Business

15, January 2017

Scores of refugees feared dead off Libya coast ⁰

Scores of people are feared dead in an incident involving a boat that capsized in the Mediterranean Sea while carrying 110 asylum seekers. The Italian coastguard said four people had been rescued in the waters between Libya and Italy, where the incident occurred, media reported on Sunday. A spokesman for the coastguard added that 13 bodies had so far been recovered from the boat, which capsized around 50 kilometers off the coast of Libya. Italian, Spanish, and French naval and merchant vessels as well as a plane and a helicopter were involved in rescue operations, the spokesman said.

According to the Italian government, 181,000 asylum seekers arrived in Italy last year, all of them having departed from Libya. The refugees, desperate to leave and thus at the mercy of human traffickers, are often loaded onto rickety vessels in the waters of the Mediterranean. Countless incidents of boats capsizing have occurred and hundreds have perished as a result. In 2016, 5,000 asylum seekers died during the perilous crossing, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The exodus of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East has also led to a refugee crisis in Europe, their desired destination. In reaction to the crisis, European countries have mobilized resources to reduce refugee arrivals and deport those that do arrive to other countries. Tougher border controls, strict refugee policies, and deals with countries to return asylum seekers are part of the measures enforced by European authorities to cope with the crisis. This is while analysts believe Western policies are the root of the crisis, as those policies fan the flames of wars and conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa and force locals to leave their homes.

Presstv

12, January 2017

International money transfers disrupted for several days in Cameroon ⁰

International money transfers have been severely disrupted for several days in Cameroon. Some local media reports have blamed the situation on the Yaounde regime’s efforts at stifling the Anglophone uprising. However, Cameroon Concord News understands the International money transfer operators such as Western Union and Money Gram have refused to be taxed on their commissions.

Since 2015, the Cameroon finance law requires that operators’ levies on transfers be taxed. The Cameroonian representatives of these products, who strongly oppose the 2015 rules and regulations, have therefore decided to suspend the activity. A journalist with a sister publication Cameroon Intelligence Report hinted that the operators have not reached an agreement with their international partners.

However, although there has been a law since 2015 and the implementing legislation has been delayed due to administrative burdens, commission fees received by local operators have never been taxed for transfers to the EU.

By Chi Prudence Asong

11, January 2017

Nigeria: Oil and gas workers on strike over payment ⁰

Nigerian oil and gas workers have staged a walkout, claiming that they have not received payment. The industrial action on Tuesday affected at least 12 flow, compressor and pumping stations in the southern state of Delta. Workers said a closure of facilities was also possible in the coming hours.

All facilities affected were operated by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The strike could seriously affect Nigeria’s already battered oil production. The sector has been suffering from back-to-back attacks by militants of the Delta region.

Reports said the continued strike could also hit supplies to the Utorogu natural gas plant, one of the biggest in Nigeria. That could mean power shortages for domestic use. Worker representatives said they had informed NPDC officials of the action last week. They said they would not go back to work until their demands are met.

Nigeria, one of the leading oil producers in Africa, has lost nearly a third of its oil production over the past years, mainly due to militant attacks in Delta region. The militants want a fair share of oil income for the impoverished region, something the government has resisted in light of the slump in the global oil prices in the past few years. Abuja has managed to reach ceasefires with militants, but sporadic attacks have continued.

Nigeria has also been battling militants of the Takfiri group Boko Haram in its northern regions, further draining its oil-driven finances. Rampant corruption in the military and state institutions has seriously hampered government efforts for shoring up the economy.

Presstv

7, January 2017

Cameroon arrest 700 agents from the Ministry of Finance ¹

700 agents from the Ministry of Finance have been arrested and charged for diverting from the state coffers the sum of 1 billion 300 million FCFA. CIR gathered that the 700 agents are members of a vast network operating within the ruling CPDM crime syndicate.

Several members of the gang have been detained at the Central prison in Kondengui. We gathered that those involved were employed in the salary and human resource department including the IT services. These officials were paid several times and on several occasions. They even received salaries and wages for deceased persons and even the death benefits of some families instead of the rightful beneficiaries. The network also provided fictitious payslips to non civil servants.

The fraudsters benefited from a wide network within the Ministry of Finance. Those in the IT department were in charge of erasing all data from the computers that could trace any money received. This is not the first time that such a network has been dismantled by the Ministry of Finance. Each time it is uncovered with a media announcement, the mafia always succeeds in reappearing again in the ministry of finance where agents are ranked among the richest men and women in Cameroon.

Culled from Cameroon Intelligence Report

23, December 2016

CEMAC leaders reject second devaluation of the common currency ²

The extraordinary summit of the CEMAC region has ended in Yaounde this Friday with 21 resolutions adopted to resolve the economic and financial crisis which has rocked the countries in the region.

Cameroon Concord News understands that the leaders also set up a committee to monitor the implementation of the 21 resolutions. Paul Biya and his counterparts gave a vehement “no” to the devaluation of the common currency.

The Heads of state opted for the austerity measures prescribed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which provides for drastic adjustments.

Some of the resolutions included the Implementation of an infrastructure policy to promote sustainable development for the benefit of the population,the commitment to community solidarity in the face of current and future economic and security shocks and above all, a monetary policy which involves freezing the ceilings of statutory advances of BEAC to the level set in 2014.

In his closing remarks, Mr Biya reminded his counterparts that “bilateral and multilateral partners should be given” flexibility”

By Kingsley Ebong

23, December 2016

Yaounde: CEMAC leaders discussing a second devaluation of the FCFA ⁰

Presidents Sassou Nguesso of Congo, Ali Bongo of Gabon, Faustin Touadera of the Central African Republic, Idriss Deby of Chad, and Theodoro Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea are in Yaoundé. The leaders together with their Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya are holding an extraordinary summit of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) this Friday, December 23, 2016.

The topics on the agenda of this extraordinary summit have still not been revealed to the media. However, speculations are high that the leaders are discussing a second devaluation of the Franc CFA because of the financial crisis in the Central African Sub region.

Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that this summit focusing on the ability of the CEMAC economy to cope with the current financial crisis. Finance ministers have revealed that CEMAC trade balance is in deficit and countries of the sub region are now facing a drastic decline in their reserves in terms of the French treasury operating account. So it is obvious that there is a risk of a second devaluation.

The leaders are also expected to examine the subject on the negotiations between CEMAC and the European Union for the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreements.

By Rita Akana

22, December 2016

Finance Minister in hot waters over a 24 billion FCFA payments made to a CPDM tycoon ⁰

The Minister of Finance has been accused of paralyzing public finance as many service providers are unable to reclaim their funds due to a fictitious financial slump within his department. Information has also filtered that Cameroon is broke and the state is no longer able to meet some of its commitments.

However,Cameroon Concord News gathered recently that the Minister of Finance, Alamine Ousmane Mey approved the payment of 24 billion FCFA to the billionaire Baba Danpullo who reportedly is a President Biya acolyte. The reasons for this payment have not yet been clarified and made public. But what we do know is that the payments to the CPDM tycoon, Baba Danpullo were made spontaneously while other invoices validated for payments to some economic operators and other service providers have been tripping for several months at the premises of the ministry.

The CPDM Francophone pattern of governance provides for payments to some people at the detriment of several others. The Minister had reportedly told some other businessmen and women that the war on Boko Haram had emptied state coffers but was quick to dish-out 24 billion CFA to Baba Danpullo. Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey comes from a family whose fortunes have been linked to the Biya administration for more than 40 years. His father was a close confidante of Biya under Ahidjo.

By Rita Akana

18, December 2016

Bamenda: Calm returns to markets after “hectic” week ⁰

Life is gradually returning to normalcy in Bamenda, North West Region after last week’s violent strike action. Taxis are busy transporting passengers while bike riders who were at the center of the strike have resumed work. Shops have been reopened and markets are all noisy once again.

Areas worst hit by the strike such as City Chemist, Hospital Round About and Mobile Nkwen, are all booming with activities. Bus conductors could be heard scrambling for customers who ply different destinations such as Bali, Nkwen, Mbengwi among others. In most joints in Bamenda, Security forces are stationed to preempt any uprising again. Policemen from the mobile intervention unit are perceived putting on their war shield, armed right at the level of their teeth.

At the Food market, traders are present but buyers are few, most are still scared to go out of their homes, talk less of going to a gathering like the market. The traders hold that most people bought their food and stored in homes while others are still to recover from the shock and damages.

But as the town of Bamenda is back to life, Babila John, a roadside trader at City Chemist says it is just temporal, he suspects the strike might be more intensive by January. Traders had said the fact that they are back in markets does not mean they have called off the strike, according to Unionists, the strike shall continue after the festive period.

Culled from Cameroun info.net

2, December 2016

US President-elect says American corporations that relocate abroad will be punished ⁰

US President-elect Donald Trump has said American corporations that relocate abroad will be punished under his administration. Trump made the remarks on Thursday in Indianapolis, the capital of the state of Indiana, as he announced an agreement with air conditioning manufacturer Carrier to keep jobs in the United States.

“Companies are not going to leave the United States any more without consequences. Not going to happen,” Trump told workers at the Carrier plant. “They can leave from state to state, and negotiate deals with different states, but leaving the country will be very, very difficult,” he added. During his election campaign, Trump has spoken against corporations which are leaving the United States for cheaper workforce abroad in order to earn more profit, leaving many Americans jobless.

He has vowed to bring jobs back to the United States and punish those companies which refuse to do so by imposing major tariffs on their products. Trump particularly singled out Carrier, a brand of United Technologies Corporation, saying he had been trying to convince the firm not to shift thousands of jobs to neighboring Mexico.

The Republican billionaire had warned that his administration would slap tariffs on Carrier products as they were exported back to the United States. “But I called Greg (Hayes, UTC’s chairman) and I said it’s really important, we have to do something because you have a lot of people leaving and you have to understand we can’t allow this to happen anymore with our country,” Trump said as he recalled an earlier discussion with the corporation ‘s top executive.

The company said in a statement that under the deal, negotiated by Vice President-elect Mike Pence, Indian state offered Carrier $7 million in incentives over a decade, “contingent upon factors including employment, job retention and capital investment.” Pence, the outgoing Indiana governor, said the agreement will keep about 1,100 jobs in the state. “This is a great day for Indiana and it’s a great day for working people all across the United States of America.”

Trump’s campaign had been hit with so many controversies since its inception in early 2015. But the real estate tycoon still managed to stun the world by defeating the heavily-favored Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, in the November 8 election by promising to make American economy better and providing jobs to the jobless.

Presstv

1, December 2016

World Bank Operations Manager says Cameroon’s economy is strong and promising ⁰

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Cavaye Yeguie Djibril has granted audience to the Operations Manager for the World Bank in Cameroon, Elisabeth Huybens today, Thursday the 1^st of December 2016.

Elisabeth Huybens was at the National Assembly to discuss the state of cooperation between Cameroon and the World Bank. During her meeting with Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, the Operations Manager for the World Bank in Cameroon hailed the country’s economic performance.

She described the economy as strong and promising in spite of the falling prices of oil and other external shocks on the international market. Belgian born Elisabeth Huybens was appointed the Operations Manager for the World Bank in Cameroon, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe since July 2015.