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Anglophone Crisis: School Resumption campaigns flop in NW/SW Regions of Cameroon! Anglophone crisis Recap!

By Bakah Derick Never has school resumption been so timid in the predominantly English speaking North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. It is not only the absence of school buses, assorted uniforms on overcrowded streets and taxis but also the near complete absence of overloaded yellow taxis and high speeding commercial motorbikes better known as okada this September 4, 2017 from the street of Bamenda. Shops are also locked along the streets with major markets shops closed. Inhabitants call it “kontri Sunday”! It’s a ghost town on school reopening. The Minister of Basic Education is in town, Alim Adjidja née Youssouf and the Secretary General in the Ministry of Secondary Education are in town to launch the school year. The streets are empty so they will have a good ride across the city through near empty streets. It’s a similar picture reports from most parts of the North West and the South West region where the Minister of Secondary Education Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe

Anglophone Crisis: Dr Fomuyoh Christopher Presses for second phase release, dialogue and school resumption

Dr Fomuyoh Christopher Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa at the National Democracy Institute NDI/ President of the Fomunyoh Foundation From Bakah Derick in Bamenda The Senior Associate and Regional Director for Central and West Africa at the National Democracy Institute NDI has described the recent release of Anglophone detainees by the President of the Republic Paul Biya as “the right step in the right direction.” Dr Christopher Fomunyoh who also doubles as the President of the Fomunyoh Foundation was speaking in Bamenda Friday September 1, 2017 during an event organised by a Mankon-Based Arts group to present priced gifts of artistic works to the governance experts. While expressing thanks to the arts group for the gesture and honour to him, Dr Christopher used the event to address a couple of other issues. Starting with the recently banned press event in Yaounde during which he was guest, Dr Christopher expressed his dissatisfaction with t

Bamenda City Council coughs-out FCFA15M for holiday workers for Back-to-school.

Jude Waindim Secretary General Bamenda City Council addresses students  By Bakah Derick in Bamenda   Over 400 students selected from across the city of Bamenda have come to the end of a one month holiday work session with the Bamenda City Council BCC. The closeout event to officially bid farewell to the students held Thursday August 31, 2017 in the premises of the City Council during which the Secretary General to the BCC indicated that the institution has spent over FCFA15M to organise this year’s work session. The over 400students each backed home the sum FCFA30000 representing FCFA11.6m from the total amount while the rest went for organisation. Addressing the students for the BCC, Jude Waindim encouraged them about going to school saying “Education is your life. Without education you will not be able to stand and talk in public. I call on all of you our dear boys and girls to be to be of good example.” To those who were selected he added “remain good so that next year

Anglophone Crisis:Peter Ngufor stands up for Biya’s Decision to Free Anglophone Detainees

Peter Ngufor in culturally dressed while in Zanzibar  By Bakah Derick in Bamenda  Bamenda based business magnet, patriot, peace promoter and farmer Peter Ngufor has literary given a standing ovation to the President of the Republic Paul Biya for discontinuing the proceedings before the Yaounde Military Tribunal against some Anglophones arrested in relation to the violence committed in recent months in the North West and South West Regions. Reacting to the Wednesday August 30, 2017 decision made public by the Minister Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh at his Mile 3 Nkwen Farmers House Office, Pa Ngufor as he is fondly called praised the move saying “it was a big relief! I was very happy indeed.” Acknowledging his personal knowledge of the president he noted “I have personally known President Biya and I know that he is a gentleman of all order and I know that if you advise him well he will take it and do it.” According to the business m

SDF 2017 Convention: Chairmanship candidate prepares confrontation as candidature meets stone walls within

By Bakah Derick in Bamenda  Aspiring candidate for position of the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front SDF has accused his party of plans to deny him his democratic rights as member of the party. Felix Teche Nyamusa who also hoping to be presidential candidate for the party at the 2018 Presidential election penned his anger in an epistle fired to the Chairperson of the SDF National Investiture Committee dated August 30, 2017 a copy which the Guardian post stumbled on titled “A cabal attempts replacing SDF Investiture.” Hear Teche “Our party, SDF electoral laws for elections into the National executive committee (NEC) –   “Opening of nominations to post in the national executive committee (NEC)” section G Discipline prescribes as follows: “To ensure that during the built-up to the convention, no disciplinary proceedings are used  as a means: of stifling debate: Of denying members their basic or democratic rights: Of solving private problems or interfering in the p

Anglophone Crisis:NW Governor urges released Anglophone detainees to Forgive

At NW Governor's Office as Governor receives released detainees with handshakes By Bakah Derick in Bamenda        It was an emotional Friday September 1, 2017 morning at the North West governor’s office as families and friends showed up to receive one of theirs arrested for one reason or another during the on-going Anglophone crisis. These relations either parents, children brothers and sisters could be seen wearing a smile in the hope that they will soon see the love ones who have spent several weeks and months in various detention centres in the nation’s capital Yaounde. “I have come here to receive by husband. Though I have been visiting him in Yaoundé, the feeling today is different since I will be home with him again after seven months” a cheerful wife of one of the detainees tells this reporter. Shortly after this conversation, North West Governor arrives and works straight to the families exchanging a firm handshake and a smile with everyone especially children.

Anglophone Crisis: President Paul Biya orders release of Anglophone detainees

Paul Biya President of Cameroon  Cameroon’s strongman Paul Biya has ordered the discontinuance of proceedings before the Yaounde Military tribunal against leaders of the outlawed Anglophone Civil Society Consortium. Barister-at-LawNkongho Felix Agbor University lecturer Dr. Fontem Neba, Retired Attorney General at the Supreme Court and Political Leader Paul Ayah Abine are those specifically mentioned in the released with the addition of some other persons arrested in relation to the violence in the North West and South West regions. The release signed by the Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh adds that criminals who work to jeopadise the future of the country and the youths will be brought before the courts

Anglophone Crisis: NW Teachers thank Biya in Tears at Sector Conference

From Bakah Derick in Bamenda The North West Secondary Education family has sent a message of gratitude to the President of the Republic Paul Biya amidst an avalanche of request that can only tell of a suffering people. The message was made public August 30, 2017 during the beginning of year sector conference for the 2017/2018 academic year. NW Governor addressing Secondary Education Sector Conference Presenting what looks like the worries of an average Anglophone or Cameroonian and can put any one to tears, the teachers message noted that it is imperative that the President of the Republic “closely monitor and hasten the tarring of all parts of the Amenda ring road, and the roads within Bamenda City and its environs as well as hasten the realisation of projects earmarked for the North West region, notably construction of the Menchum and river Katsina-Ala dams in Menchum Division.” Like a majority of civil servants in Cameroon, the teachers raised the issue of the workin

Fundong Mayor takes pro school advocacy to interiors and football fields

The Mayor of Fundong Council in Boyo Division of the North West who doubles as Inspector General in charge of technical services in the Ministry of Public Works has taken the back-to-school message to football fields and some interior parts of his municipality.

If you don’t want to send your child to school, don’t stop those who want to send theirs” Bamenda Archbishop

By Bakah Derick in Bamenda The Archbishop of Bamenda has made a clarion call for Christians of the Catholic Church to send their children to School. His Grace Cornelius Fontem Essua was speaking in St Michael’s Parish Futru during the laying of the Foundation Stone of the Parish Jubilee project! A multipurpose hall. Bamenda Archbishop   According to the Prelate the Roman Catholic Church is not a political party and will never be one. The church at all times the Archbishop maintains stands for the truth and justice. Regretting that the Church has come under attack from all actors in the Anglophone problem including government, the Archbishop stated that the church had never at any point undermined the Anglophone problem citing the Memorandum of 22 nd December, 2016 addressed to the President as the strongest document with historical facts and proposals for the ay forward ever written on the subject. Like others he said the church is calling for the release of those detain

Rights NGO HOFNA inspires the next generation of Female leaders

By Bakah Derick  Hope for the Needy Association HOFNA-Cameroon a Bamenda based not for profit Non-Governmental Organization NGO has rounded up a four day Girls Leadership Boot Camp in Bamenda. The four days come together bringing girls from the North West and South West Region from August 17 to 20, 2017 had as theme “Inspiring the next generation of female leaders.” Executive Director of HOFNA Christelle Bay Yaa Viban Board Chair of HOFNA who is also former cultural specialist at the US Embassy in Yaounde who addressed the girls at the opening justified the boot camp telling this reporter “the   idea behind this boot camp is that for women to lead we need to start inspiring the next generation of leaders. We have realized in our work that there I a big gab when it comes to women acceding to decision making positions and we realize that to be able to break that we need to start training the young girls in early age so that they can start seeing themselves and perceiving them

Israeli Embassy official challenge Cameroon to build on Education

HOFNA Boot Camp participants  From Bakah Derick in Bamenda  The Senior Assistant to the Israeli Ambassador to Cameroon has challenged Cameroon to build on Education if the country wishes to develop. Acha Harry was speaking in Bamenda Friday August 18, 2017 while representing his Ambassador at the opening ceremony of Girls Leadership Boot Camp organized by the Bamenda based Charity Hope for the Needy Association HOFNA-Cameroon. According to the Diplomat, Israel despite a host of challenges at independence in 1948 with virtually noting even water since over 70% of the territory is a desert has been able to grow to a strong state thanks to education. Citing the natural resources Cameroon has, larger surface area, more populated than Israel the Diplomat indicated that with Education Cameroon will go bigger and better. Using Israel’s example of having a female Prime Minister in 1969 just 20years after independence to inspire the girls, Acha Harry stated “there is something in the

Bamenda III Council Donate agric-tools to farmers

By Bakah Derick in Bamenda The Bamenda III Council has handed over agricultural tools to farmers in the municipality. The tools were handed over Thursday August 17, 2017 by the Mayor Fongu Cletus Tanwe during a ceremony at the council premises attended by agriculture stakeholders in the subdivision. Speaking during the ceremony Tedgi Immaculate Bamenda III Subdivisional delegate for agriculture praised the council and the mayor for continuously thinking of farmers despite not organizing the traditional annual Mini Agro Pastoral Show at the close of 2016 due to the uncertainty that reigned at the time. “Conscious of the part Agriculture plays in our economy, the goal of our Ministry is to transform subsistence Agriculture to second generation agriculture by the year 20135 through the use of improved planting material, other farm inputs, mechanized farming to increase farm size, improve on value chain (processing) and hence improve on yield for marketing. Our beloved Mayor is

Group donates to Futru Catholic Church Hall Project

The Development initiative of Nkwen DIN has donated 100 bags of cement worth FCFA 500.000 to St Michaels Parish Church Futru Nkwen. The donation was made Thursday August 3, 2017 during a brief ceremony in front of the Parish Church. On hand to receive the gift was Rev Fr Hypolite Wirnkar Tanfen Parish Priest, members of the Parish Pastoral Council led by the President Theresia Tamunang and members of the golden jubilee project with the Ngante Dominic the chairman of the committee present. The cement according to the US based donor development initiative is for the hall project the parish has been working on for some time now. According to Dr Andrew Ndiforngwa leader of the donating DIN-USA delegation, his initiative was compelled to making the donation following the December 2017 project timeline given by the Parish Priest. The donation realized with funds from member contributions and separate individual contributions, DIN expects that the Church will complete the hall projec

North West intensifies efforts towards 2017 PIB realization

Lighted Bamali Integrated Health Center  BY Bakah Derick in Bamenda  According to the Friday July 21, 2017Regional Follow-up Committee meeting in Bamenda, the physical execution rate of projects in the North West Region stands at 41.02 percent. Sitting in for the regional committee president was the vice Regina Mundi who will express satisfaction with the percentage realization rate just three months after the execution phase of the projects.  From the presentations, Ngoketunjia Division emerged first in the divisional classification table with 66.9percent while Momo will tail the table with 17.5 per cent. Electrifying Bamali; lighting sight and hearts The electrification of Bamali at 100per cent is one of the many projects either ongoing or completed that has given the division a leadership position on the regional classification table.  While in Bamali Monday 7, 2017 this reporter could deduce an unprecedented level of happiness within the inhabitants. “I am Formenkwin

FAWCAM advocates Animal protection legislation in Cameroon

Foundation for Animal Welfare Cameroon FAWCAM  on field officials  work By Bakah Derick in Bamenda The Bamenda based charity Foundation for Animal Welfare Cameroon FAWCAM has expressed the wish for the government of Cameroon to put in place legislation for animal protection in the country. The wish is contained in the hand book of the Foundation made public July 1, 2017 indicating “that FAWCAM has submitted a proposed draft Animal Protection Legislation to the government of Cameroon for approval.” The Foundation headed by Prof Ben Fru Wara explains that the reason for the proposal of such legislation is because “Cameroonians are ignorant of the fact that animals are sentient beings and that is why there is much abuse of animals among Cameroonians. There is also the lack of government protection for animals hence the need for a separate law for animal protection.” The proposed piece of legislation the foundation hopes will be presented to parliament soonest by the Minister of