of his rare visits to Africa. In his address to Africans during a visit in Ghana in 2009, Obama said: “Africa needs strong institutions not strong men”.
Topsy-turvy relations
Must Biya continue coping with Hollande’s arrogance?
French President Francois Hollande has not stepped foot on Cameroonian soil since he became tenant of the Elysee Palace some three years ago. Hollande’s predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy also never visited Cameroon throughout his 5-year mandate as president of France between 2006 and 2011. On the contrary, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has honoured all invitations from his French counterparts and has visited France on more occasions than he was invited. Commentators contend that the evident lack of enthusiasm for Biya by successive French presidents is eloquent proof of their unwillingness to continue to endorse the CPDM regime. Observers are wondering why President Biya should keep going to France even when his French counterpart is not willing to reciprocate?
By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde
President Paul Biya is certainly not the darling of French president Francois Hollande at the moment. Unlike was the case with successive former French presidents – Francois Mitterand and Jacques Chirac especially, the sitting French President, Francois Hollande and even his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, have spared no opportunity to prove their love-lost for President Biya.
In fact, it is now eight years and counting since a French president ever visited Cameroon. The last time a French President visited Cameroon was way back in 2006, when Jacques Chirac led a high-powered French delegation to Yaounde.
Chirac’s successor, Nicolas Sarkozy never made even one stop-over in Yaounde for all his 5 years in office. Sarkozy’s successor, Francois Hollande has also not stepped foot on Cameroonian soil since coming into office in 2011.
French President Francois Hollande has not stepped foot on Cameroonian soil since he became tenant of the Elysee Palace some three years ago. Hollande’s predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy also never visited Cameroon throughout his 5-year mandate as president of France between 2006 and 2011. On the contrary, Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has honoured all invitations from his French counterparts and has visited France on more occasions than he was invited. Commentators contend that the evident lack of enthusiasm for Biya by successive French presidents is eloquent proof of their unwillingness to continue to endorse the CPDM regime. Observers are wondering why President Biya should keep going to France even when his French counterpart is not willing to reciprocate?
By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde
President Paul Biya is certainly not the darling of French president Francois Hollande at the moment. Unlike was the case with successive former French presidents – Francois Mitterand and Jacques Chirac especially, the sitting French President, Francois Hollande and even his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, have spared no opportunity to prove their love-lost for President Biya.
In fact, it is now eight years and counting since a French president ever visited Cameroon. The last time a French President visited Cameroon was way back in 2006, when Jacques Chirac led a high-powered French delegation to Yaounde.
Chirac’s successor, Nicolas Sarkozy never made even one stop-over in Yaounde for all his 5 years in office. Sarkozy’s successor, Francois Hollande has also not stepped foot on Cameroonian soil since coming into office in 2011.
Open letter to President Paul Biya
H.E. The President of the Republic of Cameroon
Office of the President
P.O. Box 100, Yaoundé
Subject: A Patriotic Call to Our Head of State: Act on Our Salary Situation Now!
Your Excellency,
We, representatives of the Councilors of the North West Region, wish to inform your high office that after the intensive and fruitful workshops that were organized by the Ministry of Territorial
Administration and Finance, the councilors of nearly all the Regions organized themselves into organizations to do follow-ups on issues concerning them and the welfare of their peers at the workplace. Excellency, sir, we did this, knowing that the Union of Cities and Councils of Cameroon (UCCC) exists. But, we hasten to note here that UCCC deals more with the units called councils and cares less about the plight and welfare of councilors and mayors. That is why for all these years, Cameroonian councilors have never been considered when treating issues of salaries and wages. Someone may not be telling Your Excellency the bare facts that these Cameroonians, elected after very serious campaigns and having proven to the populace that they can stand for them and work for them, end up depending only on some meager allowances, in some cases and in most cases, running below the “Minimum Wage” of 36.000 fcfa (Thirty Six Thousand Francs)!!!
Office of the President
P.O. Box 100, Yaoundé
Subject: A Patriotic Call to Our Head of State: Act on Our Salary Situation Now!
Your Excellency,
We, representatives of the Councilors of the North West Region, wish to inform your high office that after the intensive and fruitful workshops that were organized by the Ministry of Territorial
Administration and Finance, the councilors of nearly all the Regions organized themselves into organizations to do follow-ups on issues concerning them and the welfare of their peers at the workplace. Excellency, sir, we did this, knowing that the Union of Cities and Councils of Cameroon (UCCC) exists. But, we hasten to note here that UCCC deals more with the units called councils and cares less about the plight and welfare of councilors and mayors. That is why for all these years, Cameroonian councilors have never been considered when treating issues of salaries and wages. Someone may not be telling Your Excellency the bare facts that these Cameroonians, elected after very serious campaigns and having proven to the populace that they can stand for them and work for them, end up depending only on some meager allowances, in some cases and in most cases, running below the “Minimum Wage” of 36.000 fcfa (Thirty Six Thousand Francs)!!!
Southern Cameroons
Stand up against the “colonization” of GCE Board
By Ajong Manfred Oweni in Buea
Beginning from 1996, we started chronicling in various newspapers, the surreptitious manner in which La Republique was taking over the GCE Board. And as always, in doing so they do not hire mercenaries, but use only pure blood citizens of Southern Cameroon. As soon as they suddenly appointed late Dr. Herbert Nganjo Endeley chairman of the GCE Board, the machinery was already in place. They starved the Board of much needed operational funds but vulnerable people of Southern Cameroons instead vilified the only person who has led a successful revolution in this country, Mr. Azong Wara by claiming that he embezzled the money. Up till today nobody has ever been able to substantiate those claims but the effect was that the very teachers who helped to get the Board created, now made the task of taking over the GCE Board easy for La Republique by vilifying the very soul of the Board in the person of Mr. Azong Wara Andrew.
By Ajong Manfred Oweni in Buea
Beginning from 1996, we started chronicling in various newspapers, the surreptitious manner in which La Republique was taking over the GCE Board. And as always, in doing so they do not hire mercenaries, but use only pure blood citizens of Southern Cameroon. As soon as they suddenly appointed late Dr. Herbert Nganjo Endeley chairman of the GCE Board, the machinery was already in place. They starved the Board of much needed operational funds but vulnerable people of Southern Cameroons instead vilified the only person who has led a successful revolution in this country, Mr. Azong Wara by claiming that he embezzled the money. Up till today nobody has ever been able to substantiate those claims but the effect was that the very teachers who helped to get the Board created, now made the task of taking over the GCE Board easy for La Republique by vilifying the very soul of the Board in the person of Mr. Azong Wara Andrew.
Volte-face
Adeline Mbenkum renounces Tutu Muna, embraces Ndedi Eyango
The emblematic gospel music singer-composer and founder of the legendary choral group Tribute Sisters, Adeline Mbenkum has rallied both male and female Cameroonian musicians in support of Prince Ndedi Eyango and his ideals. This is happening at a time when Eyango and Tutu Muna are virtually at daggers-drawn and have consummated their enmity in the public eye.
By Steve Macquens Balemba in Yaounde
The current is clearly not flowing between Adeline Mbenkum, the acclaimed gospel music singer-composer and the minister of Arts and Culture, Ama Tutu Muna.
Barely months after the minister annulled the elections that saw Ndedi Eyango elected as president of the musicians rights body – SOCAM and after Eyango protested vigorously and even went to court to seek legal redress for what he considered as the minister’s volte-face, Adeline Mbenkum who hails from the North West region like Tutu Muna and who should naturally be considered as a sister to the minister, has sided with Eyango in preference to Ama Tutu Muna.
Adeline Mbenkum has launched a new association of musicians and says the association seeks to defend and support the ideas and ideals of Prince Ndedi Eyango.
The emblematic gospel music singer-composer and founder of the legendary choral group Tribute Sisters, Adeline Mbenkum has rallied both male and female Cameroonian musicians in support of Prince Ndedi Eyango and his ideals. This is happening at a time when Eyango and Tutu Muna are virtually at daggers-drawn and have consummated their enmity in the public eye.
By Steve Macquens Balemba in Yaounde
The current is clearly not flowing between Adeline Mbenkum, the acclaimed gospel music singer-composer and the minister of Arts and Culture, Ama Tutu Muna.
Barely months after the minister annulled the elections that saw Ndedi Eyango elected as president of the musicians rights body – SOCAM and after Eyango protested vigorously and even went to court to seek legal redress for what he considered as the minister’s volte-face, Adeline Mbenkum who hails from the North West region like Tutu Muna and who should naturally be considered as a sister to the minister, has sided with Eyango in preference to Ama Tutu Muna.
Adeline Mbenkum has launched a new association of musicians and says the association seeks to defend and support the ideas and ideals of Prince Ndedi Eyango.
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