How Biya Has Modernized Cameroon

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Like it or not, Paul Biya’s 27 years as Cameroon’s President have been eventful, as his blueprint of modernizing the country is being implemented. It could be slow, but it has been steady. Mr. Biya desires to be described as a great achiever. Just staying in power, democratically elected, for 27 years  is a telling achievement.
Even if he has weaknesses - which is normal as a human being, his successes in the political, socio-economic, diplomatic domains and otherwise are there for any person of good faith appreciate. But to completely dismiss Mr. Biya‘s 27-year stay at the helm of power as wasted years, as leading opposition parties in Cameroon claim, is too unfair.
 Democratic Reforms
Politically, to begin with, when he assumed the presidential office on November 6, 1982, the country was a one-party system. Democracy was barely practiced within the party. But in March 1985, he transformed the lone party – the CNU - into CPDM, introducing democratic reforms within the party. He reintroduced multi-party democracy in 1990, against protests from some learned Cameroonians. 
 Today, Cameroon has over 200 political parties, with citizens free to belong to any of their choice or even to form more. With the multiplicity of parties came greater freedom of expression. Cameroonians under former President Ahmadou Ahidjo did not actually enjoy freedom of expression.
Since 1992 elections - notably presidential, municipal and parliamentary - have been organized for Cameroonians to democratically choose their leaders and representatives. It is true complaints of electoral fraud and rigging have been alleged by mostly loser-opposition parties such as the SDF, but the Supreme Court has always adjudicated on such complaints.
President Biya listened to calls from the opposition, who felt that the Ministry of Territorial Administration charged with organizing elections, was not trustworthy, and created the National Elections Observatory (NEO) to supervise polls. The opposition still doubted its credibility, insisting on the creation of an independent electoral body, which President Biya has created in ELECAM.
To ensure that democratic tenets are respected, President Biya set up the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms to promote Human rights, and abolished administrative censorship of the press.

Improving Infrastructure

On the social domain, the Biya Administration has been doing much to put up social facilities across the nation, to improve living standards.
One can easily find well-equipped hospitals in towns and rural settings. Health centers are spread nationwide. The telephone system has been modernized. Deregulation of telecoms has ushered in MTN and Orange, who now serve millions. Consider computer centers with internet link in many schools. Cameroon has an ultra modern television network (CRTV). With President Biya deregulating the audio-visual sector, there are over 100 private radios and 10 television stations operating in Cameroon.


Major roads have been constructed linking towns and more are still under construction. Electricity and water projects are being extended to rural areas. Almost every village has a primary school. Secondary and high schools as well as institutes are far common in Cameroon now than before. The country now has seven state-owned universities (Buea, Douala, Dschang, Ngaoundéré, Yaoundé I, Yaoundé II and Garoua), plus several privately owned universities. There are many other social facilities that can not be all mentioned here.
 In the economic arena, the Biya administration has created and encouraged foreigners to open companies and industries in Cameroon. His administration, in collaboration with the Brettonwoods institutons, is currently carrying out a structural adjustment program, intended to boost economic growth, alleviate poverty and misery and fight diseases. Cameroon‘s economic growth is steady.

Conscious that Cameroon is endowed with abundant natural and human resources, the Biya regime has set up youth employment programs and projects in different ministries. For civil servants, the Government recently decreed a 15 percent pay raise.
There is no doubt that Cameroon, with one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa, still faces problems such as high unemployment, corruption, and embezzlement of public funds, injustices and human rights abuses. But measures have taken by the Biya Administration to check such ills. Many government officials have been thrown in prison for embezzlement and corruption. Many more are currently detained, awaiting trial.
 Opponents accuse President Biya of lacking the political will to put in place institutions provided for by the 1996 revised constitution, such as the Senate and the Constitutional Council. But they forget to note that President Biya has insisted that these institutions world soon be put in place.

Successful Diplomacy

Under President Biya, Cameroon continues to forge relations and maintain good relations with other important nations and international organizations. Cameroon is known as an island of peace in a turbulent Central African sub-region.


One of his latest diplomatic victories was the the return of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon by Nigeria. Cameroon and Nigeria disputed over the legal ownership of the peninsula for years. But conscious that Bakassi belongs to Cameroon, President Paul Biya finally brought the matter before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

In October 2002, the ICJ ruled that sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula lies with Cameroon. And in August 2008, Nigeria finally ceded Bakassi to Cameroon.This was widely considered as a huge diplomatic victory for President Biya.
Due to President Biya’s track record of successes, militants of his ruling party and other Cameroonians are already calling on him to run for re-election in 2011, when his second seven year mandate ends
NB:This Article was First Published at  www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon :Biya To Celebrate 27th Power Anniversary Tomorrow

By Christopher Ambe Shu
Preparations, at all levels, are in high gear in Cameroon to celebrate Mr. Paul Biya’s 27 years as second president of Republic of Cameroon, commonly referred to as Africa in Miniature and an Island of Peace, in a turbulent Sub-Central African region.

Mr. Biya took office as President on November 6, 1982, following the resignation of former President Ahmadou Ahidjo, who had ruled the country, under one-party system, for over two decades .Upon assuming office, President Biya promised to modernize and democratize Cameroon.

And in 1990, he reintroduced multi-party politics, ealier practiced in Cameroon but abolished in 1966, to maintain just one party, Cameron Nation Union (CNU), which in 1985 was transformed into the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM)

Today, Cameroon, with a population of about 18 million people, has over 200 political parties. The CPDM, created in 1985 in Bamenda by Mr. Biya, who is its National Chairman, is the ruling party since inception.
The anniversary is coming shortly after media reports alleged that President Biya, while in France recently for a three -week holiday, spent over FCFA 700 million on hotel bills, restaurant and shopping.

Although the Government and the hotel (la baule) where the president and aides lodged had quickly dismissed the allegation as false, ruling party officials and militants are expected to use the anniversary celebrations to further dismiss the reports.

Militants and regime apologists will, at various ceremonial grounds showcase the president’s socio-economic, diplomatic and political achievements as well as his Grandes Ambitions Program.

Militants will also reiterate their precious call for President Biya to stand for reelection at the 2011 presidential polls.

NB: First Published on November,4 at www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon: Opposition Sees Biya’s 27 Years in Power as Harmful

By Christopher Ambe Shu

As Cameroon President Paul Biya clocks 27 years at the helm of power next November 6, the country’s opposition parties, which since early 1990’s with the reintroduction of multi-party politics have tried unsuccessfully to unseat him at presidential polls, say he has since become a spent-force and spendthrift, worth- dumping for retarding the nation’s socio-economic and political progress. Cameroon has over 200 political parties, with just less than ten considered as active

Those that oppose the ruling CPDM argue that Mr. Biya, who is widely said to have been defeated at the 1992 presidential elections by Cameroon’s leading opposition Party (SDF) candidate, Ni John Fru Ndi, is still in power thanks to electoral fraud, endorsed by the Judiciary, which he heads.

Mr.Biya took over from Ahmadou Ahidjo, as Cameroon’s second president, on November 6, 1982 and promised to “greatly improve the lot of Cameroonians, modernize and democratize the country; promises, which many critics think, he has not kept.

They recall that, in declaring President Biya as winner of the 1992 controversial presidential election, largely marred by irregularities, Supreme Court President, Alexis Dipanda Mouele, said “my hands are tied”. This was widely interpreted to mean that, the Supreme Court judge lacked courage to pronounce Fri Ndi winner, for fear of the unknown. Cameroon judiciary is not independent; the Constitution says that the President of the Republic guarantees its independence.

Opposition parties describe the Ministry of Territorial Administration (main organizer of elections in Cameroon) and the now defunct National Elections Observatory (NEO) as rigging machinery, put in place by the ruling CPDM for to prolong its rule.

The opposition claim that, if not of the CPDM rigging machinery, they would have since booted President Biya out of power, won majority seats in parliament and councils to improve on life in Cameroon, which they think Mr. Biya is not ready to do.

The opposition regret that their call for an independent electoral body, forced President Biya to create but a semblance, called ELECTIONS CAMEROON (ELECAM), which Chief Albert Samba Ngwana, Chairman of Cardinal Democratic Party and Ni John Fru Ndi of the SDF, have described as another CPDM organ.ELECAM has been widely rejected in and out of Cameroon, with the opposition calling for the boycott of any elections organized by this body.

But why do the opposition parties badly want President Biya out?

They wonder why Cameroon, which is endowed with abundant natural resources to merit high standards of living, is classified a heavily indebted poor country. Cameroon, they point out, has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. But it faces many of the serious problems common in other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service, unfavorable climate for business, high unemployment, wide-spread corruption, embezzlement of Public funds, injustices and human rights abuses; so many Cameroonians are living in disease and misery. The population living below the poverty line stands at 48 %( 2001 est)

In 1994, the FCFA was devalued, followed by a 70% salary cut for civil servants, making life unbearable for them. Workers had to live in that ugly situation for many years until recently when government re-adjusted salaries by only 15%

Opponents accuse President Biya of lacking the political will to put in place institutions provided for by the 1996 revised constitution, such as the Senate, the Constitutional Council; of not properly separating the arms of Power(Judiciary, legislature and Executive) ;of tribalism, nepotism, inefficiency and inertia.

The opposition and a good proportion of Cameroonians feel so disappointed that the ruling CPDM used its crushing majority in Parliament in February 2008 to revise the Constitution, scraping off presidential term limits. The revision paves the way for Mr. Biya to stand for reelection (and may be become life president) when his second seven-year term comes to an end in 2011.

They consider President Biya’s lifestyle too expensive, as he likes spending long holidays abroad -sometimes for more than one month at the expense of the state, for what many say is for no -good reason, whereas prices of basic commodities remain high, a problem that led to rioting in February 2008

Reports said President Biya on a recent private trip to France, spent over FCFA 700 million-quite a colossal sum, for three weeks on hotel bills and shopping when Cameroon is seeking for loans here and there to finance public-interest projects.

With continued hardship and misery faced by Cameroonians under Mr. Biya for 27 years, the wish of the majority of citizens-election rigging put aside -is for him to quit power soonest. There is need for regime change else President Biya will continue to be viewed as a curse for Cameroonians.

NB:First Published on November 4,2009 at www.cameroonforum.net

Cameroon:JCI Vice-President Tells UB Freshmen To Be Results-oriented!

By Christopher Ambe shu
A total of 5900 newly admitted undergraduate students of Cameroon’s lone Anglo-Saxon varsity, University of Buea (UB), for the academic year 2009/2010, have been challenged to be results-oriented, and shun practices that halt or retard development in society.

Roland Kwemain, International Vice-president of Junior Chambers International (JCI) and candidate for the post of president at JCI coming elections, threw the challenge on October 31 at the 2009 University of Buea Matriculation Ceremony, which took place on campus, witnessed by a host of dignitaries such as Simon Kwemo, Divional Officer for Buea

Kwemain, speaking in his capacity as guest speaker on the theme “Positive Change: Let’s Be The Change We Want To See In Others” at the ceremony, prescribed and elaborated on what he described as the four D’s to success. The four D’s, he said, are: Desire, Decision, Discipline and Determination

“We need change- a peaceful and positive change. Let’s be the change we want to see in others”, he told the freshmen.
He advised lecturers against putting speed brakes on students’ success path for selfish and immoral reasons, insisting that teachers ought to be role models at all times to command respect.

Kwemain used the opportunity to appeal to UB students to enroll en masse as members of JCI, an organization whose main goal is to provide development and employment opportunities to young people below 40 year old.

Earlier in his welcome address, Professor Vincent Titanji, UB Vice-Chancellor, revealed that a total of 5900 students-the highest number in the history of admission in UB, were admitted out of the 8000 who had applied to read at the varsity, which offers 114 degree programs, from bachelor to doctorate degree level.

The Vice –Chancellor noted that the State of Cameroon makes enormous sacrifices to improve UB facilities, and invited students to take good care of school property put at their disposal.
In the past, some ill-intentioned and misguided students, taking advantage of students’ strikes, had destroyed university property, amounting to hundreds of millions of FCFA.

The Vice-Chancellor hailed those who contributed to the “ the peace and harmony” found on campus, hoping that the new students would not trouble –givers.

“Studying in the University calls for a lot of discipline and commitment”, Professor Titanji said, wishing the freshmen a happy and fruitful stay in UB, which started in 1993

An ecumenical service, during which clergymen dished out moral lessons to students, preceded the Matriculation Oath by freshmen, “to obey the rules and regulations guiding student conduct and discipline in the University of Buea”

Cameroonian Health Educator's View on Medical Doctors & Traditionla Healers

Collaboration between Medical practitioners and Traditional healers: Views of a Cameroonian Health Educator.

Before the beginning of the 19th century, medicine consisted of exclusively of what is considered today as traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is generally the old healthcare practices linked to a culture. It had been practised in different forms by all cultures and so we can talk of African medicine, Asian or Chinese medicine. Traditional healers consider health as the intimate association of the physical, mental, social, moral and spiritual wellbeing. In traditional medicine, emphasis is on the moral and spiritual aspect of existence and this gives a new dimension to healthcare and permits man to maintain good health.

When the Whiteman introduced western medical science, the tendency was to condemn all native beliefs and practices as backward and unacceptable. In so doing, traditional practices were largely driven underground and a valuable opportunity to learn their good points – such as community approaches to handle diseases and the role of the family in the care of the individual- were all lost. However, some gains were made since practices such as cannibalism and human sacrifice to appease gods were eradicated.

Western science brought with it the concept of strictly organic or materialistic causation of disease, i.e. the germ theory, deficiency disease and diseases of excess. This, however, cannot explain to Africans and Cameroonians alike issues of health and diseases that they are confronted with daily. The whole area of mental health and illnesses cannot be explained away; nor is it possible to explain why two people faced with the same organic disease react differently. Why should lightning strike one of two people walking in the rain?

The theme of the 4th Edition of the African Traditional Medicine Day which was: “Reinforce collaboration between modern medicine practitioners and traditional healers”, demanded that to resolve some of this rationally, health policy makers need to research more intensely the issues raised by the intersection of western science and traditional beliefs and practices.

In practice there is hardly any question of real collaboration and exchange between modern and traditional medicine in the framework of Primary Health Care.

As far as Cameroon is concerned, traditional healers and traditional medicine are facing the problems of illegality, charlatanism and the non-ratification of the law on traditional medicine in parliament.

Critical observers have shown division of opinion on the plea for reassessment of traditional healers and traditional medicine. Some have criticized their practice as being romantic and unscientific and a questionable way of economizing. Again, others are of the opinion that the WHO’s guidelines are only a beginning and are still characterized by ethnocentrism and scientism. They take the view that policy-makers still make too extensive use of the biomedical yardstick when evaluating traditional medicine.

All said and done, is there any great need for medical practitioners and traditional healers to collaborate?

One time WHO Director General, Dr. Halfdan Mahler, had this to say concerning “The Health for all by the Year 2000” slogan. “WHO member states are actually defining and applying strategies so that all their inhabitants attain a level of health permitting them to live a socially and economically productive life…

To realize this, it will be necessary to make use of all the useful means and mobilize all the possible resources. Amongst these means and resources are diverse types of indigenous practices and practitioners and traditional birth attendants”.

This concept was approved by the International Conference on Primary Health Care that took place in 1978 in Alma Ata. In that document [5, p33], collaboration with traditional healers is recommended in the following terms:” Traditional medical practitioners and birth attendants are found in most societies. They are often part of the local community, culture and traditions and continue to have high social standing in many places, exerting considerable influence on local health practices. With the support of the formal health system, these indigenous practitioners can become important allies in organizing efforts to improve the health of the community. It is worthwhile exploring the possibilities of engaging them in primary health care and training programmes accordingly”.

In addition, WHO has devoted a report to the integration of western and traditional medicine. Although some skepticism still exists, the idea seems to prevail internationally that additional training and involvement of traditional practitioners can make up the great shortage of personnel in the health system or ease it.

Another advantage is that they will be less inclined to leave the community than specially trained modern health workers who will want to seek for further career opportunities elsewhere after training. Their close relationship with their fellow villagers is yet another advantage.

The Alma Ata Declaration in its description of PHC, stressed on the need of bringing together all those involved in health care, if need be, traditional healers, prepare them technically and socially to work as a team and to respond to the health needs of their locality.

In certain developing countries some health administrators have recommended the association to PHC of traditional healers who understand the socio- cultural context of the local population, who are well respected and who must have acquired a considerable experience. Economic consideration, the distances to be covered in certain countries, including Cameroon, to get to a health facility, the influence of traditional beliefs, the lack of health professionals particularly in rural areas are some of the factors that contributed to this recommendation.

Traditional healers have long played an important role in Cameroon and Africa in general as far as health care is concerned. They have long term bonds of trust with their communities. They serve at least some of the health and education needs of 80-85% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa giving them wider influence and reach than modern health practitioners with more training. It is clear that traditional healers like religious leaders should be involved in African strategies for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Anti retroviral treatment alone will not be able to prevent or solve the multiple aspects of this disease.

The donor community has recently become keen to harness the positive influences of religion and tradition for, particularly in the delivery of health messages. As far as traditional networks are concerned, traditional healers will have to be at the forefront as links in the communities.

When looking at how services can be delivered through these networks, it will be important to see them as complements to and partners with rather than substitutes for state systems of delivery.

Traditional healers are part and parcel of our cultural heritage.

The inattention to culture in health policy making by planners, decision makers and many donors goes some way to explain the failure of so many health and development initiatives. Culture is about relationships between ideas and perspectives, about self respect and a sense of security, about how individuals socialize and values are formed and transmitted. Culture is about shared patterns of identity, symbolic meaning, aspiration and about the relationship between individuals and groups within a society. Culture is both dynamic and reactive. A people’s attitudes and the choices they make. Culture is how the past interacts with the future. As Stephen Ellis and Gerrie ter Haar have put it, “No more than anyone else do Africa and Africans have an authentic, unchanging culture that is transmitted from one generation to another, or ought to be.” What is at issue in contemporary Africa therefore is not a clash between “tradition and modernity” but between different paths and different conception of modernity. This also applies to the relationship between medical practitioners and traditional healers. It is not convincing to try to make a stark distinction between tradition and modernity.

Furthermore, history shows tremendous interactive and evolving nature of African cultures. They have been able to absorb a wide range of outside influences and impositions and have found ways to survive often difficult natural, environmental, and social conditions including conflict and disease. Traditional healers form an integral part of these cultures and medical practitioners cannot successfully work with the local population on health issues without using them as a bridge to attain their goal.

It is well known that the scourge of AIDS will not be combated in Cameroon and Africa by the use of modern medicine alone. Modern medicine prescribed by medical practitioners is essential, but will not be sufficient. What is necessary is the outstanding view that, alongside medical or biological explanations of a disease, many Cameroonians and Africans will also look for an explanation that is spiritually or culturally related. The traditional healers are often consulted for an answer. Much in reducing the transmission of HIV/AIDS turns on cultural attitudes. Learning this will be a two way process as was exemplified by a workshop run by UNESCO in Angola with youths from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.

The purpose was to discuss traditional norms regarding sexuality, social reactions to people living with HIV and AIDS, existing knowledge about transmission and prevention and cultural practices that might contribute to the spread of HIV. But in the process, those running the workshop obtained new understandings of cultural practices, such as initiation rights, scar-tattooing, blood brother practices, circumcision, means of breaking the umbilical cord, polygamy and traditional marriage and healing practices. HIV/AIDS has a narrow link with most of the issues mentioned above. Participants spent time discussing cultural values and practices associated around virginity, condom use, monogamy and the like. Discussions like this help to explain to outsiders amongst whom are medical practitioners, who had designed the education and awareness programmes why these had not resulted in lowered prevalence rates or higher use of condoms. It became clear that the education methods had been distorted by local cultural norms and values regarding sexuality that had previously been overlooked and underestimated by health strategies.

The overall lesson is that outside prescriptions succeed only where they work with the grain of local views. They fail where they ignore or do not understand the cultural supposition of the people they seek to address. Policy- makers and modern health practitioners should recognize the need for greater efforts to understand the values, norms, and allegiance of the cultures of Cameroon and in their health policy making display a greater flexibility, open-mind willingness to learn and humility. Such an approach will pay respect to traditional healers and pave the way for full collaboration between medical practitioners and traditional healers who must be partners in health care. It will also be more likely to produce the results that policy makers want to see in the fight against HIV/AIDS in particular and the burden of disease in Cameroon in general.


NB:The above paper was presented by Mofor Samuel,a health Education Specialist,at a Buea-Cameroon workshop on: Indigenous Knowledge and HIV/AIDS Management: the case of Traditional Medicine ,which held from 23rd-24th Oct, 2009 orgainiseed by AFRICAphonie

Collaboration between Traditional Healers and Medical Practitioners: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

Being a paper presented by Prof G.L Monekosso at worksohop on Indigenous Knowledge and HIV/AIDS Management; the case of Traditional Medicine from 23rd-24th Oct, 2009 in Buea-Cameroon, by AFRICAphonie


A traditional healer is one who uses natural materials and traditional knowledge transmitted to him by his forefathers to relieve pain and treat the sick in his community. He lives and practises within that village or community and this is where he gets his legitimacy.

A medical practitioner is that individual who has undergone training in the school of medicine and is qualified to practise medicine everywhere in the country. The same applies for nurses and midwives all over the national territory.


Strengths

Coverage and access to health care is increased (medical practitioners still in short supply and traditional healers potentially exist in all communities).
Collaboration provides choice because of the socio-cultural beliefs of a large part of the population
National authorities would be in a better position to legislate
If traditional healers live and practise within their villages and communes, they will better collaborate with medical practitioners who are qualified to practise any where
Collaboration allows for affordability and simplicity, the cost of expensive technology is avoided
Cooperation would facilitate research for new methods of health care (clinical trials)
Collaboration would make it easier to track down and eliminate quacks and charlatans who are a nuisance to both traditional and modern medicine and a danger to the population


Weaknesses

Absence of the law makes collaboration difficult
Most health personnel do not often have any knowledge of traditional medicine and vice versa
Resistance on the part of medical practitioners


Opportunities

Collaboration will facilitate legislation
Easier to eliminate quacks and charlatans who damage the reputation of traditional healers and do harm to the population
Exchange of patients between the two systems making maximum use of their respective strengths
Traditional culture will collaborate with modern scientific culture
Short cuts to the discovery of new drugs from medicinal plants
Integration of traditional medicine into the national health system
Fake drugs will be easily tracked down with the collaboration of pharmacists


Threats

One system absorbing the other
Invasion by one or the other of the other’s territory.
The population will mix up traditional and modern medicines

BCA-USA launches funding boost for education in Bali Sub Division

The Bali Cultural Association – USA on October 16,2009 announced the disbursement of close to $15.000USD (7.5million CFA) to advance primary and secondary education in Bali Sub Division.

The money will go towards funding merit scholarships for students in primary and secondary schools in Bali Sub Division and the sponsorship of 18 teachers for underserved primary schools within the sub-division.

A total of CFA 875, 000 is being made available as part of merit scholarships recognizing student achievement for the academic year that ended May 2009. Top performing students in forms one through lower six in GBHS Bali, CPC Bali, Unity College Bali, SRCHS Bali, BCHS, GBSS Bawock, DCC Bali and GTC Bali will each receive a CFA25, 000 scholarship award. An award of CFA 200, 000 is presented to GTC Bali for disbursement to best forming students in skilled trades of Carpentry & Joinery, Commercial, Home Economics, Electricity, Building Construction, Accounting and dressmaking industry.
In addition, CFA 1,250,000 will go towards merit scholarships for pupils in five primary schools in the Bali Subdivision. GS Bossah, GS Naka, GS Mbufung, GS Mantum and GS Bawock will each receive CFA 250,000 to cover scholarships for 50 merit pupils in their respective schools.

Primary School Teachers Sponsorship Program

Whilst BCA’s merit scholarships continue to encourage pupils and students to study, the association is also aware of the growing crisis facing the educational system in Bali Sub Division owing to the severe shortage of primary school teachers. Unfilled vacancies in many primary schools have left hundreds of children without a permanent teacher. This seriously endangers children's education. In response to this crisis, BCA-USA’s Education Committee in September launched a sponsorship program to fund the special recruitment of primary school teachers for hard-to-fill teaching posts in primary schools. BCA members, chapters and individual families responded to the call to partner with BCA in sponsoring teachers to teach at underserved schools. As a result, BCA-USA is today proud to announce that it will be sponsoring 18 primary school teachers to teach at primary schools in Bali Sub Division for the current academic year. Four of these teachers will go to GS Mantum whilst the remaining 14 will go to schools where the need is greatest at present. This initiative will be coordinated by BCA-USA’s community development partner BANDECA through its President General Ni John Fomuso who will work collaboratively with the various PTAs of the participating schools on behalf of BCA-USA.

BCA-USA community development partner Nkumu Fed Fed  was expected to oversee the official launch of the merit scholarships and sponsorship for primary school teachers  scheduled for  Saturday October 17, 2009, at 11.00 a.m at the Grand Stand in Bali Nyonga.

Launched in 1988 in Atlanta, Georgia, BCA - USA is an apolitical, nonprofit, charitable organization comprising of Bali people of Cameroon and friends of Bali throughout the United States of America and the world. The association seeks to foster fraternal relations among all people of Bali Chamba heritage as well as friends of Bali. Through its contributions to various projects in Bali, the association has made significant contributions towards the development and welfare of the people of Bali.

To achieve its projects at home, BCA-USA works with key development partners. Partner organizations Nkumu Fed Fed and BANDECA along with their respective executives have been vital in helping coordinate and oversee the successful implementation of BCA-USA projects in Bali. These collaborative partnerships are valued by BCA as a means of facilitating the effective delivery of comprehensive projects that strengthen our community. Some of BCA-USA’s achievements till date include:

Funding the construction of a community water project to provide filtered water via a Borehole Well to the residents of Bei’sen this year.

An ongoing sponsorship of 30 unemployed youths to acquire skills in trades such as woodwork, building construction, flooring, modern tailoring, welding and hairdressing.
Conducting an annual health fair in Bali Nyonga and Bali Kumbat, where our physician members offered free consultations, medications, screening for prevalent illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, vision, and hearing problems, and counseling related to HIV/AIDS prevention and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Providing assistance towards the construction of a modern mortuary at the main hospital in Bali in 2004.

Assisting with the purchase of a vehicle for His Royal Highness, the Fon of the Bali.

NB:The above article is a press release issued by  BCA-USA, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Cameroon to Open More Institutes to Boost Agriculture

By Christopher Ambe Shu

Cameroon, with a population of over 18 million people, has favorable agricultural conditions. Over 70% of this country’s labor force is in the agricultural sector. And, according to 2006 estimates, agriculture contributes 45.2% to the Cameroon’s GDP.

But unfortunately the agricultural sector is not as developed as expected, leaving many people in poverty and hunger.

That is why the Government is now determined to open five more institutes of agriculture, to add to existing ones, in the country’s five agro-pastoral zones.

Dr. Iroume Roger Noël, of the Department of Scientific Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Scientific Research, who led a mission to Buea, on October 22, for a workshop to collect data on the agro-pastoral profile of the region, said Cameroon wants to greatly improve its agricultural production.

Peter Nde, representative of Southwest Regional Governor, chaired the Buea workshop, which held at CEFAM Conference Hall, bringing together agric and livestock experts, leaders of NGO, government officials, and local traditional rulers.

“The project of creation of five institutes of agriculture falls within the framework of government strategy geared towards the development and modernization of agriculture in order to optimize agro-pastoral production in Cameroon,” he said.
Dr Iroume disclosed that, the institutes would be based in Liongo-Buea for the humid forest with monomodial rainfall distribution; Batouri for the humid forest with bimodal rain fall distribution; Mbouda for the highlands; Marma for the Guinnee savannah and Doukoudje for the soudano-sahelian zone.

Dr. Iroume said the institutes, considered pilot centers, would be well equipped. They will offer full-time training and short courses designed “to fit specific requests of all those seeking to update their skills in a particular area of agro-pastoral techniques”. No specific time when the institutes will go operational was made known. But government officials insist their creation is an urgent need.

Prime Minister Philemon Yang chairs the steering committee of the project implementation.

Cameroon:PCC Partners With Gov’t To Fight Climate Change

By Christopher Ambe Shu

The Presbyterian Church In Cameroon (PCC), with a membership of over one million Christians, is leaving no stone unturned in its resolve to promote environmental protection. As such, it has signed a tree-planting protocol with the National Forestry Development Agency (ANAFOR), headquartered in Yaoundé. ANAFOR is a public institution charged with environmental promotion- by supporting reforestation and promoting forest plantations in Cameroon.

By the convention, ANAFOR shall give full technical support to PCC in its tree-planting project, and build the capacity of PCC technicians on environmental protection. ANAFOR shall also contribute to enhance the PCC as an environment-friendly institution

In his opening remarks at the signing ceremony, which took place recently at the PCC head Office in Buea, Rev Dr Festus A.Asana, PCC Synod Clerk, noted, “We have to be caretakers of God’s Creation, not abusers or destroyers; We are not only out to preach the Gospel but to live it”.
The Synod Clerk stressed that, addressing the concerns of climate change is not an individual, but a collective responsibility. The PCC, he said, continues to stand on the forefront in the development of communities. He said it was not the first time the PCC was getting involved in tree- planting. “ANAFOR has only come to encourage the PCC to restart its tree nursery project, which was kind of in slumber”, he said

For his part, Njombe Ewusi, Deputy- General Manager of ANAFOR, who sat in for the General Manger, lauded the PCC for its environmental protection efforts. Mr.Ewusi noted that the PCC “is elaborating a seven-year environment plan, and tree-planting is part of it.”
He added that tree planting is one of the ways to fight the effects of climate change, largely caused by man’s activities. Mr. Ewusi echoed an earlier remark by the Synod Clerk that, environmental protection requires collective responsibility.

Mr. Denis Kumbo, PCC Development Secretary signed the Memo of Understanding for his institution, while Mr. Njombe Ewusi, did same for ANAFOR, as officials of both institutions, journalists and members of the Public witnessed it.

Bakassi: C’River Accuses Cameroon of Violating ‘Green Tree’ Agreement

From Ernest Chinwo in Calabar

Cross River State has accused the Republic of Cameroon of violating the Green Tree Agreement that set the terms for the handing over of Bakassi Peninsula, saying the country is responsible for the violence in the area.
Nigerian nationals in the Peninsula have been complaining of harassment by the Cameroonian Gendarmes whom they say are not allowing them fish in the high seas.

Members of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) also said last month while surrendering their arms to officials of the Federal Government at a ceremony at the temporary headquarters of the Bakassi Local Government Area at Ikang, Cross River State under the amnesty programme, that they came into existence to protect themselves from the violence of the Gendarmes.

Addressing journalists in Calabar, yesterday , the Director-General of the Cross River State Border Communities Develop-ment Commission, Mr. Leo Aggrey, also said the lack of co-operation by the Cameroonian authorities has been responsible for the non-development of the border communities in the Peninsula.

He said Cameroonian Gendarmes have been harassing Nigerian fishermen at the high seas contrary to the terms of The Green Tree Agreement on the 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ceded the territory to the Republic of Cameroon.

According to Aggrey, “The Cameroonians are not living with the terms of the Green Tree Accord and that has been the problem.
The things that are contained in the Green Tree Accord which would have allowed our Bakassi fishermen to fish in the high seas are not being observed by the Cameroonian authorities and that is putting pressure on the Federal Government.

“It is not that the State or the Federal Government has abandoned the Bakassi people. There are intricate issues of the Green Tree Accord which up till now the National Assembly is very vexed over because the Treaty ought to be passed by the National Assembly which was not done.

And most of these things are the set backs what we are facing”. Aggrey, a former Attorney General of the State, however said the State Government was working with the Federal Government to seek a review of the ICJ judgment in line with the procedure of the Court.

“We can still ask for a review of the ICJ Judgement from The Hague. There is a 10-year gestation period from judgement for you to apply to The Hague for a review. I think we still have two years on our hands to appeal for a review of the judgement if we are serious and I think Governor Imoke is taking that up with the Presidency”, he said.

On reports that the United Nations has released funds for the resettlement of displaced persons of Bakassi, the Aggrey said he was not aware of the release of any funds by the United Nations.
“If any funds have been released I am not privy to it. But I know that Governor Liyel Imoke will plough every kobo that is meant for the resettlement of the displaced people of Bakassi into it because I know his feelings towards the plight of the people”, he said.

Courtesy:THIS DAY Online,Nigeria