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24, September 2024

8 passport officers arrested in Zimbabwe over dodgy documents issued to 4 Cameroonians ⁰

Police have arrested eight employees of the Registrar General’s department at the passport office in Harare after four Cameroonian nationals were intercepted at Beitbridge trying to enter South Africa using freshly issued Zimbabwean passports.

Romeo Shonhiwa, 44, of Eastview Phase 2 in Harare, Marrian Roman, 40, of Glaudina Park, Lackmore Chinokokora, 34, of Eastview Phase 4, Grace Kapungu, 35, of Glen View 1, Chiedza Hlomani, 34, of Marlbereign, Maureen Natasha Munemo, 32, of Glen View 1, Tanaka Magaya, 28, of Sunningdale 3, and Edith Moto, 38, of Ruwa have been charged with criminal abuse of office as public officers for their roles in the issuing of the passports.

The arrests came after four citizens of Cameroon were arrested at Beitbridge with newly issued Zimbabwean passports indicating Shona names, although none of the four could speak the language.

The four suspects who are charged with fraud identified on the passports as Emile Chingwaru of Matare Village under Chief Magonde in Mount Darwin; Christiana Mhereyenyoka of Arcadia Village in Mount Darwin; Yvette Maini of New Pfura in Mount Darwin and Marvel Chimbwanda also of Mount Darwin.

Police investigations have established that the four Cameroonians were first issued with birth certificates in Mount Darwin, before they went to the registry office at Market Square in Harare where they claimed to have lost their identity documents in order to obtain replacements.

On September 17, they went to the passport office in Harare where they each paid $170 for an ordinary passport.

The passports, which should typically take seven days, were printed and collected just two days later on September 19.

Police now believe a racket involving officials from the Registrar General’s office and cleaners took large sums of cash from the four Cameroonians to facilitate the corrupt issuance of the passports.

Two general hands Neria Sombi and Trymore Chipanga, employed by Andivest, have also been spoken to by police after a review of CCTV showed them taking the suspects through the entire passport application processes.

The video footage, according to police, also shows Accused 7, Tanaka Magaya, being handed money by a woman also suspected to be part of the racket.

The Cameroonians have told investigators they paid US$1,500 each for the passports.

Police say the suspects said they intended to use the passports to enter South Africa from where they would seek passage to the United Kingdom.

Source: Zimlive

24, September 2024

Bar Council President says 400 Anglophone Cameroon law students are in Rwanda ⁰

Cameroon needs to organize annual bar exams for trainee lawyers, the Bar Council urges citing a legal requirement that has been neglected for years. In a recent interview with state broadcaster CRTV, Bar President Mbah Eric Mbah explained that the decree of February 20, 1995, governing the final examination for trainee lawyers, mandates an annual exam. However, he lamented that this requirement has not been adhered to, leading to significant problems.

He indicated that the irregular frequency of the exam has pushed many law graduates to seek training in neighboring countries like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, or Rwanda. “I was in Rwanda, where I spoke with 400 fellow Cameroonians,” he said, noting that such training abroad can be problematic due to territorial differences in procedural laws.

While acknowledging budget constraints, he expressed optimism that the government is beginning to address the issue. “In our recent discussions, the current Justice Minister appeared receptive to the concerns raised by the Bar President and the Council, and committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure the annualization of the exam, as required by law,” said Claude Assira, a member of the Bar Council.

However, there has been no official confirmation from the Ministry of Justice that the government will implement the annual bar exam. Many remain skeptical, citing the lack of budget as the primary reason for the delays and doubting whether this issue will be resolved anytime soon. In previous years, low demand for legal services was blamed for the delays, with some suggesting that the long wait periods have actually benefited practicing lawyers.

“This isn’t just an economic issue, although it shouldn’t be ignored. I firmly believe the economic factor can be overcome by broadening the lawyer’s scope of work,” argued Claude Assira.

Source: Business in Cameroon

24, September 2024

Federal Republic of Ambazonia: Where education does not matter! ⁰

All over the world, education is considered a visa that can get many people out of poverty, but in Ambazonia, a virtual country also known as Southern Cameroons, illiteracy is considered good for the citizens and the key to a bright future. A strange irony which challenges any sound educational and social development experts

One of the many reasons Ambazonians raised when the sociopolitical problem which has destabilized many people in Cameroon and killed thousands in the two English-speaking regions of the country was that the quality of education provided by the Yaoundé government was of the lowest quality.

Ambazonians, also considered by the government of Cameroon as separatists, said they needed good quality education but their first action when the sociopolitical crisis commenced was to call on all students not to go to school until the government engineered new ways of doing things, especially by withdrawing all French-speaking teachers from the country’s two English-speaking regions.

While the Yaoundé government has since made some cosmetic changes and concessions, Southern Cameroonians have remained frozen in their positions.

From 2016, following the commencement of the country’s most destabilizing sociopolitical disaster, more than 30,000 students in the country’s two English-speaking regions of the country have not gone to school as gun-toting separatists have been threatening to kill any students and teachers who dare to go to school.

Their latest irrational action just came to an end yesterday. Since schools resumed in other regions of the country in early September, kids in Southern Cameroons have been at home for almost a month because Ambazonian forces had issued a ghost town operation in early September warning parents and students of deadly consequences if students violated their no-school order.

Ambazonia is a “country” wherein education does not matter but their leaders are talking about engineering sustainable development once they gain their independence. No country has ever developed without an educated population. Ambazonians want to demonstrate that education is not necessary when it comes to development and they will stop at nothing just to prove that.

Unfortunately, it is turning out that they are shooting themselves in the foot as their decision will only be counterproductive. Illiterate people will certainly not be reasonable and rational thinking will be a scarce resource. Crime will be high in a country wherein he who toots a gun can become the king.

Not many Southern Cameroonians are admiring these criminals who are marketing themselves as saviors who will bring independence and prosperity to their people. This archaic way of doing things has already hurt the economies of the two regions and unemployment and crime are unacceptably high.

The local population, which used to support the independence seekers is today working with the national defense forces to mop up the two English-speaking regions of the country which are replete with bandits and armed robbers who pass off as separatist fighters.

For almost eight years, most children in rural Southern Cameroons have not been to school. For those whose family members are well to do, they have been moved to towns and cities across the whole country for them to acquire much-needed education. Strangely, most of the students have moved to East Cameroon where they will have to learn the French they had rejected when there was peace in their beloved Southern Cameroons. What an irony! They will be fully assimilated and they might never return to the land they once called home.

Ambazonians are ignorantly helping the Yaoundé government in its bid to assimilate young English-speaking Cameroonians. More power to their elbow! In the next two decades, there will be more French-speaking Cameroonians in Southern Cameroons than English-speaking Cameroonians.

Even the worst dictatorships in the world have never refused their citizens access to education. Even the Taliban encourage their boys to get good education, though the girl child does not have the same access to education.

Ambazonians must stop committing human rights abuses. Refusing children their right to education is a criminal offense just as it is a punishable human rights abuse. Without a soundly educated population, no country can make giant steps forward regarding development.

This irrational decision to keep children out of school has caused a massive exodus from the two English-speaking regions of the country and this is not good news for a region and a people who think they should preserve their Anglo-Saxon educational culture.

By Dr. Joachim Arrey

23, September 2024

Far North Flooding: Dion Ngute commits to investigating root causes ⁰

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute chaired a high-level interministerial meeting in Yaoundé on September 19, 2024. The meeting, between governors, regional councilaors and government officials, aimed to address the devastating floods that have caused significant loss of life and extensive property damage in the Far North. According to the national radio, the government reaffirmed its commitment to investigating the “underlying causes” of the flooding and implementing “new preventive measures,” in line with directives from President Paul Biya.

During a 2022 visit to the flood-stricken Yagoua, the capital of the Mayo-Danay department in the Far North, Territorial Administration Minister Paul Atanga Nji stated that President Biya had requested a thorough study of the causes of the flooding and the necessary measures to address the problem. Local officials in Yagoua pointed out at the time that rivers in northern Cameroon often converge, and rainfall in the Adamaoua region swells the Logone River, exacerbating the flooding. However, a more comprehensive study is still needed to accurately determine the causes.

In the meantime, the government has announced that President Biya has released over 1.6 billion CFA francs to assist affected populations and rebuild critical infrastructure destroyed by the floods, primarily in the Far North region. Paul Atanga Nji began a working visit to the flooded areas on Thursday, where he is meeting with those impacted and distributing humanitarian aid, including temporary shelters, mattresses, blankets, food supplies, and sanitary kits.

The recent floods in the Far North, particularly in the Diamaré, Logone-and-Chari, Mayo-Danay, and Mayo-Tsanaga departments, have wreaked havoc. According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of September 10, 2024, more than 18,000 homes had been destroyed, tens of thousands of hectares of crops flooded, and thousands of livestock lost. Over 33,000 households, representing around 236,000 people, have been affected, including more than 38,000 women of reproductive age and over 4,000 pregnant women. The provisional death toll stands at 17, and schools and health centers have been inundated, according to the Far North’s Governor, Midjiyawa Bakari.

Immediate priority needs include food, shelter, essential household items, and water, hygiene, and sanitation (WASH) services. Local authorities and humanitarian partners are implementing emergency measures to ensure the safety of people and property, including reinforcing the Logone River dike. However, continued rainfall and rising water levels pose an increasing risk of further deterioration and potential outbreaks of disease in the coming days and weeks, OCHA warns.

Source: Sbbc

23, September 2024

Camtel defends services, blames competitors’ ‘inability’ to manage traffic ⁰

Amid growing criticism from competitors like MTN Cameroon over the quality of its internet services, state-owned telecommunications company Camtel, which holds exclusive rights to distribute fiber-optic connections, has continued to defend its infrastructure. On Camtel Actu on Saturday, September 21, Camtel’s Director General, Judith Yah Sunday, stated, “Not only do we have the capabilities, but we also have redundancy.” She explained, “This means that if the underground cable is cut, we have the Eneo cable (the electric utility, Ed.) on the high-voltage lines to ensure service continuity.”

According to the director, “Even if our cable is cut, communications are automatically switched to Eneo’s high-voltage cable, and everything continues to function without anyone noticing.” Nevertheless, Camtel’s internet services are frequently disrupted, frustrating consumers and annoying competitors, many of whom rely on Camtel as their service provider. Camtel, which claims to be the guarantor of Cameroon’s “digital sovereignty,” often blames these network disruptions on roadworks that damage the underground cable.

To highlight the reliability of its infrastructure as the “only operator capable of providing capacity to all other operators,” Yah Sunday emphasized that Camtel operates a national terrestrial backbone that connects all ten regions, along with four submarine cables linking Cameroon to the rest of the world. As a result, she added, “Even in the extraordinary event of a cable being cut between Yaoundé and Douala, we have a redundant path through Bafoussam via the Douala-Bafoussam-Yaoundé axis.“

This marks Camtel’s second public response in a week to criticisms over the quality of internet services provided by the country’s historical telecommunications operator. In a statement on September 18, published in the government daily Cameroon Tribune, Yah Sunday accused competitors of contributing to poor network performance “due to their large subscriber base and insufficient measures taken to manage their traffic efficiently.“

Source: Sbbc

22, September 2024

Manyu Division: EYUMEMA & NYENE MAWN, Where is the money? ⁰

The strangest thing in life is living in a world where principle is always linked to bribe and corruption.

Ever since the MOHWA scandal broke out following the breakaway of EYUMEMA and NYENE MAWN, many detractors who do not see beyond their noses hold that exposing the truth about the maladministration and malfeasance in MOHWA meant that Cameroon Concord News Group journalists had taken money from EYUMEMA and NYENE MAWN.

Strangely, none of those alleging that the media group had taken money can prove where and when the money was delivered.

The Cameroon Concord News Group wants to know the account in which the money was paid. As a media organization, the Cameroon Concord News Group will be very pleased to see that money in its account for the excellent services it rendered to the Manyu public.

It takes hard intellectual work to produce exciting articles like the ones the Cameroon Concord News Group delivered to decry the malfeasance that was eating into the fabric of MOHWA.

The Cameroon Concord News Group looks forward to receiving any information that will help to direct it to the accounts wherein the money was paid.

By Chi Prudence Asong

22, September 2024

So, this is why journalists are still doing this largely thankless job? ⁰

There is an art to surviving disappointment, but you wouldn’t know it from consuming the arts and culture of the Twenties.

We seem to be hostages of an era of corrosive optimism which is allergic to complexity and intellect, and disappointment too.

The prophet Orwell warned us about this type of society and its dangerous simplicities.

In the political sphere, thoughtful critique and debate were once valued as markers of a healthy society. Now we are left with thin-skinned governments and a tendency towards sociopathic leadership all over the world.

Capitalist media owners have contributed by dropping standards for news, stranding us all in a weird space where any mention of real problems on the part of citizens is seen as an attack on government.

In the worst cases, criticism is framed by the powers that be as a form of treachery.

And yet, people still practise journalism in such an environment. What’s going on here?

I remember my first impression of real-life journalists; it was not very good. They’re nothing like the heroes in the movies, I thought, observing their sharp gazes and reticent tongues.

Why aren’t they out there saving the world with their flaming prose of social justice! What a grim bunch of cynics, I thought. I will never become like that, I thought.

I had no idea of what it takes to persevere in a profession that is utterly idealistic at its core. It turns out that journalists are a case study in how to cope with disappointment not only in one’s individual life— it’s a tough gig— but also in society as a whole.

Well. Journalists and Socialists, actually, and here I am aspiring to be one or possibly both when I grow up.

This past week I have been relying on what I have learned over time from the wisdom of journalists and the interminable motivation of modern-day socialists.

Comments made by my Head of State in response to the killing of the Chadema politician Ali Kibao during a celebration of the police were unexpected, bracing.

It was giving ‘Je suis l’etat.’ It was an unapologetic reminder that the state has the monopoly on the means of violence, and it will justify using it… against civilians.

It is now time to sit back, exhale and begin the process of embracing the massive disappointment of having invested support and belief in the current iteration of the government of Tanzania, only to discover that it was old ghosts in newly tailored Ujamaa kitenges. Old threats in new speeches. I know I am not alone at this crossroads.

The sharp gazes and reticent tongues of journalists now look like resilience to me. After all they are still doing this largely thankless job.

Veterans and old socialists have a stoic patience and deliciously dark sense of humour that quietly teaches.

This is what it looks like to survive the death of your hopes and dreams for your country. I don’t know why knowing this is therapeutic, but it is, so I am sharing it here.

There is an art to surviving disappointment. It consists of indomitable— even defiant — optimism and comes with a sharp gaze and reticent tongue.

Tomorrow — maybe next week or next year, it needs time— this too shall pass and hope will come again.

Culled from The East African

22, September 2024

Douala: Cameroon military and U.S. Africa Command host West Africa Logistics Conference ⁰

From September 18 to 20, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Cameroon Ministry of Defense organized the West Africa Logistics Conference, bringing together more than 50 military logistics leaders from West Africa and the United States. During the conference, participants discussed logistics challenges and identified opportunities for collaboration to improve interoperability and operational effectiveness.

Air Force Brig. Gen. George “Dutch” Dietrich, Director of Logistics for U.S. Africa Command, expressed his appreciation to the Cameroon Armed Forces for their close collaboration in hosting the event. He emphasized that WALC serves as a vital platform for regional cooperation, enabling military and civilian leaders to address common logistics challenges and find solutions to enhance interoperability and operational readiness.

In his opening remarks, U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon John C. Lamora noted, “WALC is a real opportunity to tackle a challenge that every military in the world faces. Logistics are a critical component of all operations, from peacekeeping to responding to humanitarian crises and natural disasters. By improving our collective understanding of regional challenges, we can better prepare to respond to future crises.”

This year’s conference was attended by representatives from Benin, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Culled from the US embassy in Yaoundé

22, September 2024

Roman Catholic clerics urge support after devastating floods in West and Central Africa ⁰

Catholic leaders across West and Central Africa are calling for assistance following unprecedented and deadly floods that have swept through the regions.

The catastrophic flooding in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad, Mali, Ghana, and Liberia has triggered severe humanitarian crises, affecting an estimated four million people, most of whom are children.

As of 17 September, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said that at least 341 people had died due to the floods that have also affected nearly 1.5 million people.

Bishop Dominique Tinoudji of the Diocese of Pala in Chad has urged the population not to despair, reminding them that “God is still on the throne.”

In a September 8 Mass dedicated to the flood victims, the bishop noted that “the situation we face might lead us to question God’s presence, His protection, and His help; but even in the face of such a severe trial, we must not give up hope.”

The bishop called Christians to action, urging them to make sure the new shelters now called home by the millions displaced by the floods do not constitute a source of fresh problems for the people.

“We must safeguard hygiene to prevent disease and protect the vulnerable from the cold and malaria-carrying mosquitoes,” Tinoudji said.

“We are one body in Christ, and individually member’s one of another. Opening your hand to give a kilogram of rice, some maize, or a bar of soap can make a huge difference,” he continued.

He emphasized the importance of supporting local Caritas organizations to ensure a coordinated disaster response.

“Caritas is our way of putting charity into action. Unfortunately, in many parishes, Caritas is either inactive or absent. Even our diocesan Caritas is still in its early stages,” the bishop said.

The Catholic Church leader encouraged communities to take “practical steps in city planning to reduce future risks, particularly in flood-prone areas.”

“Our engineers must help us design cities that consider natural water pathways, flood-prone areas, and proper drainage systems,” the bishop said and reiterated his call to trust in God’s continued presence, saying, “Do not be afraid; be strong and keep your trust in the Lord.”

In Nigeria, at least 269 people are reported dead and more than 640,000 people displaced, according to the latest data from the country’s disaster management agency NEMA.

The flooding in Nigeria was caused by the collapse of a dam following heavy rainfall. There are also concerns that there will be even more flooding in the days ahead as Cameroon plans to release water from the Lagdo Dam in the country’s Far North Region.

Nigeria’s hydrological services agency has warned that 11 states would potentially be flooded as a result.

The Catholic auxiliary bishop of Maiduguri – located in Nigeria’s Borno state that has been most affected by the floods – has in a video message noted that “the city of Maiduguri has been engulfed with a devastating flood and over 40 percent of the city is under water.”

In comments to Crux, the Episcopal Secretary for Laity Affairs of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Josef Iorakpen Ishu, noted that “the flood regime in Nigeria is heartbroken.”

“The flood that is ravishing some parts of the country is compounding the hardship on the people. In fact, the metrology agency is predicting that more states will experience flooding in days and weeks to come, and the government is asking those living in such areas to vacate immediately,” he told Crux.

“The question is should people vacate where? Because the same government has not provided alternative homes or makeshift homes for the people,” he said.

“Even humanitarian agencies are overwhelmed by the situation. It is a huge challenge for us here,” Ishu added.

Then referencing the recent End Bad Governance Protest in Nigeria, Ishu said the government’s response to the floods is just further proof that it has “lost its relevance at all levels: Federal, state and local levels.”

“People are helpless and looking up to God for divine intervention,” he said.

“We are reaching out to our friends at Aid to the Church in Need for your prayers, especially at this difficult and challenging time,” the Bishop of Maiduguri said in a video message.

In Cameroon, where the UN says at least 17 people have died, the government has offered assistance in terms of basic items like blankets, soap, and buckets.

In Niger, over 137,000 people have lost their homes due to flooding since August. Almost 100 deaths have been recorded.

“The situation [in West and Central Africa] is devastating — people in the region are already grappling with rising hunger and alarmingly high malnutrition,” said Modou Diaw, the West Africa Vice President for the International Red Cross.

Climate change is now blamed for the floods, triggering calls for a response to the high cost Africa pays due to the issue.

“Africa is losing an estimated 2-5 percent of its GDP annually due to climate-related disasters,” said Dr. Richard Munang, Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in comments to Crux.

“For instance, adaptation costs in sub-Saharan Africa are projected to reach $30-50 billion annually over the next decade,” he said.

Source: Crux

22, September 2024

Paul Biya is still away, hasn’t returned to Yaoundé ⁰

Cameroon is battling devastating floods as the country’s President Paul Biya, still broad on a trip he began two weeks ago, tasked officials to address the dire humanitarian crisis.

Some 20 people have died and 236,000 others displaced in the Far North region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

They are among 2.30 million people in West and Central Africa so far affected severe flooding in 2024.

This region has been experiencing flooding since the start of the rainy season, which began in the second half of July with an average rainfall frequency of one day out of four.

There has been an increasing significant damage to infrastructure, farmland, and disruption of essential services in three of the six administrative divisions of the floods-prone region including Mayo Tsanaga, Mayo Danay, and Logone-and-Chari.

The peak of the floods was recorded on August 28 with the breaking of water retention dikes in Mayo Danay, causing the town of Yagoua and other villages to be flooded, OCHA said on Friday.

Several schools have been forced to shut, destroyed, or are being used to provide shelter for affected communities since the 2024/2025 academic year started on Monday September 9 leaving schoolchildren in the region in limbo.

The mostly agrarian and pastoralist population has seen its and farmland and herds of cattle and sheep; main source of livelihood and vital for local economies and food security washed away by floodwaters. The lifestyle of the people in this part of the country is nomadic.

This week, authorities moved students to schools that are still functioning using mainly heavy duty trucks and canoes, signaling a possible overcrowding for the time being.

Cameroon’s floods aren’t the only source of crisis. While the students in this part of the country are suffering from an environmental disaster, those in most parts of the Anglophone region of the country have also been at home because of conflict.

The English speaking regions of South West and North West in Cameroon have seen school disrupted for fear of being attacked as armed separatists have imposed a lockdown and are reinforcing tactics to prevent children from schooling.

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is still away after he first left the country for Beijing on September 8 for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

State television reported with footages of a plane carrying the president and wife that the ageing leader had left the Chinese capital. But ten days later, he hasn’t returned to Yaounde.

Biya routinely travels to Europe for “brief private stays” and sometimes detours from foreign trips. He has been absent before from national crises although his officials often argue they are delegated to deal with the issues while he is away.

In October 2016, when an overloaded train derailed in the small town of Eseka, killing over 75 people, Biya was on a “brief private visit to Europe” which is how his office refered to his regular jaunts to Geneva.

A year later, the president was again on another “private” visit to Switzerland when protests broke out in the Anglophone western part of the country over perceived and real marginalisation of the English-speaking minority population. The protests ballooned into today’s armed struggle that has kept many schools closed.

Though again absent, the 91-years-old President was touched by news of the devastating floods in the Far North Region of the country, according to the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, who conveyed the Cameroonian leader’s heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families at a press conference in Yaounde on Friday.

As part of a wide range of emergence response measures, Minister Atanga Nji announced that the president had ordered the disbursement of an emergency aid of $594,000 (FCFA 350 million) to the flood victims.

“We will provide beds, matrasses, food items and other health facilities to the victims,” said Atanga Nji. He supervised the departure of some truckloads of part of the assistance from Yaounde on Tuesday.

Blaming the floods on climate change, Atanga Nji said the floods, and droughts, will not be unique to Cameroon. He said neighboring Lake Chad Basin countries like Chad and Nigeria have also been hit by floods, landslide and mudslide resulting from scattered downpours and thunderstorms. The same countries have been pummeled by droughts recently.

In Chad, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports at least 341 fatalities, at least 1,495,969 people affected and 265,590 damaged houses by devastating floods in the central and south-western part of the country as at Tuesday. Local media including Chadinfos.com have reported a higher tool.

In Nigeria, at least 30 people have died and several hundred thousand others forced from their homes by floodwaters in Maiduguri, capital of northeastern Borno state that borders Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Already burdened by violence and insecurity brought about by the Boko Haram insurgency, the recent floods have exacerbated the sorry story of the Far North Region one of Cameroon’s most populous and least developed of the ten semi-autonomous administrative regions.

According to OCHA, the floods have struck vulnerable communities already facing challenges due to climate change, pockets of drought, locust invasions, bird invasions, pachyderm invasions and a highly volatile security context since 2014, “not to mention the structural poverty of the Region”, it said in a report on Friday, September 13.

Cameroon is just one of several countries so far hit by floods this year in West and Central Africa.

Torrential rains and severe flooding have affected more than 2.30 million people in West and Central Africa in 2024, according to statistics by OCHA. The most affected countries are Chad, Nigeria, Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali.

Culled from the East African