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MOHWA: Comfort Beyang has to go!

12, August 2024

MOHWA: Comfort Beyang has to go! 0

After EYUMEMA, NYENE MAWN and BECHOKO NGOREH MANYU, another organization will soon see the light of day as more women are planning to abandon MOHWA to create their own organization in Cameroon. MOHWA is gradually but surely becoming an empty shell.

MOHWA, a once iconic Manyu organization, is hemorrhaging members and money in an unprecedented manner. Its members are now doubtful about their president’s ability to steer their organization to safer shores. A nasty financial scandal has rocked MOHWA and it will take this once popular organization a long time to rebuild.

The MOHWA boat is sinking. Many people are concerned. The president herself is becoming increasingly isolated, especially as there is news that the next MOHWA president will soon be announced. Though quiet, the Manyu political elite in Yaoundé is also concerned. In their view, if any rebranding has to start, then it must be after the departure of the current president whose stewardship has given the organization a bad name. It should be mentioned that after a long and bruising battle with his conscience, Minister Victor Mengot only got his wife registered recently and he is confused right now as the scandal tears MOHWA apart.

According to a source in Yaoundé, the Manyu political elite do not want the people of Manyu to see their silence as their inability and unwillingness to help bring about a solution. The elite understand that the organization has been hit with a cluster bomb and putting the pieces together will be a Herculean task.

The Cameroon Concord News has also been informed that a compromise is in the offing and that most MOHWA members around the world now understand that Comfort Beyang belongs to the past and on a dirty ash heap of history.

Her once bloated ego has been punctured and her political dreams have now turned into a massive nightmare which will not be going away anytime soon as the Cameroon Concord News will continue to expose the irresponsibility, greed and manipulation which have become the hallmarks of MOHWA.

Comfort Beyang with a PhD attached to her name who once thought that being a university professor meant she was untouchable and omniscient, is today regretting the many mistakes she had made. She rejected every pearl of wisdom senior Manyu ladies shared with her, thinking that her academic attainments had transformed her into the new Socrates of Manyu Division.

She now knows that passing an exam does not bestow on her the status of an iconic intellectual. Teaching in a university is just a job which can be done by anybody whose dream is to be within an academic environment. Picking up a fight with the media will remain her greatest undoing.

She thought her ‘lame dogs of war’, especially those living in the USA, could impress anybody with their empty noise and threats of law suits. For intellectual excellence and philosophical thinking, many of those dogs of war still have a long way to go. They do not even have the time to come up with a logical and convincing rejoinder as time is a scarce resource to people who are still struggling to make ends meet. 

MOHWA is not a private organization. It is a Manyu organization which receives goodwill donations. It is the prerogative of whistleblowers and journalists to bring to light any issues of malfeasance destroying the organization.

Those who claim to love MOHWA must understand that the best line of action is to conduct an investigation into the allegations which are diminishing MOHWA’s standing. MOHWA will never be cleaned up if the current president is maintained. Without a thorough investigation, the extent of the damage will never be known.

MOHWA does not have the financial resources to undertake any major projects in Manyu. With donors questioning the credibility of the organization, MOHWA will end up like a “food and dance organization”, that is, if the women who are following Comfort Beyang over the clift like lemmings will still have the right dance steps after this scandal. 

Comfort Beyang has to go. She has overstayed her welcome. This scandal has not only foiled her political plan, it has also upset her plan to build a beautiful home for herself in Buea. With donors gone, that house will continue to stand there uncompleted for a long time. If she does not go, then there will be more defections which will only further weaken MOHWA.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Group Chairman and Editor-in-chief

Cameroon Concord News Group

UK’s Starmer urges Iran to refrain from Israel attack

12, August 2024

UK’s Starmer urges Iran to refrain from Israel attack 0

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged Iran to “refrain” from attacking Israel during a phone call with Iran’s new president.

Sir Keir told Masoud Pezeshkian there was a “serious risk of miscalculation and now was the time for calm and careful consideration”, Downing Street said.

It is the first call between a UK prime minister and an Iranian president since March 2021 when former British leader Boris Johnson spoke to Hassan Rouhani.

News of the 30-minute discussion came as the UK issued a joint statement with the US, France, Italy and Germany – urging Iran to end its threats of an attack on Israel.

They called on Iran to “stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place”.

The leaders, who spoke together by phone, also expressed their support for the “defence of Israel against Iranian aggression and against attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups”.

Fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East have been growing following the recent assassination of senior Hezbollah and Hamas leaders.

On Sunday, the US confirmed it had sent a guided missile submarine to the region in response to these concerns. The submarine can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, which are used to strike land targets.

It had also ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, which is carrying F-35C fighter jets, to accelerate its journey there. The ship was already on its way to replace another US ship in the region.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby later said that the US shared Israel’s concerns that it was “increasingly likely that there will be an attack by Iran and or its proxies and perhaps in the coming days”.

“That is why we have been continually speaking to our Israeli counterparts and other counterparts in the region,” Mr Kirby added.

Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), said that the country took the threats of its enemies seriously and that Israel was at “peak preparedness for attack and defence”.

Downing Street also said on Monday that Keir Starmer had told Mr Pezeshkian he was “deeply concerned by the situation in the region and called on all parties to de-escalate and avoid further regional confrontation”.

Iran blames Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on their soil late last month and has vowed to punish it.

Israel, which is currently engaged in a war attempting to destroy the group in Gaza, has not commented but is widely believed to have been behind the killing.

Iran’s acting foreign minister said last week that the country would respond to the killing of Haniyeh at the “right time” in the “appropriate” manner.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a group of states with Muslim-majority populations, said it held Israel fully responsible for the attack, which it called “a serious infringement” of Iran’s sovereignty.

Ismail Haniyeh is not the only senior member of Hamas to be killed recently. Israel also recently announced that the group’s military chief Mohammed Deif was killed in an air strike in the Gaza Strip last month.

The Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, with which Israel is also engaged in a conflict, has also said that it would retaliate for the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday became the latest leader to urge his country’s citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible, warning of the risk of growing tensions.

Airlines including Lufthansa, Swiss Air and EasyJet have either cancelled or suspended flights to the Middle East.

Source: BBC

Eneo Hits 800,000 Prepaid Meters Milestone

12, August 2024

Eneo Hits 800,000 Prepaid Meters Milestone 0

Cameroon’s public electricity provider, Eneo, announced earlier this month that it has installed nearly 800,000 prepaid meters. This represents about 34% of its total meter installations.

Indeed, the push towards modernization began in 2018, with Eneo replacing outdated electromechanical meters with new prepaid models. Since then, the company has added 798,700 new meters to its network, building on the 1,300 units installed in the program’s first year.

The company, backed by the British investment fund Actis, is taking steps to further increase this number. Eneo is offering a free upgrade for old electromechanical meters to new prepaid ones. “Our recent assessment revealed around a thousand installations needing an upgrade to meet global standards. We’re focused on converting these old meters to the newer prepaid technology,” Eneo explained.

To make this transition smoother for customers, Eneo has set up a robust support system. This includes field teams, assistance at local agencies, online resources, and a network of partners to ensure a seamless experience. The new prepaid meters give customers more control over their electricity usage, eliminate issues like missed bills and billing errors, and remove the need for upfront payments or handling disputes over unpaid bills.

The switch to prepaid meters has already made a noticeable impact. According to Eneo, billing-related complaints dropped by 54% between 2020 and 2022. This improvement has helped ease tensions between the company and its customers, addressing one of the most common points of contention. In 2019, bill disputes made up 43% of conciliation cases, and the new meters are expected to continue reducing these conflicts.

However, the introduction of prepaid meters has not been without its challenges. Eneo has reported a rise in fraud linked to these devices. In the first half of 2023, 62% of fraud cases in Douala involved prepaid meters, up from 38% for traditional meters. “We’ve seen various methods used to bypass these meters, including ‘shunting,’ ‘direct connections,’ and tampering with the meter’s internal components,” the company noted.

Source: Business in Cameroon

Access Bank Cameroon wins Best Services Provider Award

12, August 2024

Access Bank Cameroon wins Best Services Provider Award 0

In a remarkable achievement that underscores its commitment to excellence and innovation, Access Bank Cameroon has been honored with the prestigious Fastest-Growing Bank and Best Services Provider award for the year 2023. The accolade was presented by the Cameroon English Language Newspaper Publishers Association during a grand ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Yaoundé.

The awards, which celebrate the exceptional contributions of individuals and financial institutions to the economic landscape of Cameroon, recognize Access Bank Cameroon’s outstanding growth trajectory and unparalleled service quality.

Commenting on the award, the Managing Director of Access Bank Cameroon, Mr. Ellis ASU, expressed his gratitude and pride in receiving such an esteemed recognition. “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. At Access Bank, we strive to offer innovative and tailored solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. Being named the Fastest-Growing Bank and Best Services Provider is not just an honor but also a motivation to continue pushing the boundaries of excellence in the banking sector.”

Echoing the sentiments of the Managing Director, the Head of Retail Banking, Mr. Frankline FOBAH, highlighted the importance of customer-centric services in achieving this milestone. “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. This award reinforces our commitment to providing exceptional service and innovative products that enhance the banking experience for our clients. We are grateful for their trust and loyalty, which have been instrumental in our growth journey.”

The recognition by the Cameroon English Language Newspaper Publishers Association is indeed a milestone for Access Bank Cameroon, reflecting its robust growth and unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction. As the bank continues to expand its footprint in the region, it remains steadfast in its mission to deliver world-class banking services that drive economic prosperity for all.

With this award, Access Bank Cameroon not only highlights its position as Africa’s Gateway to the World in the financial sector but also sets a benchmark for excellence.

About Access Bank Cameroon Plc

Access Bank Cameroon Plc. is a comprehensive commercial bank specializing in wholesale, retail, digital, and proximity banking services. The bank was granted its banking license by the government of Cameroon on February 1, 2022, and officially began operating on May 23, 2022, from its main office in Akwa, Douala.

Excited to contribute to Cameroon’s economic landscape, which serves as a vital business hub in the Central African region, Access Bank aims to be recognized as the world’s most respected African Bank and Africa’s gateway to the world. Through tailored solutions that help businesses achieve their financial objectives, the bank offers a wide range of products to enhance trade and industry. With a global presence and connections to major trade routes, Access Bank facilitates access to international markets, supports international payments, and provides trade financing and loans to corporate clients. Furthermore, Access Bank Cameroon is dedicated to empowering SMEs, women in business, and young entrepreneurs in Cameroon by offering innovative solutions, financial education, and customized facilities to address their specific needs. Access Bank has garnered over 10,000 corporate, retail, and business clients and currently operates three branches in Cameroon: Akwa, Bonamoussadi, and Intendance.

Source: Business in Cameroon

MOHWA: Evidence, not ranting!

12, August 2024

MOHWA: Evidence, not ranting! 0

The MOHWA roof is on fire and even their best fire fighters are incapable of putting out the blaze. Nothing hurts like the truth and until MOHWA leaders clean up their mess, nobody will trust them. This scandal has hurt MOHWA and many donors have walked away.

While good leaders lead their communities and organizations into the land of promise, using credibility and accountability, MOHWA leaders have led this erstwhile iconic Manyu organization into a massive category nine storm which has torn the organization into pieces, using intimidation and manipulation.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, MOHWA leaders should know that the onus is on them to prove their innocence.  Ranting will never replace evidence and threats of legal action will not deter whistleblowers from telling the truth.

The Cameroon Concord News Group is a devil in alliance with the truth. It will never be an angel in alliance with falsehood. The journalism profession is not where love should be sought. It is a profession driven by the desire to report the truth and fight malfeasance in all of its forms. And that is what the Cameroon Concord News is doing.

Those who are insisting that the Cameroon Concord News journalists are amateurs are simply blissfully oblivious of their own ignorance.  Which evidence of infighting and mismanagement are more obvious and more eloquent than the formation of EYUMEMA, NYENE MAWN and BECHOKO NGOREH MANYU?

Which evidence is more devastating for an organization than the lack of transparency in the management of the organization’s finances? When was the last time MOHWA financial reports were audited? When was the last time they were presented to the general assembly? These are some of the questions MOHWA leadership should be answering for the public to continue trusting the organization, after all, the organization’s money also comes from goodwill donations.

If those who are stuck with a corrupt leadership do not see a need for an internal investigation and an audit of MOHWA finances, the public needs those investigations for it to continue trusting the organization and giving its money.

A humble leader should urge his or her collaborators to come up with incontrovertible and exculpatory evidence which should restore confidence but over the last few days, though she has lost sleep, she has continued to be defiant claiming that the allegations are rubber bullets which are not hurting.

No responsible leader speaks that way. Sources close to Comfort Beyang have reported that the allegations have hit her like a ton of bricks and, over the last week, she has become overly talkative, spending more time on the phone to gauge her supporter’s reactions and loyalty.

She does not know that her supporters will not want to rub her the wrong way, but behind the scenes, they know that she is not worthy of their trust. She has destroyed a once buoyant organization because of her greed and arrogance and the spirit of the late General Nana Abunaw is chasing her all over the place.

She is now a glaring example of why poor people should not be leaders. She wants to live the big life but her meager university salary cannot provide her the luxury and recognition she wants.

If she was really wise, she would have known that desire creates slaves out of kings. Her insatiable quest for power and recognition, and her love of a big life have diminished her in the eyes of the public.

This scandal has reduced her to normal human proportions and her scheme to use MOHWA to hoist herself to the top of the political world in Cameroon has been foiled. This is really what is hurting her at this time.

She still has a choice – present clear evidence of innocence and the public will trust her. Without such evidence, then she will been seen as being untrustworthy to handle any public office.

I dedicate this flat write up to late General Nana Abunaw-the Peace Maker

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Group Chairman and editor-in-chief

Cameroon Concord News Group

Biya regime spends 90% of Chinese development loans on Francophone regions

12, August 2024

Biya regime spends 90% of Chinese development loans on Francophone regions 0

In Cameroon, violent clashes between government forces and separatists from the English-speaking parts of the country started in 2017. Since then, at least 598,000 people have had to leave their homes and about 2 million have been left in need of humanitarian aid.

The anglophone crisis resulted from the government’s repressive response to largely peaceful protests in 2016-2017. Protesters were demanding an end to the marginalisation of the anglophone minority.

Since then, Cameroon’s military has been fighting separatist forces from the two anglophone regions of the country: North-West and South-West.

The marginalisation continues, most recently in how the government chooses the location of Chinese-funded projects. Their allocation has been heavily skewed in favour of the French speaking side of the country, leaving the anglophone region marginally represented in the geography of Chinese assistance to Cameroon.

I’m an international relations scholar with a focus on China-Africa relations and the security implications of Chinese engagements in Africa. In recent co-authored research, we looked at geographical patterns of Chinese-funded projects in Cameroon.

Cameroon depends on foreign finance for mega development projects. China is its leading source for this. Foreign aid, in the form of financial grants and loans, can help recipient countries to provide public infrastructure such as dams, ports, railways and electricity. This can support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by United Nations member states in 2015.

The research found that nearly all 51 project sites were situated in the francophone region. This is also the region where Cameroon’s long-sitting president, Paul Biya, was born. Only four (8%) of the projects were located in the anglophone region.

This is despite the fact that the anglophone region is home to at least 20% of the country’s population. And it has development needs and potential similar to the francophone region, as the country’s National Development Strategy shows.

The Chinese have pledged to support infrastructure development projects to realise Cameroon’s vision of being a newly industrialised country by 2035.

The finding of skewed development is important because the government in Yaounde has tended to repress accusations of institutionalised discrimination in the country. It recently labelled anglophone activists as “terrorists who exaggerated anglophones’ feelings of frustration.”

The unequal use of Chinese development finance has implications for Sustainable Development Goals: 7, 10 and 16 which respectively deal with energy access, economic inequalities and peace.

These goals have a direct connection to Cameroon’s challenges, including the anglophone crisis.

Unbalanced energy access

Sustainable development goal 7 is universal access to affordable and sustainable energy. This is important for lighting up homes, offices, schools, hospitals and streets, and powering factories and entertainment. It will ultimately improve people’s living conditions.

Cameroon’s national development strategy commits the government to build and repair hydroelectric dams across the country.

Our study, however, found that all hydro-power dams constructed so far with support from China are in the francophone region.

We found none located in the English-speaking regions of the country, even though those areas have a power crisis, made worse by the armed conflict.

The Cameroon government often blames limited finance for its failure to electrify many communities across the country and construct a dam in the anglophone region.

Cameroon has a power transmission network that distributes electricity across regions. But we found that communities close to power generating plants receive priority access to the transmission grid. This leaves communities further away vulnerable to poor supply. This has inspired a reliance on solar power systems in many parts of the anglophone region.

There are reports that the government has begun negotiations with Exim Bank China for funds to construct Menchum hydroelectric dam in the anglophone region.

Meanwhile, access to affordable hydroelectric energy remains uneven in Cameroon.

Economic inequalities

Sustainable development goal 10 seeks in part to reduce economic inequality. The way Chinese-sponsored projects are distributed in Cameroon potentially translates to more economic opportunities for the francophone region, relative to the anglophone region.

In search of economic opportunities, Cameroon’s English speakers often have to get past geographical and linguistic obstacles and a pro-francophone bureaucracy.

In my fieldwork observations and interviews at Chinese-funded project sites in the francophone region, I found that most of the Cameroonian workers and traders were French speakers. This was the case at the port project in Kribi and at the Kribi-Lolabe Highway project.

The few anglophone workers I spoke with reported challenges like funding recruitment trips, finding satisfactory accommodation, and integrating in host communities.

Risk of enduring insecurity

Cameroon was historically a peace sanctuary in central Africa. Since 2016, the country has descended into unrest, with protests, riots, crime, violence and repression. All this is a challenge to SDG 16.

At the heart of the unrest is the anglophone crisis. It is rooted in the colonisation of the country, first by Germany, before its partitioning by the French and British governments.

The English speakers of Cameroon are in the minority and believe they have been marginalised by the French speaking parts.

Source: The Conversation

CPDM Crime Syndicate sanctions media outlets and practitioners

12, August 2024

CPDM Crime Syndicate sanctions media outlets and practitioners 0

The National Communication Council (NCC) held its 43rd Ordinary session on August 8, 2024, examining five regulatory cases that resulted in disciplinary actions against media outlets and practitioners.

RIS Radio Suspended for Six Months

The NCC suspended RIS Radio and its Station Manager for six months following the airing of allegedly unfounded and offensive statements against Mr. Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic. The statements were made during the program “L’Editorial du Matin” presented by Sismondi Barlev Bidjocka on July 22, 2024.

Other Sanctions

– “Première Heure” print media organ, its Publisher, and journalist Alain Balomlog were suspended for one month for publishing unfounded and non-contradictory statements against Mr. Konde Jean Claude, Regional Delegate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Littoral Region.

– TV station Canal 2 International and journalist NGO Bitjaga Albertine received a warning for statements discrediting Mr. Paul Atanga Nji, Minister of Territorial Administration.

– Journalist Gnakwa Fangwa Duval of private TV station Equinoxe TV was suspended for one month for offensive accusations against Madeleine Tchuinte, Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation.

– “CAM 10 TV”, its General Manager, and journalist Nkono Mobe Claudia Chimène received a warning for undisclosed reasons.

Appeal to Respect Ethics and Deontology

The President of the National Communication Council appealed to media professionals to respect the ethics and deontology of the profession, emphasizing the importance of responsible journalism.

Source: CRTV

Issa Hayatou: The football man who knew how to play the game

12, August 2024

Issa Hayatou: The football man who knew how to play the game 0

Former African football president Issa Hayatou, who died on Thursday after a long illness, one day before his 78th birthday, presided over Confederation of African Football’s (Caf) affairs for 29 years from 1988 until his ouster in 2017.

He also served as acting Fifa president from 2015 to 2016 after Sepp Blatter was suspended by the world football governing body. He also served as senior vice president of the world’s football governing body, Fifa for 25 years (from 1992 to 2017).

He was an International Olympic Committee member from 2001-2016, after which he became an honorary member. Hayatou even challenged Blatter for the Fifa presidency in 2002, but lost heavily.

He began his sports career as a sprinter, and held Cameroon’s national record over 400 metres and 800 metres. But the former Physical Education teacher became known for endurance and longevity, perhaps in preparation for his long career in sports administration.

He had been a member of Cameroon’s basketball team. By the end of his life, few could remember Hayatou’s impact in the classroom. He was better known on the pitch and off it, for football administration until 2017.

On Thursday, Cameroon’s State radio announced that Hayatou had died in Paris, from where he had been following events at the 2024 Olympic Games while also nursing a long-term undisclosed illness. He was 77, just a day to turning 78, the radio information indicated. He had been frail in recent months and had been in and out of hospital for some time.

His death came shortly after Morocco had beaten Egypt 6-0 in the bronze medal contest of men’s football.

But the internet had ‘killed’ him long before he actually died. He had initially been forced to deny those rumours, somehow mimicking his resilience in life.

Hayatou’s first engagement with African football administration was in 1985 when he joined the leadership of Cameroon’s football federation, Fecafoot, as Secretary General and later became its president. He would then be elected CAF President in 1988, a position he held for 29 years until he was replaced by Madagascar’s Ahmad Ahmad.

He had a checkered career in football administration. While some have accused him of corruption and mismanaging African football, others praised him for expanding the reach of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Africa’s premier national football team tournament, from 16 teams to a 24-team affair, enabling countries previously thought of as minnows to rise.

He left Caf to join the world football governing body Fifa, after its President Blatter was banned from all football-related activities in 2015 as part of corruption investigations.

Born on August 9, 1946 to an influential royal family in Garoua, north of Cameroon, Hayatou first started out as Sports and Physical Education teacher, and moved on to sports administration. In the early 1980s, he served as director of Sports in Cameroon under the Ministry of Sport.

He became secretary-general of Cameroonian football federation Fecafoot in 1974, at the age of 28, and also served as its president from 1986. The same year in 1986, Hayatou was elected to sit in Caf’s executive committee.

Hayatou presided over Caf’s affairs at its Cairo headquarters from the time he was first elected in Casablanca, Morocco in 1988 following the retirement of Ethiopia’s Ydnekatchew Tessema, till March 2017.

Like Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, Hayatou won term after term as head of Caf, serving six in all. In 2017, he unsuccessfully sought an eighth mandate as head of Africa’s football governing body, losing to Ahmad Ahmad, then president of Madagascar’s football federation. Many observers thought he had overstayed his welcome at Caf.

When he took over the running of continental football body, its flagship competition, Afcon involved just eight teams, and only two spots were reserved for Africa at the Fifa World Cup.

Under Hayatou’s watch, several continental football competitions were introduced, and the Afcon expanded. In 1990, Caf changed Afcon from a 12 eight-team affair to a 16-team affair. Currently, the Afcon is a 24-team affair.

Under his watch, Caf created women’s age-group competitions (CAF Under-20 and Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations), and the African Nations Championship (Chan) which involves national teams playing in home-based leagues.

At the World Cup, Caf successfully persuaded Fifa to increase the number of slots reserved for Africa from two to five places, and to increase the number of seats reserved for Africa at the Fifa executive Committee from one to four.

During his term, Africa hosted the Fifa World Cup for the first time in 2010, in South Africa. As African football rose, his stature also rose.

One incident best illustrates Hayatou’s growing influence on the continent. In November 2014, he placed a call to Equatorial Guinea’s President-Teodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, asking his country to host the 2015 Afcon after Morocco pulled out, citing the outbreak of Ebola virus. The North African nation had feared that hosting the tournament at a time when Ebola was rocking west Africa would be a kin to opening up the country to ravages of the killer disease.

Hayatou was in a dilemma.

Barely two months to the start of Africa’s premier national football team tournament, Hayatou jetted into the Equatoguinean capital Malabo, and was received by Obiang Nguema himself at the presidential palace on November 14, 2014. The two struck a deal to replace Morocco as hosts.

“Following fraternal and fruitful discussions, the Head of State of Equatorial Guinea has agreed to host the tournament from January 17 to February 8, 2015,” Caf said in a statement at the time.

“Therefore, the Executive Committee of Caf confirms that the Afcon 2015 will be held in Equatorial Guinea on the dates agreed,” the statement went on.

“The Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone should not paralyse continental programmes and events… Ebola outbreak is being surmounted and is by no means a reason to stall the Afcon,” Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma who was African Union Commission Chairperson at the time said in a statement, praising Equatorial Guinea’s acceptance to host the tournament.

But that episode also signaled the start of the end for Hayatou’s tight grip on African football. After the next edition in 2017 hosted in Gabon, his stay at the head of CAF came to an end.

Many Cameroonian football writers and stakeholders believe Fifa had a hand in Hayatou’s humiliating election loss to Ahmad Ahmad.

Prior to the election in Addis Ababa, Philip Chiyangwa, then president of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) had organised a meeting with members of the regional football association during which Ahmad was endorsed to succeed Hayatou in the presence of Fifa president, Gianni Infantino. Infantino had been “invited” to the meeting as a guest.

“The strategy to bring someone from nowhere worked as Hayatou already had a grip on influential members of the Caf executive committee, a few had tried to succeed him and ran into trouble,” Cameroonian football analyst, Franklin Sone Bayen said of Hayattou’s fate.

In 2002 when Hayatou contested the Fifa presidency against Sepp Blatter, even the Cameroon FA voted for Blatter. It is said that Hayatou’s compatriot Iya Mohammed who was president of Cameroonian football federation at the time, had been instructed by his government to vote for Blatter, who had earlier met President Biya in Yaounde during his campaign tour.

Yet Hayatou still played a key role in the awarding of the hosting rights of the 2019 Afcon to Cameroon. Caf, under Ahmad, later moved the tournament from Cameroon to Egypt, citing security challenges and delays in stadium construction. To critics, Ahmad was using the opportunity to settle scores against Hayatou.

Cameroon was then given hosting rights of the 2021 tournament, which was delayed by 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two years after losing the contest for Caf’s leadership, Hayatou flew back to Cameroon from Cairo where he had lived most of life at Caf headquarters.

President Biya appointed him the chairperson of the Board of Directors of National Football Academy of Cameroon.

One thing always stuck out though. The Hayatou family had wielded so much political power, having been traditional holders of the sultanate known as Lamidat. The family remained influential throughout the reign of Cameroon’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo and later Biya. Hayatou’s brother Sadou Hayatou, served as Cameroon’s Prime Minister under Biya.

Hayatou’s other brother, Alim Garga Hayatou who had become the Sultan (Lamido) of Garoua, served as Secretary of State in the Ministry of Public Health as the officer in charge of epidemics and pandemics.

Speculation was rife that Hayatou would be appointed to the government peaked upon the death of his brother Alim Garga in 2021. When Garoua kingmakers gathered to pick a new Lamido, Hayatou was touted to be the next king (Lamido) of the dynasty, but his younger nephew, Army Captain Ibrahim El Rachidine, chosen for the royal seat.

Around the same time, Fifa slapped Hayatou with a one-year ban from all football-related activities for breach of code of ethics during his tenure as Caf boss. He was also fined $33,189.

Fifa’s investigations centered on $1billion deal Hayatou had signed with French company, Lagardere Sport for the commercialisation of media and marketing rights of Caf-organised competitions during his time as CAF president.

He appealed the matter at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

In February 2022, CAS ruled in his favour, and the ban was dropped.

The ban had deprived Hayatou of participating in the opening ceremony of 33rd edition of the Afcon in his homeland in January 2022. But the CAS decision meant he could attend the closing ceremony.

Culled from The East African

Iran rejects claims about hacking Trump’s presidential campaign

11, August 2024

Iran rejects claims about hacking Trump’s presidential campaign 0

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has rejected claims about hacking the campaign of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying the Islamic Republic attaches no credit to such accusations.

“We do not accord any credence to the news. The Iranian government has no intent or motive to interfere in the US presidential election,” the mission said in a statement on Saturday.

It came after the Politico news website said it began receiving emails from an anonymous account with documents from inside Trump’s campaign operation.

The campaign acknowledged that some of its internal communications were hacked, pinning the blame on Iran without providing evidence.

“These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the United States, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.

He also pointed to a recent report published by Microsoft that said Iranian hackers had tried breaking into the account of a “high-ranking official” on the US presidential campaign in June, weeks after breaching the account of a county-level American official.

Iran’s permanent mission to the UN denies Microsoft report about the country’s attempts to accelerate its cyber activities to influence the 2024 US presidential election.

Iran’s UN mission dismissed the report and emphasized that the country’s cyber capabilities are “defensive and proportionate to the threats it faces.”

“The US presidential election is an internal matter in which Iran does not interfere,” it added. “Iran has been a victim of various cyber offensive operations against the country’s infrastructures, public service centers and industries.”

The US presidential election will be held in November, pitting Trump against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Source: Presstv

MOHWA: No Sleep for the Guilty!

11, August 2024

MOHWA: No Sleep for the Guilty! 0

MOHWA members still loyal to Comfort Beyang have not yet learned that they must be selective in their choice of fights and their ignorance- driven courage will cost them a fortune. It should be pointed out that Cameroon Concord News fight against deep-seated corruption in MOHWA is to make MOHWA great again as a massive scam has become part of the organization.

There is no sleep for the guilty and MOHWA’s management will not be enjoying a good night’s sleep for a long time as the Cameroon Concord News has decided to ramp up the pressure. The heat is on and the MOHWA president is already losing sleep even though she says Cameroon Concord News is “shooting but rubber bullets.”

By letting her ill-behaved, low class commoners and opportunists to come after Dr. Joachim Arrey, a man who has been in the business of writing for more than 40 years, Comfort Beyang has stirred a hornet’s nest and she should be ready to take all the killer punches which will be coming her way. She is used to not facing any opposition but the Cameroon Concord News is prepared to shatter that myth.

An attack on a Cameroon Concord Board Chair is a clear declaration of war and the Cameroon Concord News has a massive stomach for a fight and its journalists still have a lot of gasoline in their tanks. The Cameroon Concord News is a devil in alliance with the truth. It rejects any proposal for it to be angel in alliance with falsehood. Silence in the face of corruption and injustice is acquiescence which should be condemned by reasonable people.

Before the MOHWA leadership shows up with its law suit against the Cameroon Concord News, it will have to endure some massive blinding blows. And Cameroon Concord News will be throwing those blows until Comfort Beyang submits her resignation.

She has successfully orchestrated a massive scam within MOHWA and the Manyu Diaspora is supposed to finance her scam. MOHWA is an organization designed to lend a hand to the struggling Manyu girl child, but she and her collaborators have come up with many schemes or scams which are supposed to transform the organization into their piggy bank or ATM.

What is the rationale behind asking MOHWA groups all over the world to send 17% of whatever amount of money they raise abroad to the MOHWA home branch? Only MOHWA visionaries will provide answers to this question. This is unfortunately one of the sticking points which have caused MOHWA to splinter.

Besides EYUMEMA and NYENE MAWN, a bunch of women have already formed their own brand new organization in Yaoundé – BECHOKO NGOREH MANYU – which is also eroding MOHWA’s following, robbing the beleaguered organization of much-needed resources.

Cameroon Concord News’ objective is not to free MOHWA’s followers from their self-imposed blindness, after all it is difficult to free some people from the chains they revere but this campaign for healthy financial management within MOHWA will help many to understand the illegal dealings taking place within an organization which many people of Manyu descent once held so close to their hearts. 

But that love for MOHWA is gone. It seems like a cluster bomb has landed on MOHWA and the pieces are all over the place. However, all is not lost. MOHWA can be reinvented if its current leadership exits. But until they leave, donors should not give their money to an irresponsible leadership which has no regard for the people it claims to represent.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Group Chairman and Editor-in-chief

Cameroon Concord News Group

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