6 March 2013 – 6 March 2016:

3-year mandate of NCC members has expired

The mandate of the 9 members of the National Communication Council NCC has expired. Their mandate expired on Sunday 6 March 2016. The members of the council were appointed by presidential decree on 22 February 2013 and commissioned into their functions on 6 March 2013.

                Members of the council are appointed for a three year mandate renewable once, by virtue of the law creating the council.

It is expected that the president of the republic will sign a new decree any time this week renewing the mandates of all the members for another three year period.

                However, it should be pointed out that though Peter Essoka and Joseph Janvier Mvoto were appointed along with the other seven members, their subsequent appointment on 27 November 2015, as the President and Vice President respectively of the NCC, permits them to continue functioning whether or not their mandates have expired.

Chief Daniel Mokambe is new Mayor of Mbonge

By Atemnkeng Evaristius in Mbonge

HRH Chief Mokambe Daniel Matta New

Mbonge Mayor

HRH Chief Daniel Matta Mokambe has been elected the new Mayor of Mbonge council. He replaces the former mayor, Chief Ekong William Sakwe who died on 15 January 2016.

                Chief Mokambe defeated his lone challenger Chief Graham Oponde Misodi by securing 23 votes f the 43 votes cast. His challenger Chief Misodi had 19 votes. The voting was by secret ballot.

                The election was done during an extra ordinary session of the council holding under the watchful eyes of the Senior Divisional Officer of Meme, Koulbout Aman David, on 3 March 2016 at the Mbonge Council chambers.

                Addressing the councilors prior to the elections, the SDO  reminded them that the law provides that in case of death or absence of a mayor the 1st Deputy manages the Council for 60 days as interim and after which, a new election is conducted. Hence “We all are here 60 days after the passing away of the Mayor of Mbonge, Late Chief Ekong Williams Sakwe, for you to elect a new Mayor that would continue to stir the affairs of the municipality,” the SDO noted.

                Koulbout Aman called on the 43 councilors of the Mbonge council to ensure transparency in the voting exercise and to make sure only their conscience guides them in the process of selecting their new mayor. The 43 councilors of the Mbonge council come from the CPDM, SDF and ANDP parties, with the CPDM having the majority.

                Talking to the press after his election, Mayor Chief Daniel Mokambe thanked the councilors for bestowing their confidence in him to manage the affairs of the council. He promised to continue with the developmental projects of the late Mayor and to do even more, so as to bring much desired development to Mbonge.

Wone Bakundu Village gets new chief

HRH Chief NJASOMO MERTIN NJEMO was homologated by prefectoral order no. 72/2016 of 3rd March 2016, putting an end to the chieftaincy crisis that has existed since 2011.

By Atemnkeng Evaristius in Kumba

The newly Homologated chief of

Wone village

The dust has finally settled on the chieftaincy saga in Wone Bakundu village in Konye Sub-division, in Meme Division of the South west Region. Prefectoral Order No. 72/2016 of 3rd March 2016 has homologated and designated Mr. Njasomo Martin Njemo as the 3rdclass chief of Wone Bakundu Village in Konye Sub-division, Meme Division.

                Chief Njasomo’s homologation therefore puts an end to a long chieftaincy crisis that left Wone village without a chief for over four years, after the former chief, HRH Odime Peter Mokwelle died on 12 February 2011.

                As the villagers set out to select a new chief, the king-makers were divided as to the mode of selection. While some said access to the throne is by hereditary, the majority maintained that it was by election.

                The two aspirants to throne Nelson Odime and Njasomo Martin respectively also held contradictory opinions as to how chieftaincy is done in their village. While Nelson Odime said it was by hereditary, Njasomo held his grounds it was by election.  

Open Door Days:

Mt. Cameroon National Park showcases potentials

By Eta Chris in Buea

Thousands of visitors stormed the premises of the Buea-based Mt. Cameroon National Park recently, during the 2016 edition of the annual open-door day ceremony.

Opening the August ceremony, South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai stated with satisfaction that the Mt Cameroon National Park represents a vast tourist potential for the SW Region while noting the timely nature of the event that aims to give the public a serene view and understanding of the Park's activities.

                To him, the need to preserve and harness the precious potentials of the park is indispensable; it will go a long way to uphold better exploitation and conservation hence combating illegal poaching and access to the reserve’s protected species among others.

                The Park hosts one of the world's most important biodiversity including a high level of endemic plant and animal species that include 2300 species of plants from 800 genera, 210 families out of which 42 species and 3 genera are strictly endemic to the area. It has five main units: Finance and Administration, Protection Unit, Collaborative Management Unit, Research and Monitoring, Eco-Tourism unit respectively. By and large, these units have the mandate to conserve biodiversity, contribute to the development of surrounding local communities, promote ecotourism as a potential source of revenue, promote employment and promote the image of Cameroon biodiversity preservation.

Elective general assembly:

Buea CAMASEJ gets new exco

By Ajongakou Santos in Buea

New Exco of CAMASEJ-Buea chapter pose 

for a shot with National vice president

New executives of the Cameroon Association of English Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ), Buea Chapter, have been commissioned to office with the task of bringing more members into the fold. The new exco was elected during an elective general assembly chaired by the National Vice President of CAMASEJ- Mr. Larry Esong Akang at Hi TV, Buea last March 5, 2016.

                Commissioning the new bureau headed by The Sun Newspapers’ Political Desk editor, Attia Tilarious, Larry Esong tasked them to reconcile feuding members of the chapter and stamp out laxity and disinterestedness that have characterized activities of the chapter in the passed several years.

                After several postponements owing to the disappointment from members, the elective general assembly that saw the election and commissioning to office of new executives has come to cement the existence of the chapter.

Hugo Broos promises to uplift Indomitable Lions

Hugo Broos

Though contested by some for poor report card, the newly appointed Indomitable Lions Coach Hugo Broos has promised to do more than his best to secure good performances for the national team. The former Belgian international who converted into coaching is already preparing for the game against South Africa in March and has an idea of the game style he would want to implant. The Belgian Champion in 1992 and 1996 with FC Bruges, 2004 with Anderlecht, two time winner of the Belgian Cup and four times Coach of the Year in Belgium spoke to The Median about African football, supporters and his reception in Cameroon. Here are Excerpts.

Welcome to Cameroon. How did you find your reception here in Cameroon?

I was very surprised; I didn’t know that presenting a coach was such an important thing for a country. I know that it happens too in Belgium but it is more intense here; too many people, journalists and guests. It was a big surprise to me, I had a different picture in mind of a small ceremony, but really it is important in this country who is the national coach.

Did that make you to measure how Cameroonians love football?

Yes, I know from some Cameroonian players in my team, when I spoke with them I understood football is very important for the people and the minister, everybody likes football and everybody depends on football. If someone said the love for football is intense in Cameroon I wouldn’t understand, but I can now feel it.

You have been in Cameroon for a few days. What have you been doing?

I have been working a lot these few days with less sleep, from one thing to the other, but it is fine. I am happy and feel great after the meetings we had with the staff, the members and president of the football federation and the minister of sports; it was really nice and I felt these people wanted to see a really good national team.

PWD Bamenda fires coach

After just six days of play into the League 2 football season, PWD Social Football Club of Bamenda has fired their coach, Roger Fotso.

                Fotso was fired on February 28. The decision was announced in a press release published by Pierre Anoufack, team press officer, and signed by the President Pascal Abunde.

                Roger Fotso was sacked because of “a series of poor results he has had with the team so far. PWD has had only 8 points in 6 games and there are little hopes for the team competing for the league’s top positions.

                The Abakwa Boys, as PWD are fondly referred to, currently occupy the seventh position after recording five draws and one victory in six games. The sledgehammer fell on Fotso after the team’s latest draw in their derby against National Polytechnic Bamenda, NPB FC.

                In their six matches in the league so far, the team have conceded three goals and scored five. They recorded two goalless draws and are one of the two unbeaten teams in the league this far.