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The Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform (MINFOPRA), Michel Ange Angouing has summoned 10,000 state employees to appear before him and clarify their status in the Cameroon public service. The decision of the minister was made public by the permanent secretary for administrative reforms who added that "salaries will be suspended if they fail to honor the ministerial invitation."

The public service agents are expected to present themselves at the human resources department this coming Monday and provide information on their public service situations, said the MINFOPRA. Cameroon Concord's chief economic reporter following up this latest development noted at the time of filing this report that the objective sought by the government is to obtain information on the status of civil servants whose salaries are paid from the state budget. 

The CPDM government ealier launched a balance file remediation operation, the most resounding, "Operation Antelope" and "SIGIPES I" that helped flush out thousands of fictitious employees who received several monthly salaries at the time. Some of these Cameroonian civil service ghost workers have adapted anti "Operation Antelope" and SIGIPES I" strategy which has now prompted the government to set up a new IT system (SIGIPES II), more modern that will allow the State to manage its human resources more effectively, says Chancel Ako Takem, permanent secretary for administrative reforms.

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Ngwa Bertrand

27.Aug.2015

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President Biya has reportedly end the drama which has been going on for 7 years and affecting the population and stakeholders interested in the management of the port of Kribi. Our sources in the nation's capital Yaounde has revealed that the head of state contrary to what Cameroonians were anticipating has offered the deal to Bolloré / CMA CGM consortium, CHEC.

CHEC was chosen following a tender issued in 2008 on the financing, construction and operation of the Port of Kribi. Bolloré Africa Logistics that partnered with CMA CGM, the third largest owner, and the Chinese company CHEC, who built the port of Kribi made a financial offer of 623 , 4 million euros (about 409 billion FCFA). A proposal that allowed the consortium to largely outpace its competitors such as the Philippine International Container Terminal Services which made a final bid of 467.3 million euros, or just over 306 billion FCFA and the Danish APM Terminals. 

The CHEC consortium had an ambitious plan on issues such as entry fees, fixed and variable concession fee, and in terms of guarantees to the port of Kribi to match the emergence ambitions of Cameroon. The French consortium Cameroon Concord has gathered may get involve in the extension of the terminal.The Franco-Chinese consortium could start work during the third quarter of 2015. President Biya has ordered the services of the Prime Minister to formalize operation and maintenance of the multipurpose terminal under the responsibility of the consortium of French and Cameroonian NECOTRANS grouped in Kribi.

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Ngwa Bertrand

27.Aug.2015

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A session to help project Cameroon as an attractive destination for holidaymakers held in Douala recently. Cameroon is known for its legendary hospitality. Its visitor-friendly tradition, various lifestyles, and cultural heritage, colourful festivals and rich natural attractions, have won it the appellation ‘Africa in miniature.’ Such attractions, according to Arthur Soria, the Managing Director of the booking portal, Jovago Cameroon, have the potential to make Cameroon an outstanding destination in Sub-Saharan Africa. He made the remark in Cameroon’s economic heartbeat, Douala, recently, during a session to sensitise hotel managers on the importance of promoting the Cameroon destination.

Blessed with other attractions such as beautiful beaches, forests and wildlife, landscapes, mountain peaks, rivers, palaces, monuments, museums... Cameroon is endowed and needs a vibrant private sector to assist government in promoting tourism by improving its attractiveness. The session, whose objectives were to enhance the attractiveness of the Cameroon destination and sensitise participants on the importance of having their structures represented on Jovago booking portal website, www.jovago.com, was attended by over 30 staff from various structures in the hospitality industry. 

Speaking on government’s efforts to promote tourism, Arthur Soria called on stakeholders to continue to boost service quality, comfort, security and hygiene. In this regard, Jovago Cameroon has secured partnerships with airlines and bus companies to ease access to tourist sites in the country. The participants were encouraged to make use of the partnership to spur more visits to tourist sites. However, two hotel managers were of the opinion that efforts were still needed in offering incentives for private investments such as Income Tax exemptions, interest subsidies and reduced import duties, as well as public investments to overcome access hurdles and increase the attractiveness of tourism.

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Ngwa Bertrand

26.Aug.2015

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After the  recent visit to Cameroon by the leaders of Proventure Energy on August the 3rd to August the 8th 2015,news has filtered into our news desk that the Indian company will soon sign a contract for the development of solar energy in Cameroon. Sources at the Prime Minister's office have also suggested that the agreement will be centered on the creation of a photo-voltaic-solar plant with a 100 megawatts capacity.

An aide to Prime Minister Yang Philemon who spoke to Cameroon Concord but sued for anonymity noted that the project will involve many areas in the hinterlands without electricity. However, the investment cost has not been revealed by both parties. 

The government of Prime Minister Yang has been attempting to seek lasting solutions to the energy crisis in the urban centers and the complete absence of electricity in rural communities. Thus, in June, Basile Atangana Kouna, the Minister of Water and Energy, announced the launch of a solar photo voltaic project, costing 53 billion CFA francs, financed by the Eximbank of China. The first phase of this project will benefit 13 000 rural localities in all the 10 regions of the country.

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Ngwa Bertrand

26.Aug.2015

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After a long stand-off which saw drivers on the Douala- Bangui road lay down their tools in protest, long drawn out negotiations ended a few days ago, leading to the reopening of this vital road which is a veritable lifeline for the economy of the Central African Republic thrown into turmoil a few years back with civil strife.

Since July 29 this year, some 450 lorries conveying essential goods to this neighbouring country from the Douala port have been grounded in Garoua-Boulai, the last Cameroonian town before the journey into the CAR begins. The drivers could take it no more. The 600 kilometer-odd journey through CAR territory had become a veritable death trap which only the stone-hearted could undertake. In less than two years, about one dozen Cameroonian transportation staff, notably drivers, have been killed on this highway and several others attacked and wounded in numerous attacks on the stretch.

The entire stretch is infested with highway robbers who do not just steal or loot goods- some of which are such important supplies as drugs or vital supplies for the sustenance of daily life - but also kill virtually for the pleasure of it because in many cases those killed are unarmed compared to the heavy arms many of these thieves and renegades of the numerous armed bands marauding in the territory carry around. The drivers had come to the conclusion that the security measures in place were largely inadequate and their countless pleas to the authorities of the two countries and repeated assurances of the CAR authorities following repeated visits to Yaounde did not yield fruits as the attacks and killings continued virtually unabated.

 

At a crisis meeting organized in Garoua-Boulai last Saturday, the drivers agreed to resume duty not after having been assured of new security measures which will henceforth guarantee a safe passage from the Cameroon-CAR border at Garoua-Boulai right up to Bangui. The new measures are part of a wider package involving not only the government of CAR which has generally failed to deliver on its promises and guarantees, but now involves the UN Mission in Central Africa, MINUSCA which is playing a leading role in peace-keeping and stabilization in the Central African Republic.

New troop reinforcements are being committed to reinforce the Bangladeshi troops that have been solely responsible for security along the 600-kilometer road. Now, detachments of Cameroonian, Congolese and Gabonese troops are coming into the show while a military base is to be constructed between the localities of Bouar and Baboua which have hitherto been the epicentre of crime and where the highest concentrations of attacks and killings have been recorded. Another measure which will obviously satisfy the Cameroonian drivers is the limiting of convoys to 60, rather than 120 vehicles as was the case before. This will obviously make for closer controls and instill more confidence in the minds of the drivers.

Another important decision taken at Garoua-Boulai last Saturday concerns the prohibition of transporting non-authorized persons because, as it was observed, many attacks have come from people drivers took along the way often considering them to be in difficulty while such people were disguised criminals simulating difficulties. Another confidence-building initiative for the drivers is the decision to register all of them with the national social security insurance schemes so as to avoid the situation involved in previous killings when the absence of social insurance created administrative difficulties sometimes leading to the non-payment of all certain rights and benefits which could normally have gone to the kith and kin of the deceased.

The denouement of this situation is good for everyone, the least not being the CAR, a land-locked country already hit by a terrible internal crisis and which needs constant supplies from the Douala port. The end of the strike also signals happier moments for the UN forces in the CAR whose supplies, in large part, are ferried by land from Douala. It is therefore very necessary to consolidate these important gains by ensuring that the security of drivers on this road is a permanent concern.

Source:Cameroon Tribune

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Ngwa Bertrand

25.Aug.2015

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Stakeholders of the Finance Sector comprising State and Municipal Treasurers, Finance Controllers of the Southwest Region, have evaluated their performances from the month of January to June, 2015. This was during the second Regional Coordination meeting of Public Accountants that took place on August 7, 2015, in Kumba. It took place under the chair of the Governor of the Southwest Region who was represented by the Inspector General at the Governor’s office, Haman Dairu. It aimed at evaluating the financial record of the Southwest Municipal Treasurers and Finance Controllers of the 2014 financial year.

The meeting was also to sensitize Public Accountants on the importance of their jobs, the need to remain conscious while respecting the finance law. According to the Southwest Pay Master General, Ayuk Peter Akpoeban, the budget of the 2014 financial year, is slightly above what was realised in 2013 which was 38.7 per cent. He however requested stakeholders, authorising officers and Accountants to take measures so as to put an end to late payment and also to avoid taking over expenditures of previous years. He said the submission of financial accounts has improved this year, unlike the previous year where 139 accounts were not provided. Mr Akpoeban, noted that some Accountants lay unjustified complaints such as fire hazards, theft, with no documented facts to justify. 

Haman Dairu on his part, said it is the responsibility of Accountants to keep and handle the public funds, without which the state cannot fulfill its obligations towards its citizens. He lauded the Accountants of the Southwest Region and the efforts they are making with regards to the compliance to orthodox and quest for performance. He used the forum to reveal some of the plans the government has for the Southwest Region, which encompasses the health sector, urban development, roads, water resources and energy, security, reference hospital as well as large food market, to be constructed in Buea as soon as resources are available. He did not fail to mention the security measures that should be taken by Accountants like managing the flow of users who appear before their counters, preventing people with bags from entering their offices without being properly searched.

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Ngwa Bertrand

24.Aug.2015

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