SW CPDM permanent delegates commissioned

By Ajongakou Santos & Boris Esono in Buea

Jean Kuete in photo with some Fako CPDM bigwigs

After the towns of Maroua, Garoua, Ngaoundere, Bertoua, Ebolowa and Douala the installation of regional and divisional delegates of the CPDM party continued in Buea on Thursday 16 June 2016, where the permanent delegates to the six divisions of the region were installed to their various functions alongside the regional delegates.

                The divisional delegates were appointed by a decision of the national president of the CPDM, Paul Biya on 19 May 2016. The members of regional delegations were appointed way back in December 2015.

                Thus Senator Peter MafanyMusonge was installed as the head of the South West regional permanent delegation of the CPDM Central Committee, with Hon. EbongNgole John, Hon. Chief TabetandoNdiep-Nso, Hon. Forju Bernard, and Mrs. Bertha NdohBakata as members.

                Meanwhile, the charges de mission of the regional delegation are Mr. Monono Humphrey Ekema and Mr. Oben James Agbor.

                Meanwhile, Hon. MonjowaLifaka Emilia, H.E. NgolleNgolle Elvis, Mr. Tasong Paul, H.E. MengotArrey Victor, Justice Benjamin Itue and Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute were also installed as the heads of their respective divisional delegations.

Politics and Civil Society:

DR. Chris Fomunyoh edifies Buea discussion forum

By Ajongakou Santos & Boris Esono in Buea

Dr. Fomunyoh Christopher

The role of civil society in democratic transitions in Africa was the main topic of discussion at a talk organized at the Federal Quarters, Buea residence of the president of the Fako Lawyers Association, Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor-Balla, on Monday 13th June 2016.

                Moderated by Mr. Lifongo William, adviser to the UN Under-Secretary on Gender issues, the forum afforded a perfect avenue for people from diverse backgrounds to proffer solutions to issues such as independence and sustainability of the civil society.

                The guest speaker, Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, who is Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa at the Washington-based National Democratic Institute (NDI), addressed varied themes including notably “individual and collective responsibility”; “challenging times for the future of democracy”; “renewal of political leadership”, just to name these few. According to him, political office holders should stop working for personal gain and focus on community goals which will propel their country forward.

                “Civil societies are catalysts and lubricants for any democratic society,” he added, noting that “If Cameroon neglects its civil society the country will stop functioning, just like a car will stop moving if the fuel tank is empty”.

                With regards to the renewal of political leadership in the country, Mr. Fomunyoh was of the opinion that there is need for separation of powers. He regretted that in the present dispensation the executive arm of government is too preponderant and even suffocates the legislative and judiciary powers.

                Dr. Fomunyoh observed that elected officials do not serve the general public but pay allegiance to the executive branch. “How can there be a country were the president elects members of the senate, is the head of the judiciary and also commands the legislature?” 

You and the law:

Bar council condemns modified Penal Code

-Demands its withdrawal from the National Assembly

Amongst other things, they have expressed a desire to re-read the modified the penal code so as to harmonize the English and French versions, in the best interest of the citizens of Cameroon.

By EssanEkoninyam in Yaounde

One of the bills tabled before members of the lower house of parliament in the ongoing (June) session of the National Assembly is that on the modification of the Cameroon penal code. But while the legislators are examining the draft bill, the lawyers of Cameroon have called for its immediate withdrawal from Parliament. The lawyers say amongst other things that they ought to have been consulted before any such decision to modify the penal code was to be taken.

                After an extraordinary session of the Bar council in Yaounde on Thursday, 16 June 2016, the lawyers issued a press release in which they deplored with gravity the lack of concordance between the English and French versions of the penal code. This, they pointed out, can only produce divergent interpretations and applications of the same law and thus bring about an aggravation of judicial insecurity.

                Also expressing a firm wish to contribute in the writing of a quality penal code, the members of the Bar council said in the release that they have set up a committee of experts that would propose an improvement of the said text to parliament as soon as possible. The purpose of this, they added, is to drop outdated sections and articles, verify the conformity of the provisions of this bill with international instruments ratified by Cameroon, and ensure the inclusion in the code of criminal sections and articles contained in some particular laws.

                They thus called for the withdrawal of the bill so that they could do a re-reading of the text and harmonise the English and French versions, in the best interest of the citizens of Cameroon.  

 (See the Bar council president’s interview below)

MPs scrutinize new penal code

By Rachel NtubeNgwese in Yaounde

Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso

After the adoption of the bill authorizing the president of the republic to ratify the Paris climate change agreement, subsequently forwarded to the senate, MPs took more time in examining the bill on the revision of the penal code presented by the minister of justice keeper of the seals Laurent Esso. Members of the constitutional laws committee last Tuesday first met in a working group to examine the bill. But  the voluminous nature of the document that consist of 360 articles posed a problem to the MPs who thought they needed time enough to understand the content of the document before debating on it.

                This is because it is the first time the code is brought before parliament for examination since its promulgation on 12 November 1965 and revision on 12 June 1967. According to the justice minister, certain provisions of the code do not march other penal laws in force and equally do not integrate some international conventions signed by Cameroon such as the united nations convention against corruption, the convention for the elimination of all sorts of discrimination against women, the convention relating to the protection of the rights of children and the OHADA laws amongst others.

                In other to meet up with some insufficiencies and domesticate such international laws, several innovations have been introduced in the bill containing the modified penal code.

To boost Cameroon’s economic growth:

Taxation & customs sign protocol agreement

The DGs of taxation and customs exchange books

The signing ceremony, which saw the putting in place of a new tool dubbed FUSION, took place between the directors general of taxation and customs and was presided over by the minister of Finance on Tuesday, 14 June 2016.

By Tanyi Kenneth Musa in Yaounde

Although Cameroon’s economy has made some impressively noticeable strides in the recent past, there is still a lot to be done to enable it to attain a two-digit growth rate. Part of this has to do with the synergizing of efforts amongst the different departments that work in the economic and finance sector.

                It is for this reason that the minister of Finance, AlamineOusmaneMey, presided over the signing of a protocol agreement of collaboration between the directors general of taxation and customs, MopaModeste and Edwin Fongod respectively, on Tuesday, 14 June 2016.

                According to the agreement, both administrations (taxation and customs) will henceforth share information through a computer system of collection, sharing of data and analysis of risks codenamed “FUSION”. This tool was put in place thanks to the expertise of the German Cooperation, GTZ.

North West region:

PNDP launches new projects in Bui division

The National Community Driven Development Programme, known by its French acronym as PNDP has launched its third phase in Bui Division.

By Njodzefe Nestor and Edwin Lemnyuy

Mayors brandish their agreements

Phase III co-financing partnership agreement was signed June 14 in Kumbo between PNDP and the six councils of Bui Division.

                The signing ceremony took place at the Kumbo Council Chambers under the supervision of the Senior Divisional Officer for Bui, TheophileNzeki.

                According to a release from the organization, the key activities embedded in the co-financing partnership agreement are updates of councils’ development plans and elaboration of others, co-financing of council sessions extended to sector ministries, support to councils for the elaboration and financing of feasibility studies of micro projects and support to councils for the co-financing of the production of their quarterly magazine.

                Each Council is expected to benefit FCFA 20.2M, FCFA 5.2 to come from councils themselves, Bruno Daniel Nkanjo said during the signing ceremony.

                Mayor DonatusFonyuyNjong hailed PNDP and collaborators for the initiative, which he said will enhance livelihoods of the grassroots population.

Bird Flu Scare:

18 thousand eggs destroyed in B’da

Some 17,600 eggs worth FCFA 1,164,000 were on June 15, 2016 destroyed in Bamenda as part of efforts to ensure that the North West Region remains free of Avian Influenza or Bird Flu.

                The eggs were intercepted at Akum, the gateway into metropolitan Bamenda in the night of June 14, 2016, by a joint team of gendarmes and police officers.

                The eggs packaged in 49 cartoons were later destroyed in the neigbourhood of Ntarinkon, Bamenda, following the June 3, 2016, order by the Governor, prohibiting the bringing in of poultry and poultry products into the North West Region.