Headline News

8, July 2019

Ambazonia: Interim Gov’t Announces Total Lockdown ⁰

TOTAL LOCKDOWN OF AMBAZONIA AS OUR LEADERS GO TO LRC KANGAROO MILITARY COURTS TUESDAY 9th JULY 2019

Fellow Ambazonians,
I come to you with revolutionary greetings.
In September 2017, our people took to the streets to demand their civil and constitutional rights but were met with gunshots. Tens of our innocent armless citizens were murdered whilst engaging in peaceful protests. War was declared on us by the terrorist government of La Republique du Cameroun. Since then, hundreds of thousands of our people have been internally displaced, more than fifty thousand are living as refugees in Nigeria whilst more than three thousand have been brutally murdered. More than two hundred and ten of our villages have been burned down and thousands of our people are now living in the forests. The damage our innocent people have and are facing is unbearable.
On the fifth of January 2018, this terrorist government showed utter disdain for international law by abducting our leaders in Abuja, Nigeria. Their continuous detention at the Principal Prison in Yaounde is against international law despite the Abuja High Court Decision declaring their return to Nigeria and that they be paid Compensation by the Nigeria Government for illegally abducting and transferring them to Yaoundé. They have since been engaged in a mockery called a trial at the military court in Yaounde.
Last week’s visit of United States Congressmen and Congresswomen led by Mrs Karen Bass to Yaounde shows some of the work we have been doing in the background is paying dividends. It’s a small step but it’s in the right direction. As we continue exploring diplomatic and peaceful options to attain our independence, we MUST take all necessary measures to protect and defend ourselves.
Tomorrow, Tuesday the 9th of July 2019, our leaders will be appearing at the military court in Yaounde. We condemn their continuous detention and that of hundreds of our comrades detained unlawfully without trial in many prisons around La Republique du Cameroun.
Following tomorrow’s court appearance, your Interim Government in solidarity with our Ground Zero commanders and self-defense forces herby support and reinforce the Ground Zero tradition of complete shot down of the Ambazonia Territory each time our Leaders appear in Court. To this regard tomorrow, Tuesday the 9th of July 2019 be observed as a Lockdown all over our country, Ambazonia. This is to show solidarity with our leaders and contempt to the enemy. All business activities, schools, transportation services are called upon to respect this notice.
Monday remains our traditional Country Sunday until we free our land. The Interim Government thanks all Ambazonians on Ground Zero for all your sacrifices as we join efforts to free homeland.
As we continue to fight for our freedom, we would take this opportunity to remind you that it’s freedom or resistance forever.
God Bless You God Bless the Federal Republic of Ambazonia

Milton Taka SOS DCIT/IG SPOKESPERSON

8, July 2019

Deutsche Bank to cut 18,000 jobs in 7.4 bln euro overhaul ⁰

Deutsche Bank on Sunday (July 7) said it plans to cut 18,000 jobs in a sweeping, 7.4 billion euro overhaul designed to turn around Germany’s struggling flagship lender.

The plan represents a major retreat from trading by Deutsche Bank, which for years had tried to compete as a major force on Wall Street.

The bank will scrap its global equities business and scale back its investment bank. It expects a 2.8 billion euro ($3.1 billion) net loss in the second quarter as a result of restructuring charges.

Beyond the expected cutbacks to equities, Deutsche said it would also axe some of its fixed income operations, an area traditionally regarded as one of the bank’s strengths.

It will create a new unit to wind-down unwanted assets, with a value of 74 billion euros of risk-weighted assets.

Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing flagged an extensive restructuring in May when he promised shareholders “tough cutbacks” to the investment bank. The pledge came after Deutsche failed to agree a merger with rival Commerzbank.

“We have started the most fundamental transformation of the Deutsche Bank for decade,” Joerg Eigendorf, Deutsche Bank head of communications told reporters on Sunday. “A new era starts for the Deutsche Bank. A new era, in which we aim to lead Deutsche Bank back onto the path of success for our clients, for our staff and of course for our shareholders,” he added.

Media reports had suggested that Deutsche Bank could cut as many as 20,000 jobs more than one in five of its 91,500 employees.

The bank did not disclose a geographic breakdown of the job cuts. The equities business is focused largely in New York and London.

A person with direct knowledge of the matter said job cuts would be distributed around the world, including in Germany.

The bank’s supervisory board met on Sunday to agree the proposed changes, one of the biggest announcements of job cuts at a major investment bank since 2011 when HSBC said it would axe 30,000 jobs.

(Source: Reuters)

8, July 2019

African states adopt ‘ECO’ as name for new currency ⁰

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has formally agreed on a name for a planned common currency set to be launched in 2020.

“ECO was adopted as the name of the ECOWAS single currency,” representatives of the 15-member group agreed in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Saturday.

“Afri” and “Kola” had been other names suggested that were rejected by the members.

An ECOWAS statement said the aim was a “gradual approach to the single currency starting with countries that meet the convergent criteria.”

Currently, eight ECOWAS countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo – jointly use the West African CFA franc, while the seven others, including Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, have their own separate currencies.

The idea of a common currency for the West African region was first mooted almost 30 years ago in the hope of boosting cross border trade and economic development.

The ECOWAS statement said the currency would be based on a flexible exchange rate regime, coupled with a monetary policy framework focused on inflation targeting.

Member states should pursue appropriate policies and structural reforms that will sustain accelerated growth and the structural transformation of their economies, it added.

The new “ECO” currency for West Africa has been compared to the European Union’s “Euro” currency.

Nigeria, which accounts for most of the region’s economic output, is the powerhouse of West Africa with over 190 population and the vastest economy.

“It is difficult to see Nigeria agree to being in a monetary union if it is not the boss,” said economist Ndongo Samba Sylla from the Dakar-based Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.

ECOWAS, which was set up in 1975, represents a total population of around 385 million inhabitants.

It comprises Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Source: Presstv

8, July 2019

Yaounde and Abuja Pledge to Combat “Terrorism” ⁰

Nigeria has promised to assist Cameroon in combating the separatist crisis rocking the central African country’s English speaking region. The pledge, made during a security meeting, has been described by Cameroon authorities as reassuring, following accusations that separatist fighters in Cameroon were being trained in Nigeria, and that weapons they use are brought in through the neighboring country.

Weapons used by separatist fighters suspected to have been made in Nigeria and brought into Cameroon, June 6, 2019. ( Moki Kindzeka/VOA) — Weapons used by separatist fighters suspected to have been made in Nigeria and brought into Cameroon, June 6, 2019.

Brigadier General Emmanuel Adamu Ndagi, leader of the Nigerian delegation to the Cameroon-Nigeria transborder security meeting that ended in Yaounde Saturday, says his country has been seriously affected by the separatist crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

The closure of parts of the border has led to a sharp decline in food imports, like sorghum, rice and onions, to Nigeria on one hand, while basic commodities exported from Nigeria, like fuel, are hard to get into Cameroon. Ndagi says because of the security, economic and humanitarian threats caused by the separatist war, Nigeria will support Cameroon in bringing peace to its troubled regions.

“The current political upheavals in that region will not be allowed to affect our cordial relations,” said Ndagi. “We will continue to support your efforts to bring lasting peace to the region. This will facilitate the return of Cameroonian refugees that have crossed the border into Nigerian territory. We must reduce vulnerabilities along our borders that are being exploited to perpetrate transnational organized crime notably terrorism, proliferation of small arms and light weapons as well as piracy.”

Paul Atanga Nji, head of Cameroon delegation (left) and Brigadier General Emmanuel Adamu Ndagi, leader of the Nigerian delegation (right) in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 6, 2019. ( Moki Kindzeka/VOA) — Paul Atanga Nji, head of Cameroon delegation (left) and Brigadier General Emmanuel Adamu Ndagi, leader of the Nigerian delegation (right) in Yaounde, Cameroon, July 6, 2019.

When Cameroon declared war on the armed separatists in November 2017, it said gunmen were attacking border localities in Cameroon’s southwest and escaping to Nigeria, where some of them were trained. Nigeria denied the assailants were crossing over from its territory into Cameroon.

In January 2018, 47 separatists, including Ayuk Tabe Julius, head of a group from Cameroon’s Angolphone regions pushing for a breakaway from the French-dominant country, were arrested in Abuja, Nigeria, extradited and jailed in Cameroon.

Paul Atanga Nji, territorial administration minister and Cameroon’s leader of the delegation to the security meeting, says in spite of the collaboration, the separatists continue to use porous borders to import weapons through Nigeria, making the security situation very uncertain.

“The security situation along our common borders has all of a sudden become a cause for concern,” Nji said. “These threats take the following forms. Secessionist tendencies, illegal exploitation of natural resources, conflicts between boarder communities, highway robbery, drug and human trafficking, illicit trafficking of fire arms, agro pastoral conflicts etc.”

The UNHCR says that by December 2018 there were more than 32,000 Cameroonian refugees in Nigeria’s Cross River state.

Nigeria’s longest international border is with Cameroon. All along the 1,975 kilometer border there are violent crises. Nigeria’s northeast states of Borno and Adamawa continue to have Boko Haram terrorist attacks.

As the Yaounde security meeting was going on, Kildadi Taguieke Boukar, governor of Cameroon’s Adamaoua region that shares a boundary with Nigeria’s Taraba state, announced renewed conflicts with Nigerians escaping farmer-herder clashes to Cameroon.

“There is a conflict along some tribes in Nigeria’s Taraba state. About 100 people from Nigeria flee [have escaped] to our territory around Kontcha division [administrative unit and], there is agro-pastoral [farmer-herder] conflicts,” Boukar said.

Nigeria has not confirmed the renewed violence, but confrontations erupted last year in Cameroon’s Adamaoua region between farmers and Nigerian cattle ranchers who had escaped tribal wars in Taraba state.

The Cameroon-Nigeria Transborder Security Committee has as prime objective strengthening border security for both countries. It was created in 2012 in Nigeria.

Cameroon and Nigeria agreed on Friday to take further measures to boost multifaceted cooperation in the fight against terrorism along their shared border.

They did not disclose details of how their cooperation will be carried out, but they said they would share information regularly to stop terrorist activities including Boko Haram attacks and separatists fighting for the independence of an English-speaking sate in Cameroon.

They said they would make it difficult for criminals to leave Nigeria for Cameroon and vice versa.

Source: VOA

8, July 2019

Africa Forum to Convene a Symposium on Cameroon ⁰

One of the principal tasks of the Africa Forum (“the Forum”) (www.AfricaForum.org) of former African Heads of State and Government and other African leaders is to support the African Union as it works to guide our Continent to achieve the Objectives detailed in the Constitutive Act. In this context the Forum has done its best to follow the evolving but troubling situation in the Republic of Cameroon.

In this regard it has had the privilege to convey some of its views and suggestions to His Excellency President Paul Biya of Cameroon. The Forum looks forward to further contact with President Biya on this matter.

In the meantime the Forum has thought it very necessary that it should take all necessary steps further to inform itself about the situation in the Republic of Cameroon in as comprehensive a manner as possible.

To achieve this objective the Forum will therefore act to convene a Symposium on Cameroon to be held possibly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia or any other African country which will agree with the Forum to provide a venue for the Symposium.

The Forum will therefore take steps without delay to contact a broad spectrum of the people of Cameroon and invite these to attend what the Forum intends must be an inclusive and open dialogue.

The Forum is convinced that the Symposium will help greatly to empower it the better to assist the Government and people of Cameroon as they work to address the challenges facing this sister African country.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Forum.

7, July 2019

Africa Cup of Nations: Host Egypt, Cameroon knocked out ⁰

South Africa stunned Egypt and Nigeria delivered another upset against Cameroon in a suspenseful second day of the Cup’s round of 16.

Thembinkosi Lorch scored five minutes from time to hand South Africa an upset 1-0 win and knock holders Egypt out of the Africa Cup of Nations as the shock results at the competition continued on Saturday.

South Africa, who had lost two of their three group games yet crept into the knockout stages, showed great improvement and were the more enterprising team, leaving 70,000 partisan fans stunned at the Cairo International Stadium.

Lorch finished off a sweeping counter-attack as South Africa, who created much the better chances, finally got an effort on target.

They will now meet Nigeria, who earlier on Saturday eliminated holders Cameroon, in Wednesday’s quarter-final.

Nigeria heads to quarter-finals with 3-2 win against Cameroon

The earlier match on Saturday also marked a major upset. Odion Ighalo scored twice and teed up Alex Iwobi’s winning goal as Nigeria eliminated defending Africa Cup of Nations champions Cameroon after a thrilling 3-2 victory in Alexandria on Saturday.

China-based forward Ighalo bundled home a scrappy opener but Clarence Seedorf’s Cameroon hit back through Stephane Bahoken and Clinton Njie with two quick-fire goals before half-time.

Nigeria drew level as Ighalo volleyed in his second just past the hour and he then turned provider to play in Iwobi to steer home three minutes later and set up the prospect of a highly anticipated quarter-final clash with hosts and favourites Egypt.

Seedorf’s penchant for change has seen the former Dutch star heavily rotate his Cameroon side in Egypt, with Karl Toko Ekambi dropping to the bench here and 2017 player of the tournament Christian Bassogog recalled along with Clinton Njie in a bid to breathe life into a faltering attack.

Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr paid the price for resting key players in the shock 2-0 loss to Madagascar, with Wilfred Ndidi, Kenneth Omeruo and Alex Iwobi all returning to the starting line-up.

The Super Eagles eliminated Cameroon in the first knockout round the last time they were reigning champions in 2004, and their bid to repeat history looked on when Ighalo nudged Nigeria ahead with a scrappy opening goal after 19 minutes.

Moments after Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui powered a header over at the other end, Peter Etebo hooked a deep cross to the far post where it was driven back across goal by Omeruo and Ighalo stabbed home via a huge deflection that wrong-footed goalkeeper Andre Onana.

It was the first time Cameroon had conceded in Egypt, but after scoring just twice in three group games the Indomitable Lions matched that output in three frenzied minutes before half-time.

Bahoken pulled Cameroon level on 41 minutes when he ghosted in behind Omeruo to connect with a terrific whipped cross from Bassogog, and Njie soon fired them in front after outpacing Ola Aina to a flick-on, holding his nerve and balance to slip beyond Daniel Akpeyi.

Njie nearly got the better of Akpeyi early in the second half, the Nigeria ‘keeper superbly clawing the ball out from just inside his post after the Marseille winger’s cutback was deflected towards goal.

Rohr introduced Samuel Chukwueze with an hour gone but it was Ighalo, the top scorer in qualifying, who came to the rescue once more with a thumping finish after Ahmed Musa chested a cross into his path.

Ighalo joined Senegal star Sadio Mane on a tournament-leading three goals and he played a key role in Iwobi’s decisive strike on 66 minutes, threading the ball through to the Arsenal winger to side-foot past Onana.

Ngadeu-Ngadjui toed wide at a corner but Cameroon struggled to threaten Nigeria in the closing stages with Ighalo denied a hat-trick late on as Onana plunged low to his right to knock away the forward’s header.

(AFP)

7, July 2019

Second refugee rescue vessel lands in Italy, defying far-right minister ⁰

A charity rescue vessel on Saturday brought 41 shipwrecked migrants into port in Lampedusa, the second boat to defy far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini’s bid to close Italian ports to them.

Mediterranea’s Italian-flagged Alex was met by a strong police presence on the quayside but people were not allowed to disembark after spending two days with the rescued migrants and asylum seekers on the sailboat.

“I do not authorize any landing for those who couldn’t care less about Italian laws and help the people smugglers,” populist Deputy Prime Minister Salvini tweeted as night fell.

Salvini last month issued a decree that would bring fines of up to 50,000 euros ($57,000) for the captain, owner and operator of a vessel “entering Italian territorial waters without authorization.”

PressTV-Italy adopts decree setting hefty fine for refugee rescue

After the Alex reached port, he said that he would raise the maximum fine to one million euros.

Mediterranea tweeted back a request to disembark those rescued, saying it had sailed to “the only possible safe port for landing”, citing “intolerable hygiene conditions aboard”.

“Shipwrecks and crew are exhausted… people rescued need to be cared for… this is a surreal situation and it is an unnecessary cruelty to prolong the wait.”

Authorities on Lampedusa last week seized another rescue ship belonging to German aid group Sea-Watch after it forced its way into port with dozens of rescued migrants on board and arrested its captain, Carola Rackete.

An Italian judge this week ordered her freed as she had been acting to save lives, a decision which sparked Salvini’s ire but may have encouraged the Alex crew.

German demonstrators express solidarity with the German captain of rescue vessel Sea-Watch 3, Carola Rackete, in Hamburg, Germany, on July 6, 2019. (Photo by AFP)

Two other investigations, on charges of helping people smugglers and resisting the authorities are still underway after Rackete forced her way past Italian customs vessels.

A third rescue ship, German charity Sea-Eye’s vessel Alan Kurdi, carrying 65 shipwrecked migrants rescued off Libya had also arrived in international waters off Lampedusa.

The group said late Saturday that it was heading for Malta.

(Source: AFP)

7, July 2019

Stevie Wonder to undergo kidney transplant ⁰

Singer Stevie Wonder will undergo a kidney transplant in September.

The Grammy award-winning singer broke the news while performing on stage at London’s British Summer Time Hyde Park concert on Saturday, July 6.

Stevie Wonder told the crowd that he already has a donor in place and will take some time off to recuperate.

The 69-year old singer has won 25 Grammys, including Album of the year three times in four years, in 1973, 1974 and 1976.

His last Grammy award for the Album of the year was for his most famous work, ‘’ Songs in the key of Life’‘.

Reuters

7, July 2019

Cameroon fines main local telecom companies ⁰

The local mobile telecom companies Orange and MTN in Cameroon have been fined over $160 million for failing to pay taxes on games and gambling services.

The Central African country corruption board announced on Wednesday.

A probe into the sector led to fines totaling $283 million, and found other companies including Camtel and Viettel were also in violation of regulations.

The amount paid by each company was not clear and the companies were not immediately available for comment.

In the report the Telecommunications Regulatory Agency said MTN and Orange were also accused of not paying taxes on their money transfer system, known as Mobile Money.

The report is another blow for MTN, which is already contesting a $3.9 billion fine in Nigeria for failing to disconnect users with unregistered SIM cards.

Unregistered SIM cards can be used for criminal activity – a growing concern in Nigeria facing the threat of militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

MTN successfully lobbied to get the fine reduced from $5.2 billion in December.

Source: AFP

6, July 2019

AFCON 2019: Seedorf faces moment of truth with toiling Cameroon ⁰

His brilliance as a player was undisputed but Clarence Seedorf’s transition into management has come with a steep learning curve. Unable to replicate his on-pitch achievements in the dugout, Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations showdown with Nigeria represents a defining moment for the Cameroon boss.

With a haul of four Champions League wins, five national titles and a host of individuals awards, the former AC Milan and Real Madrid midfielder’s career was one to envy. But two successive failures with Milan and Chinese club Shenzhen, and a relegation with Deportivo La Coruna have clouded his reputation as a coach.

The former Dutch star, now 43, succeeded underperforming Belgian Hugo Broos last year and has won three, drawn four and lost once in competition since taking charge of the five-time African champions.

Part of his legacy is at stake in Egypt as coach of the title-holders, and Seedorf will be judged by what happens here with anything less than a quarter-finals place almost certainly set to trigger his post-tournament dismissal.

Since his appointment alongside former Ajax and Netherlands team-mate Patrick Kluivert, Seedorf has found it difficult to rouse the Indomitable Lions.

His record in qualifying was tarnished by an embarrassing 1-1 draw with the Comoros and a goalless stalemate against Malawi, while repeat failures to score against Ghana and Benin at these finals have again raised questions over his suitability as coach.

– Full of stories –

“As a midfielder it’s a joy to be coached by him,” Hearts midfielder Arnaud Djoum told AFP. “He’s very attached to details. He also has a lot of stories. When he wants to give an example he always tells one. We listen to him closely because we know about his career. He’s trying to bring his experience.”

But inconsistent displays and his minimalist style are fuelling plenty of debate in Cameroon. “He’s taking a while to enter the hearts of Cameroonians who would like to see more sparkle to their game,” said local journalist Leger Tientcheu.

“We have the impression that Cameroon doesn’t have a particular way of playing and that they play according to the opponents. The Seedorf touch remains to be seen.”

During the group stage in Ismailia, Seedorf’s chopping and changing merely added to the uncertainty as he heavily rotated his line-up while his trial and error approach in attack failed to yield results.

While Karl Toko Ekambi started all three games, he was partnered by a different team-mate each time with Christian Bassogog, Clinton Njie and Stephane Bahoken all given a chance. Of the four only Bahoken found the target, in a 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau, which failed to quell the persisting doubts over the Cameroon frontline.

– Off-colour attack –

The numerous changes “don’t bother us. We always respect the coach’s choices. We have confidence in all the players. The most important thing is to stick together,” said Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who has also found himself on the bench at times despite serving as team captain.

“We must improve in several areas, notably in attack. We must be more intelligent to create more chances. We’ve shown our potential. We haven’t yet conceded a goal, there are positive things going forward,” said Seedorf.

“Sometimes teams don’t score for weeks, forwards for months. We’re remaining confident,” he said after the Benin game.

Seedorf can draw on the 3-0 victory over the Comoros that clinched qualification as a reference point for performing under pressure, but Saturday’s encounter will be a much tougher obstacle for a coach still trying to find his way.

“Before that match everyone was worried we weren’t scoring, and we scored three goals. That’s football,” mused Seedorf. Against Nigeria he will have another opportunity to silence the critics.

Clarence Seedorf’s Cameroon scored just twice in three group games in Egypt.

Source: AFP