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On September 7th and 8th, a workshop, supported by the French Embassy, took place in Bamenda (Northwest) on Nigeria-Cameroon cross-border cooperation in human trafficking, especially baby trafficking ("baby factories" phenomenon).

The workshop was supported by the French Embassy in Cameroon and coordinated by NGO REPERID. It was organized within the framework of the Priority Solidarity Fund "Support for the fight against human trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea countries". Through this program, worth 800,000 euros (525 million CFA francs) for three years, France sponsors Cameroonian, Nigerian, Beninese, Ghanaian and Togolese efforts to fight against these modern forms of slavery and to dismantle trafficking networks.

Every year, about 2.5 million victims in the world, mostly women and children, are recruited and exploited. According to the United Nations and the European Council, human trafficking is the third most common form of trafficking after drug and arms trafficking. It generates no less than 32 billion euros of annual turnover. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2010 report, 79% of identified victims suffer sexual exploitation and 18% are subjected to forced labor.
Opening

The workshop was opened by the Northwest Governor’s Secretary General, the Consul General of Nigeria in Buea and a representative of the French Embassy. In their opening statements, they all stressed the importance of holding this activity in the Northwest border region and praised this workshop’s ambition to strengthen cross-border cooperation between Cameroonian and Nigerian magistrates and investigators (police and gendarmerie).

Workshop proceedings

After exchanges with the press, the first day of the workshop enabled a comprehensive assessment of the situation in both countries. A representative of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP, Nigerian national agency against human trafficking) and Mr Mbuagbaw, a trainer for the Northwest Anti-Trafficking Task Force, have in turns presented the Nigerian and Cameroonian legal frameworks in regards to the fight against human trafficking : the Nigerian anti-trafficking law of July 2003, the Cameroonian law of 14 December 2011 on the fight against human trafficking. These laws are primarily based on the Additional Protocol to the Palermo Convention, which, in Article 5, calls on signatory states to take measures to translate into domestic law the provisions to criminalize human trafficking.

The issues of prevention and case prosecution were then addressed by Mr Langyi, senior officer at NAPTIP, and by a representative of the Cameroonian Ministry of Justice. Participants then worked on the production of operational outlines of cross-border cooperation.

On the second day, protection and rehabilitation of victims was first discussed. The training manager of NAPTIP reminded the importance of the judicial assistance to the victims and the need to ensure adequate support for them. Ms. Awasom, head of the Northwest Anti-Trafficking Task Force, stressed the crucial need for their psychosocial care.
Conclusion

The last part of the workshop was devoted to a discussion of all the participants on ways and means to strengthen cross-border cooperation . The establishment of a joint database and the need to improve transmission of information were part of the recommendations made by the participants. After two intense days, the participants praised the quality of the organization by REPERID and France’s involvement in invigorating working relationships between players in the anti-trafficking fight on both sides of the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Capitalization

It is to be noted that some of the participants present at the workshop will take part in a regional seminar to be held in Lomé at the end of the year. Multidisciplinary delegations (officials, civil society organizations, etc. coming from Ghana, Benin , Nigeria and Cameroon will draw up an assessment of the situation and think about the perspectives in victim care : their protection, their monitoring and their rehabilitation.

France-Ambass

Details: Rita Akana; 15.Sep.2016; Hits: 2496

The Ambassador was decorated during a farewell state dinner offered in her honour by the President of the Republic at the Yaounde Monte Febe Hotel.

During the dinner, the Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella saluted the efforts of the Ambassador in reinforcing bilateral ties between Cameroon and France in diverse domains.

The Minister reviewed the Ambassador’s contribution and her country in the fight aginst the terrorist group Boko Haram.

He further added that France has been a main development partner to Cameroon with her C2D programme that has invested over FCFA 400 billion in the economy of the country.

The external relations boss praised Robichon’s efforts in championing the visit of the French President,Francois Holland to Cameroon.

He transmitted the message of appreciation from the Head of State to Christine Robichon for her role in the relations which he termed excellent.

The dinner was attended by over 20 personalities of the state and atmost ten cabinet ministers.

Details: Rita Akana; 15.Sep.2016; Hits: 2282

CRTV has launched a new programme on the national station to replace the present talk show MORNING SAFARI.The replacement comes alongside that of M’ ACCOMPAGNE, a similar version aired in French.

DAY BREAK that replaces Morning Safari will run from 4:30 a.m. to 6 a.m. while LA MATINEE DE LA CRTV(replacing M’ ACCOMPAGNE)will run from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. as from Monday September 19, 2016.

According to the Central Director for Radio, Alain Belibi, both programmes that are news oriented will have a presenter each.

As part of the innovation, several topics will be handled on the programmes daily instead of just one while experts in several fields will be invited everyday.

Worth noting is the fact that, Morning Safari broadcast from Monday to Thursday from 5 a.m. to 6 30 a.m. has been rated by many as CRTV‘s most popular English Language radio talk show.

The program handled topics of national interest in the domains of politics health, culture, economy, commmerce, technology, education and religions amongst others.

On Television the TV breakfast show HELLO has been baptised HELLO CAMEROON and BONJOUR, BONJOUR LE CAMEROUN.

The change comes in line with new management’s intent to move closer to its audiences through many more news oriented programmes.

CRTV

Details: Rita Akana; 14.Sep.2016; Hits: 2729

Statistics from the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) reveals that some FCFA 4 billion has been lost due to cyber scamming and phishing. The agency further reveals that since 2011, some FCFA 3. 5 billion has been lost in skimming with cases of 137 Facebook profiles suffering from spoofing and cyber blackmail in the country. Within this backdrop, a cyber security and e-government conference organised by the United States Embassy in Cameroon and the American-based enterprise ATR Cyber took place yesterday September 6, 2016 in Yaounde. During discussions, experts expressed the need for Cameroon to protect its cyber space so as to ensure survival of the country’s digital economy.

While representing the US Ambassador to Cameroon, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the embassy, Matthew Smith, lauded efforts of the government in ensuring cyber security which is not only important for Cameroonians but the economy as well. Matthew Smith said ATR Cyber is going to help Cameroon assess the ability of its cyber security, set up some kind of test attacks to see where there are vulnerabilities and help the government manage security solutions such as continuous monitoring, penetration testing and cyber security risk management.

He also stated that the existence of ATR Cyber in the country will create jobs for many young Cameroonians. Present at the event was the Minister of Finance Alamine Osumane Mey and a representive of the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. The Minister of Finance lauded the job of cyber experts while reiterating that cyber security is necessary as government embarks on e-government to promote development.

Cameroon Tribune

Details: Rita Akana; 08.Sep.2016; Hits: 2739

An apprentice beautician at Mokolo market in Yaounde last week reportedly damaged the eye of a client as she struggled to fit her with artificial lenses.

The apprentice is said to have pierced the eye of a girl whose name The Post got only as Deborah while she wasfitting acontact lens onto her eye.

Deborah, who hadresolved to wear fake eye lashes and lenses so as to look fashionable and up-to-date among her peers, had approached the apprentice beautician by name Georgette.

According to an eyewitness, other beauticians had warned Deborah not to go to the apprentice, but sheignored the warning.Consequently, the two beginners embarked on the beautificationtask. While the amateur beautician trembled with her instruments, the client, out of fear, kept on shaking her body and moving her eyelashes up and down.

As the panicking Georgettestruggled to fit the artificialcontact onto Deborah’seye, the sharp edge of the scissors pierced her eye and blood started oozing out. Deborah’s screams reportedly threw the market into commotion, when people mistook the girl’s cry for helpfrom a terrorist invasion.

However, the market goers soon learnt otherwise. Reports say furious traders hauled down insults on the two girls,regardless of the pains that afflicted Deborah. Some vendors are said to have questioned whether she wanted to complete what her ‘Maker’ left undone.

An elderly woman blamedyouthful exuberance of nowadays on globalisation.

According to her, television and the so-called Western civilisation has brainwashed the young people into believing that they can walk on water.

“Our youngsters have lost sense of reality and are sheepishly copying foreign ways of life. They want to live and act as they see others on television do. Little do these youths know that what is projected on the screens is not always the reality,” she said.

Another marketwoman said Deborah’s case was not the first.

She said another girl went through the same experience some time ago, but the girl’s case was not as bad as Deborah’s.

According to the woman, the girl’s eyelids got glued by the Superglue used to attach fake eyelashes.

A youthsaid looking good is good business but to exaggerate is uncalled for. According to her, making an effort to appear appealing is not a crime but to overdo itcan land one in hot waters just like Deborah.

She advised that trendy practices involving sensitive body parts, especially the eye, is not always advisable.

“You can develop eye diseases and eventually blindness in the long run and this can impede you from achieving your dreams. Also, how will you see and enjoy the smiles of your grandchildren if your sight is sacrificed on the altar of temporal pleasures?”she questioned.

Cameroon Post

Details: Rita Akana; 26.Aug.2016; Hits: 2294

At least One person has been confirmed dead and others injured following a road accident along the Douala-Yaounde highway at the moment. Some 25 km from Douala.
Just after the Dibamba bridge ,witness account indicates that the travel agency (Guarantee Express){position myposition} was avoiding an oncoming vehicle on its track when it somersaulted and landed in a gully.
several persons are now unconscious and others undergoing X Ray

a suivre..

Details: Prince Nfor Hanson; 23.Aug.2016; Hits: 3215

A 48 year-old farmer has attacked and killed an 11 years old girl with a machete.The drama took place in Bourraka. A small town in the district of Ombessa, department of Mbam-et-Inoubou, Central Region of Cameroon. According to witnesses, Penny Edwige, 11, went to a water point to collect drinking water which was to be served at her home.

Upon her returned, she was confronted by the attacker, a certain Bilongo Alphonse. The said individual had taken laws into his own hands by first prohibiting access to everyone else around the area to fetch water at that waterpoint, So to him, the 11 years old did not comply with his orders.

The disobedience by the little girl triggered the angered Alphonse to grab his machete with which he attacked the little girl, cut opening her skull and chopping off her arms. After committing the heinous crime, the alleged murderer quickly buried her victim to wipe traces.However some vigilant passer-bys had heard the loud cries of the girl.

Upon a long wait, the parents of the little girl raised alarm in the whole village to the whereabouts of their daughter.That's when pieces of information were put together to track the crime to the attacker. The alleged murderer was quickly apprehended by security forces while a search team is still digging the area at the time of filing this report to recover the body of the young girl.