My visit to the United Nations was an opportunity to remind people. Remind them that the General Assembly of that organization has, in the past, already adopted many agendas, declarations, and programmes for action. These raised tremendous hopes around the world among the youth, women and men, in the cities and in the countryside. They heralded a new world of peace and shared prosperity. But then, little followed in the way of concrete action. Let us therefore see to it today that the new goals for sustainable development meet a better fate.

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Rita Akana

13.Oct.2016

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Media report that 21 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram have been released to the Nigerian government

Another 21 of the 200 girls kidnapped over two years ago by Boko Haram have been released to the custody of the Nigerian government.

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Rita Akana

13.Oct.2016

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Everyone knows the socio-political involvement of the First Lady of Cameroon, to reach out to the less privileged of our society. It is in this light that a Symposium under the Distinguished Patronage of Philemon Yang Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon has been organised from the 1st to the 3rd November 2016 at the University of Yaounde II premises.

This symposium whose theme is: Political and Fundamental rights of the solidarity on the Social Action Prism of the First Lady of Cameroon", will be concretely dwelling on the social actions of Chantal Biya, who is also UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador.

However, Cameroon Universities authorities are against this symposium, as reported by "Le Jour Newspaper" of Oct. 10.  
"We would like to question the importance of a symposium in a regime where public liberties are least respected and where those concerned by this symposium are still themselves in power. In this case, it is more of a propaganda than a symposium"declared Prof. Claude Abe a Social Politician. 

The paper reports that according to Prof. Claude Abe, a group of political entrepreneurs have taken the political field hostage. "Thus, the target is more Politically Administrative than Scientific".

His point of view is opposed by Emmanuel Atangana, Editor in Chief at CRTV.  To him, Chantal Biya is a political sociological  topic, whose works have been subjects to important scientific productions.

"Personally, I am of the opinion that the works of a human person will always be subjected to scientific studies. Opinions on Chantal Biya can be shared, which is normal. I also reserve my ideas that are related to any diversion of the ideas behind this symposium, because to me, if this diversion is proven, it will seriously begin to doubt the well being of such approach" said Cabral Libi  an International Jurist, who thinks if the Symposium has no hidden agenda behind it, then it will have a ground of attention.

This upcoming symposium seems to be some kind of pre-election campaign as some people are accusing Dr. Mathias Eric Owona Nguini, first son of Minister Joseph Owona, and Lecturer of the University of Yaounde , IRIC and other Higher Institutions, questioning his involvement as speaker in this symposium, whose ghost intentions are still unknown.

Mathias Eric who seems to be one of Chantal Biya's right hand persons has already received his own participation allowance, and is going around convincing others to do the same.

"What contributions will this symposium add to the Cameroonian Economy, if not only to put Chantal Biya in the spotlight, so that ignorant people will take this as a voting track in favour of her husband?, asked another university authority who spoke in  anonymity.

henrietteslounge.com

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Rita Akana

11.Oct.2016

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Boko Haram militants have largely been routed by the Nigerian army, but they have not disappeared and still pose a threat in the northern part of Borno State.

Boko Haram controlled some of northeast Nigeria at the start of last year, but it has been pushed out of most of that territory by the Nigerian army, aided by troops from neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad, Reuters reported in September.

Geneva-based officials representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) say security in northern Nigeria remains fragile and that people who have suffered for years at the hands of Boko Haram are living in fear of renewed attacks from the militant group.

Over the past two weeks, U.N. aid workers have been interviewing community leaders and individuals in a number of newly accessible areas of Borno State to learn their needs and concerns.

UNHCR spokesman William Spindler says they have assessed the situation in towns like Monguno, Bama, Damboa and Shani.

“They have found similar patterns in these places of a high level of vulnerability among people displaced by Boko Haram,” he said, “with nearly every family affected by very worrying protection issues and that some of these people live in fear that the insurgency group could attack them again.”

Spindler says the displaced people are living in desperate conditions.

For example, he said more than 60,000 people who fled to Monguno largely from the Marte local government area, are living in dilapidated school buildings and makeshift shelters in nine sites.

They are suffering food shortages, he said, yet they continue to arrive in Monguno to escape the Nigerian military’s ongoing operations to dislodge Boko Haram from the northern part of Borno State.

Spindler says women and children are particularly vulnerable. Many families are headed by women, he said, because their husbands were killed by Boko Haram, were forced to join the insurgents or disappeared.

He tells VOA these people have lived under the brutal rule of Boko Haram for a long time and are having difficulty recovering from the experience.

“They are traumatized,” he said. “They are in need of help. Some of the problems that we see are related to the fact that they do not have the necessary aid or livelihoods. So, that is why we see some of these negative coping mechanisms like survival sex and other practices.”

Spindler says women are forced to send their children, some as young as 5, to sell small items or beg in the street so they can buy food and medicine. Others, he says, send children to collect firewood to sell. This puts the girls at risk of sexual attack.

Few of the refugees are likely to return to their home villages soon because of continuing insecurity and the presence of land mines in their villages and fields, Spindler said.

Boko Haram is blamed for about 20,000 deaths since beginning its insurgency in northern Nigeria in 2009. The Islamist extremist group says it wants to create a strict Islamic state in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria.

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Rita Akana

08.Oct.2016

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Police in Kumba, Southwest Region, Thursday, September 29, arrested an activist of the Sothern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, in possession of a Southern Cameroons Passport.

Simon Nfor Ngwa, was fished out of a public transport bus at the Mabonji police check point on the Kumba-Buea Road.

Ngwa was reportedly travelling to Douala for a personal business venture when the security elements spotted him.

The Post gathered that his National Identity card, mobile phone and other belongings were confiscated. Reports further state that Ngwa was later released on Monday, October 3.

He is said to have been freed on the orders of the police hierarchy unconditionally.

While in detention, Ngwa is said to have benefitted from the sympathy of a police officer. The officer is said to have given him his mobile phone to inform relatives of his arrest.

The Post was unable to confirm if the Southern Cameroons Passport was retained at the police station or given back to Ngwa at the time of his release.

Ngwa’s arrest came in the wake of security measures Government put in place to circumvent any secessionist activities on October 1.

Within the ranks of the Southern Cameroon National Council, Ngwa is said to occupy the position of National Youth Officer.

In Kumba, security measures kept public manifestations at bay. Known activists who had promised mayhem could not be traced between September 28 and October 1.

Yet, soldiers and police officers combed the whole of Kumba. All through the night, police contingents paraded the major boulevards and access roads into town.

On the night of September 30 breaking October 1, public gatherings, beer parlours and even church vigils failed to hold into the new month.

Even commercial motorcyclists that are known for hustling till dawn were few on the streets.

Other presumed SCNC strongholds such as Ekombe in Mbonge Subdivision and parts of Kupe-Muanenguba and Manyu were not missed out on by the forces of law and order

Restaurant Owners, Bikers Peddling Signature Lists

Before October 1, makeshift restaurant owners and bikers in Kumba were reportedly collecting signatures for the SCNC course.

These groups of persons are said to be agents of persuasion that easily get people to append their signatures on the lists in line with Njoh Litumbe’s 2million signature demanded by the United Nations, UN, for the Southern Cameroons referendum.

Cameroonpostnewsline

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Rita Akana

08.Oct.2016

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The Head of the SDF National Executive Committee, NEC, team for the reorganisation of the basic organs of the party in the Littoral, Senator Jean Tsomelou, has confirmed that the overdue election for the bureau will finally hold on Sunday, October 16.

Senator Tsomelou, who is also the SDF Interim Regional Chairman,said the remaining Electoral Districts and Divisional Coordination that have not yet been reorganized would all be reorganised, October 8-9.

Tsomelou has vowed that come rain or shine, the protracted reorganisation of the Littoral SDF, which was started in 2013 by the SDF National Reorganising Secretary, Ferdinand Asapngu, must end this month.

On the argument by other candidates in the Littoral race that Hon. Nintcheu is not supposed to contest, Tsomelou said Nintcheu is free to run for re-election.

He said NEC dissolved the Nintcheu-led bureau because they were seen to be interfering with the organisation of elections in Littoral. But he said before NEC took the decision to dissolve the bureau, Nintcheu had already declared his intention to run for re-election.

Tsomelou also explained that Nintcheu did not face the SDF Disciplinary Committee and so NEC could not bar Nintcheu from running for re-election.

But the Chairman of the Bonaberi Electoral District, John Ndangle Kumase, who is also a candidate in the regional election, like Celestine Djamen and Abel Elimbi Lobe, disagrees with Tsomelou’s position.

Kumase, former Mayor of Douala 1V Urban Council, has questioned the sense behind the Article 18.8 that NEC slammed on the Nintcheu-led bureau leading to its dissolution if Nintcheu is to be allowed to run for re-election .

Asked if Djamen in the face of an alleged scandal committed by him will be allowed to run for the post of Littoral SDF Chairman,Tsomelou did not give a clear response. He, however, said Djamen has some questions to answer.

As for the complaint that Djamen and Elimbi Lobe raised at a joint press conference in Douala on September 21that the registration fee of FCFA 400,000 is too high, Tsomelou said it is ridiculous for any person who wants to be Chairman of the Littoral SDF to complain that the amount is too high.

Elimbi Declares Candidature

SDF’s 1st Assistant National Secretary for Communication, Abel Elimbi Lobe,a councilor at the Douala V Urban Council, last weekend declared his candidature for Chairman of the Littoral SDF.

Elimbi was the only candidate who faced incumbent Nintcheu at the last election in 2009.His declaration to contest came as a surprise to many reporters because when he appeared with Djamen at the joint press conference on September 21, the impression was that he was supporting Djamen.

Even Djamen expressed surprise when Elimbi announced his candidature.

It is worth noting that the camp opposed to Nintcheu backed Elimbi’s candidature for the post of Chairperson of Douala V Electoral District.

But at the last minute Elimbi dropped out of the race, accusing the then Regional Chairman of the party, Hon.Nintcheu, of having brought in fake delegates to the Elective District Conference to vote for his candidate, Rodrigue Carlos Ngoualem.

Opposition Camp Weakened

Elimbi’s entry into the race now brings to three the number of candidates from the camp opposed to Nintcheu’s leadership. There were initially six aspirants in the camp. They chose Kumase as their candidate.

But rather than support their camp’s choice, Djamen and Elimbi have instead declared their candidatures.

Djamen and Elimbi, who are known to do their politics over private TV and radio stations, are likely to end up as spoilers, to Nintcheu’s advantage.

Elimbi is also infecting a controversial idea into the election; that election to the post of the Chairperson of the Littoral SDF should be reserved for Sawas. He has asked whether a Sawa can be Chairman of the SDF in the West or Northwest Regions.

In reponse, Kumase retorted by asking whether any Sawa has ever put his candidature for the post of Regional Chairperson of the SDF in the Northwest or West Region, and it was rejected.

Nonetheless, Elimbi insists that Nintcheu as a Bamileke has been Littoral Regional Chairman for 12 years, and that neither Nintcheu nor any other Bamileke has to be candidate again. Sawa Influence

In addition to Kumase’s Sawaness, he alleges that the decision of Elimbi to declare his candidature was taken at a village meeting. He, however, noted that there are very few Sawas in the SDF. He said a majority of Sawas are CPDM.

Kumase then questioned the interest of Sawa CPDM elite and militants to discuss and take decisions about candidatures in the SDF elections.

Another controversy about Elimbi in the SDF is that he has for some time now beendodging NEC meetings,apparently to avoid being scolded by the SDF hierarchy for some provocative declarations that he has made recently.

A Deputy Mayor at the Douala III Urban Council, Achiille Momo Azemba, who is on Nintcheu’s list for the election of new Bureau, recently declared over Equinoxe Radio that having deliberately kept away from more than three consecutive NEC meetings for no tangible reason, Elimbi is no longer supposed be a member of NEC.Yet, he wants to be the Regional Chairman of the party.

Meanwhile, Elimbi Lobe has complained that Kumase has been the Bonaberi District Chairman of the SDF for 25 years and is supposed to be stepping aside for younger people.

Cameroonpostnewsline

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Rita Akana

08.Oct.2016

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