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 Officials of the Teachers Trade Unions which have called for the grounding of academic activities in schools West of the Mungo, are warning teachers, students and pupils to stay at home on Monday November 21, for their safety.

The Secretary General of the Cameroon Teacher’s Trade Union, CATTU said they have not called for any street demonstration but for a sit in strike.

In an interview granted the Bamenda based radio station, Tassang Wilfred insinuates that the government has deployed troops with the possibility of violence on unarmed people as they did to Common Law Lawyers. He explained why they would not travel to Yaounde and said they were not afraid to die. Excepts

Why no representation at Yaoundé Meeting?
From the meeting that held in Yaoundé yesterday, (November 18 2016) as the nation saw and as we said, we were not in Yaounde. In spite of the fact that some people went around blackmailing us, saying that we have been given military escorts to protect us and take us to the Yaoundé meeting. And to indicate that the trade Unions that are supposed to have taken part in that meeting, are not credible Unions. we don’t even work with them. The Francophone Trade Unions and the leaders with whom we work, who were duly invited for that meeting, boycotted that meeting.

And because we had together with them written to government over the years to solve this problem and government has not, they have written to the PM, giving him a strike notification, and they have given the government and ultimatum, up to the 25th for the government to address the issues that we had long tabled to them concerning Anglophone education, without which they themselves will be calling for a nationwide strike for their own teachers in sympathy to our course.

“We were not safe going to Yaounde”

I like to reiterate why we didn’t go to Yaoundé. Originally we had two points, two reasons why we shouldn’t have gone, today we now have three. The first point is that the Ministry of Higher Education, and Minister Fame Ndongo, are the reasons for which we have these crisis, because most of the problems that we are raising are caused by that ministry, and then placed upon Anglophone children in secondary education.


 “We blame Fame Ndongo”

We have met Minister Fame Ndongo on two occasions in Bamenda and in Yaoundé and he has shown to us adamantly that he didn’t even see that there was a problem with what was happening.

He told us and I quote in Bamenda that “Cameroon is a bilingual country, anybody can go anywhere and teach in any Language.” Strangely, it is only Francophones that have to come and destroy Anglophone children. Minister Fame Ndongo as an intellectual, should have known better being a university professor.

“If they could brutalise lawyers, what about teachers?”
The second reason had to do with our security. You know, after what happened to our brothers and sisters, the lawyers, in Buea, we came to the conclusion that government has resorted to state terrorism. So that, even the lawyers who have immunity of the law, of the robes and the wigs. If that could happen even to them, that they were attacked even in their hotel rooms and brutalised, then anything could happen to teachers. Not that we are afraid to die, but we owe our people a duty to protect ourselves so that we can conduct this fight to a successful end.


 UB Synes must be invited

The third reason that we had not seen, or for which we shouldn’t have gone is that our colleagues of the University of Buea who signed the memorandum with us, were not invited to the meeting. Instead Minister Fame Ndongo decided to invite the National Bureau of SYNES, instead of the Buea Chapter, and the person who they invited to that meeting, is a francophone, the very one who has struggled  to put out Anglophones in the national bureau of SYNES.

You know, as we speak, the SG of SYNES was supposed to come from UB, but in their last convention in Ngaoundere, they did everything to keep out UB from taking over the position of Secretary General of SYNES. And that’s what they did, and that’s because that person was going to be an Anglophone.

"Stay at Home for your safety"
So this fight is going on, and we are saying that we have not repented from the call that we made to teachers not to go to school on Monday (November 21). In fact, we are asking them that they should not even venture out of their houses, that they should stay home and be prayerful. And that parents should keep their children under lock and key, for their security because we have heard that forces have been deployed in town, and who knows what will happen? In the cause of the day, they could foment trouble and then blame it on the union. We have not called for street demonstration. It's  a sit in strike. Teachers and students and pupils should stay home.

Curled from an Interview on Radio Hot Cocoa Bamenda, on 18 November 2016.


POST SCRIPT : In another statement dated November 20 2016, the Teachers' Trade Unions reminded school administrators of their responsibilities. The statement read:  " All school heads; headteachers, principals, directors, and Vice Chancellors are expected to exceptionally be on campus daily on Monday and daily until the present sit-in strike is suspended.Their assignment, watch over the schools and inform appropriate quarters in case of any suspicious activities."...

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Solomon Amabo

20.Nov.2016

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“I cannot think of any African I know who did not accept that the United Kingdom had the right to choose to leave the European Union. But if Africans attempt to exercise their sovereign will – if Africans attempt to exercise their sovereignty, and to democratically set aside international commitments which no longer work for them – we hear a barrage of voices which tell us we can’t.”

These were the words of Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta to the diplomatic community in Uganda’s capital, Kampala on Saturday night condemning what he describes as the international system that “relegates Africa to the periphery”.

He warned that if the international order “that defends injustice and double standards” is not changed, the recent gains and progress made by the continent with resilience will be lost.

“The opportunities that lie before us today are especially ripe. Africa is rising – and it is rising no matter what the naysayers tell us. The tremors of that rise will be felt far and wide,” he added.

Kenyatta also urged African states to shift focus to “local globalization” by opening each other’s borders and increasing trade to push the pan-Africanism agenda.

“The mirage of the older globalization has faded, we see clearly that we are each other’s best hope. It is time to localize globalization, if I may coin a phrase. We need to open Africa up to each other, and to prosper together. That is Pan-Africanism for this century,” he said.

He emphasized on a united front for Africa with one voice abroad so as to secure the continent’s interest by strengthening the bonds of brotherhood and solidarity.

“For our partners from around the world, let it be clear that we are partners. Mutual respect is what we seek,” he advised the international community.

Kenya withdrew thousands of its troops from South Sudan this month after the dismissal of the Kenyan commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) after a United Nations inquiry accused UNMISS of failing to respond to an attack on a hotel in Juba in July.

“Kenya will not agree to be scapegoated by a mission that has failed to execute its mandate. Pulling out troops will however not affect Kenya’s position in regional peace,” Kenyatta reacted to his country’s decision.

Meanwhile, Kenya is considering exiting the International Criminal Court for alleged injustices targeted at African leaders.

Six Kenyans, including President Kenyatta were charged with crimes against humanity for their alleged leading roles in the 2007-2008 post-election violence that left more than 1,000 people dead and forced 600,000 from their homes.

The charges were later dropped leaving tension between the country and the ICC.

Burundi, South Africa and Gambia have already started the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court due to similar reasons.

Africannews

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Rita Akana

20.Nov.2016

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Singapore on Friday executed a Nigerian national,  Chijioke Stephen Obioha, convicted of drug trafficking, after last-minute appeal was rejected.

“A 38-year-old male Nigerian national, Chijioke Stephen Obioha, had his death sentence carried out on 18 November 2016 at Changi Prison Complex,” the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement.

Obioha was arrested on April 9, 2007 with more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams presumed as drug trafficking in Singapore.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa described the execution as heartbreaking despite repeated calls on Nigerians to desist from criminal activities like drug peddling.

In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun in Abuja said that  since Singapore is determined to enforce its laws as a deterrent to drug trafficking, which has reduced as a result of its stringent capital punishment , nothing much can be done except to continue to appeal.

"While we regret the death sentence passed on the Nigerian, we once again appeal to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug trafficking with most countries especially in Asia declaring zero tolerance for drug trafficking," Dabiri-Erewa stated.

She reiterated her appeal to Nigerians to avoid drug peddling in their host countries as laws of countries, whether acceptable or not, will be difficult to influence.

Dailytrust

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Rita Akana

18.Nov.2016

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The Cameroonian government said on Thursday in a news brief that it will not keep the promise it made to setup a functioning urban public transport system by bus, before the women's African Cup of Nations  tournament, Which opens in Yaoundé on 19 November 2016.

On  August 30th 2016, a partnership agreement was signed in Yaoundé between the Minister of Transport, Edgard Alain Mebe Ngo’o and the Portuguese group  Eximtrans / Irmaos Mota  to set up a mass urban transport system in Yaoundé and Limbé, the two cities that are Hosting  the matches of the women's African Cup of Nations  tournament.

The agreement provided for the supply of 150 air-conditioned buses with a capacity of 91 seats including 39 seats and 52 standing for mass transportation in Yaoundé and Limbe. 135 buses had to be reserved to serve 13 lines within Yaoundé.

While 5 other buses including 10 "VIP" buses were announced for Limbe, they were reserved for the transportation of the AFCON teams and supporters.
All of the buses were to be delivered  before October 31, 2016.

Cost of  the investment,  17 billion FCFA for a 10-year operating period.

In addition to the buses that are not delivered, the other requirements of the contractual specifications signed with the Portuguese group are not met.

The contract also included the construction of 26 ultra-modern bus terminals, equipped with toilets, news-stands and ticketing points for tickets and subscriptions, and also the construction of 65 bus shelters and 579 bus stops, all equipped with information systems to the users, minimally on the frequency and bus timetables.

The establishment of a bus maintenance  workshop as well as a training centre for  upgrading of technicians, drivers and commercial agents was also part of the contract.

It must be noted that so far these infrastructures which were to precede the movement of the said buses remain non-existent.

Yaounde Amadou Ahidjou Stadium

24 hours away from start the Women's African Cup of Nations in Cameroon. The West African nation's biggest stadium in the French-speaking capital of Yaounde is still under construction, according to local reporters who went to the site a few hours ago. No rehearsal due to power failure. Is the safety of athletes guaranteed

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Mbi James

18.Nov.2016

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In two days from now, the Continent and the world will switch focus to Cameroon as the country host the biggest women soccer competition on the continent. Reports say everything has been put in place to ensure successful hosting of the tournament in a country considered by many as African football heavyweights though Cameroon is yet to be crown Africa women champion and will be desperate to put that negative record behind them when the November rendezvous kicks off in Yaoundé and seaside resort city of Limbe.

The government has set up the AFCON village at the sports complex in Yaoundé as the edifice is embellish with the colors of the nation, glamorously waiting for soccer fans around the continent and beyond, fire fighters have been redeployed and the nation’s leading national broadcaster has sorted out the services of experts abroad to help ensure the competition is a success and on his part, minister Bidoung Mpkatt of sports and physical education has promised the girls od Enow carl Ngatchu of 24million francs will be given to each of the players if they were to keep the trophy home, a figure though comparatively smaller than amounts usually handed out to the male players just for participating in similar tournaments, is however seen by many as a great boost give the way the government has been treating the female squad over the years 

But admits all these preparations, social media has been buzzing by some activists who are calling for total boycott of the events to protest government brutal crackdown of common law lawyers during peaceful protests held in Bamenda and Buea in the last two weeks.

Prominent amongst them is Belgian based Cameroonian activist Mark bareta who wrote on his Facebook time that ‘The people of Anglophone Cameroon must understand that boycotting AFCON and leaving the stadium empty is a force of unity which will tell the regime we are fade up. Listen, when lawyers are beaten like children by the security forces, they have succeeded in taking away the pride and dignity of the lawyers and directly rubbishes the law. This means even the common man on the street is not safe. If lawyers could be molested, who then defends you?”

While other prominent figures have also join their voices on social media to denounce the brutal treatment given to lawyers by members of the police forces in a country which is supposed to be a democracy where the right to peaceful protest is enshrine in the constitution of the land.

Tebopost

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Rita Akana

17.Nov.2016

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Barack Obama has had a private dinner with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. They were expected to discuss Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Syria, ahead of talks with other EU leaders on Friday.

Obama - on the final leg of his last trip to Europe as president of the US - and Merkel are expected to hold talks on Thursday followed by a news conference at which they will raise the issue of Syria, a source told the Reuters news agency.

The talks are scheduled for Thursday at 3:15 p.m. (1415 UTC) at the chancellory, while European leaders and Obama will meet on Friday to discuss extending sanctions against Russia for its intervention in Ukraine, and possible new sanctions for its bombing in Syria. The Kremlin has said it is maintaining a moratorium on air strikes in the city of Aleppo. 

Obama has previously praised Merkel "a trusted partner" and supported her over the refugee crisis, while Merkel's congratulatory message to Trump following his victory in the November 8 election was somewhat perfunctory. 

Key issues

Trump has signalled a possible rapprochement with Russia, raising doubts about the future of the sanctions regime introduced by Washington and Brussels in 2014 following Russia's intervention in Ukraine.

A German official told the DPA news service that the plan was to agree a rollover of EU sanctions against Russia, which are due to expire at the end of January, in the coming weeks.

European leaders will want clarity from Obama, who met Trump last week and said afterwards the president-elect would maintain core relationships around the world, including with NATO.

European officials fear that Russia will use the time before Trump's inauguration to launch new offensives in Syria and Ukraine. Two diplomatic sources said the issue of Syria would also come up at the Friday meeting.

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Rita Akana

17.Nov.2016

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