News

Nigeria receives additional Sentinels

7, July 2016

Nigeria receives additional Sentinels 0

Nautic Africa recently delivered two Sentinel vessels to a Nigerian customer, which has received a number of other vessels from Nautic. The 35 metre vessels, Aquashield I and Aquashield II, were launched during a ceremony in Cape Town on 24 May and delivered on 16 June, Nautic Africa told defenceWeb. They will be used in the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Guinea, with their main tasks being security and patrol, crew supply and logistics.

“MRVs [multi-role vessels] have become an essential component in the maritime security operations of African countries requiring vessels capable of performing diverse operations – from patrolling and crew transfer duties to combating oil spills, fire-fighting and dealing with security threats,” commented Nautic CEO James Fisher at the launch. The aluminium vessels are powered by three Caterpillar engines, giving a top speed of 28 knots. They are equipped to sleep 18 people, with seating for 16, and can carry up to 30 tons of cargo on the aft deck. For security missions, they have ballistically protected firing positions and a ballistically protected wheelhouse.

Nautic said the build project also helped forge a strong relationship with Access Bank, the financing institution for the vessels. Roberto Imowo of Access Bank emphasised this at the launch where he spoke about opportunities for future projects. Nautic has sold a number of Sentinels to customers in Africa and the type has done well in West Africa with oil and gas support companies. Nautic Africa concluded a R600 million deal in mid-2013 to build seven of the 35 metre multi-role patrol vessels for West African clients. The first of class, MV Sir Emeka Offor, was launched in August 2014. Another two Sentinels, Augustina II and Princess Ebikenie, were launched in Cape Town in August 2015.

 

Defenseweb

With a Far North dominated CPDM regime, Biya still donating food items and farming equipment to the Far North people

5, July 2016

With a Far North dominated CPDM regime, Biya still donating food items and farming equipment to the Far North people 0

President Paul Biya after dishing out nearly all senior cabinet positions to the political elite of the Far North region has now resolve in donating consignments of food items and farming equipment to the Far North people. The president’s largess was sent to the people of Mosogo in the Mayo Moskota Division.

The Biya’s gifts were officially handed over by the Senior Divisional Officer of that Division, Julien Marcel Aseh. Beneficiaries all lauded President Biya’s generosity and noted that the donations will ameliorate their standard of living.

Mosogo is the chief town in the Mayo Moskata Division and it is located between Mayo Sava and Mayo Tsanaga Divisions, towards the borders with the Nigerian State of Borno. It is one of the localities that have heavily been affected by the Boko Haram atrocities.

Kingsley Ebong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

 

Bibi arrives Uganda on four-country trip to East Africa

5, July 2016

Bibi arrives Uganda on four-country trip to East Africa 0

Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Uganda at the start of a four-country trip to East Africa, becoming the first Israeli prime minister to visit the continent in at least 30 years. Arriving at Uganda’s Entebbe’s airport on Monday, Netanyahu said Israel’s raid to end a hostage crisis 40 years ago, in which his brother was killed, “changed the course” of his life.

The Entebbe rescue is widely seen as one of Israel’s greatest military successes. It also was a monumental event for Netanyahu, as the death of his brother, Yonatan, pushed him into the public eye and on a track that would take him to the country’s highest office.

“This is a deeply moving day for me,” he said. “Forty years ago they landed in the dead of night in a country led by a brutal dictator who gave refuge to terrorists. Today we landed in broad daylight in a friendly country led by a president who fights terrorists.”

Netanyahu travelled to Uganda with soldiers and pilots who were members of the rescue team. An Israeli band played sombre tunes at the airport on the shore of Lake Victoria, to mark the anniversary of the Israeli rescue mission, during which three hostages were killed.

Aside from Uganda, Netanyahu is also scheduled to visit Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia. In Uganda, Netanyahu will meet African leaders to discuss further cooperation and business opportunities, in a special summit to be attended by President Yoweri Museveni, as well as leaders from Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania.

 

Aljazeera

 

Adieu Professor Tazoacha Asonganyi

4, July 2016

Adieu Professor Tazoacha Asonganyi 0

The late Professor Tazoacha Asonganyi had a PhD in Biochemistry in 1980 from the University of London (UK). He did his PhD research in a Laboratory at Gower’s Street some few meters from Dillon’s Bookshop London, which he visited on a regular basis. During the same period he also worked with a Negritude Community Group (“Headstart Books & Crafts” London N15) which dealt in books on the history of peoples of African origin.

These two contacts outside his area of specialization caused a profound change in his education and did influence him principally.  He was a fan of Cheikh Anta Diop whose books and many others with the same thrust he read during that time. He taught in the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaoundé 1 since 1985, training medical students for over 30 years. He was a visiting lecturer at many universities and published in many international academic journals including some 90 peer-reviewed articles.

His scientific research interests were in Sleeping sickness/Trypanosomiasis, River blindness/Onchocerciasis, HIV/AIDS. Following the inception of multiparty politics in Cameroon in the early 1990s, he emerged and became Secretary General of the SDF from 1994-2005. He then became the Permanent Secretary of the opposition CNRR in 2004.

He parted ways with the SDF in 2006 and published over 100 articles in newspapers and other media analyzing the political situation in Cameroon and many other African countries. He observed elections for the Carter Center USA in Ghana, and for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) of Washington DC in Nigeria. He was one of the highly solicited guests on CRTV programs like Press Hour and MORNING SAFARI.

CRTV

Charles Ndongo says Biya is his savior and messiah

4, July 2016

Charles Ndongo says Biya is his savior and messiah 0

Appointments in CPDM Cameroon are not often seen as a virtue but as a reward from the head of state. This is the favor that Charles Ndongo recently got from the Cameroonian dictator when he was appointed general manager of the state owned radio and television.

Immediately after his installation, Charles Ndongo, publicly expressed gratitude to the president of the republic painting him as his “savior” and “messiah”.

Said Ndongo; “Biya has fundamentally and literally saved my life. I had only two months and some days to go on retirement but Biya has saved me. He is my savior and messiah. Thank you Mr President”. In Cameroon, retirement is seen by many CPDM militants as a kind of punishment.

Rita Akana (Cameroon Concord News Group)

 

CPDM awards 20 medals to some Senators

4, July 2016

CPDM awards 20 medals to some Senators 0

Shouts of joy swept across the Yaounde Conference Centre yesterday, June 30, 2016 as 20 medals were awarded to some Senators and personnel of the Senate. The ceremony that took place in the lobby of the Conference Centre was chaired by Senate President, Marcel Niat Njifenji, in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with the Assemblies, Amadou Ali.

Three categories of State honours, notably, the National Order of Valour, National Order of Merit and Public Force medal were affixed on the chests of 20 beneficiaries by Senate President on behalf of the Head of State. The medals awarded to the recipients were part of the 2016 20th May national distinctions to meritorious citizens.

Senators, staff and family relations who witnessed the solemn ceremony could not hide their joy each time the name of a recipient was called for the honour. Senators Ntube Agnes Njock and Mbella Moki Charles expressed satisfaction to the Head of State and said they would continue to serve the nation with loyalty. In an atmosphere of ecstasy, family relations handed bouquet of flowers to medal recipients. Meanwhile, the Senate Chairmen’s Conference met prior to the medal award ceremony to decide on the agenda of today’s plenary sitting.

CAMTRIBUNE

 

Russia sending aircraft carrier to Syria

3, July 2016

Russia sending aircraft carrier to Syria 0

Russia is sending the flagship of its navy, the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, to join the battle against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Syria.

According to the TASS news agency, the ship will leave for the Mediterranean Sea in October and serve as a platform for carrying out airstrikes against the terrorists until at least February 2017.

Presstv

Cameroon and France to sign the third Debt Reduction-Development Contract

1, July 2016

Cameroon and France to sign the third Debt Reduction-Development Contract 0

President Biya and the French Secretary of State for Development and Francophonie, André Vallini, recently held what both men described as “intensive and productive discussions”.  Cameroon Concord News learned from government sources that President Paul Biya stressed on bilateral cooperation, the fight against terrorism and the going-on within the European Union.

Speaking of the Development and Debt Reduction Contract (C2D) with his guest, André Vallini, the Cameroonian dictator revealed that the cooperation formula has been “useful, efficient, virtuous and concrete.”  Beyond the C2D, André Vallini reaffirmed the commitment of France to participate in the development of Cameroon.

Biya also called for greater coordination in the fight against international terrorism and hinted that there was an urgent need for intelligence sharing among countries of Europe, Africa and the United States.  The French minister was accompanied during the Unity Palace audience by a large delegation including the French ambassador to Cameroon, Christine Robichon.

Minister Vallini is expected to sign the third Debt Reduction-Development Contract, aimed at supporting the Cameroon’s development. He will travel to Douala today to inaugurate major urban development projects and sign an agreement with the urban community on the “Douala Sustainable City” project. Lastly, he will inaugurate the new premises of the Pasteur Center of Cameroon for Clinical Research on Malaria and will visit the “Foyer de l’espérance” in Yaoundé, a benchmark institution for the reception, protection and reintegration of children and young people.

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai (Cameroon Concord News)

Controversial Penal Code adopted despite SDF disapproval

29, June 2016

Controversial Penal Code adopted despite SDF disapproval 0

The National Assembly after scrutinizing the new penal code transmitted it to the Upper House where senators worked for five hours unending to examine the text. It was adopted despite the disapproval of the Social Democratic Front whose members staged a walk out. During the 28th June 2016 session the SDF Senators once again expressed discontentment with certain articles of the bill tabled for adoption.

The party insisted for some articles to be dropped but their views were not taken into consideration. Even though they abandoned the discussion table, deliberations continued and after five hours, the bill was adopted. Those who disapproved of the new penal code pointed out to specific articles therein. Most of those against, argued that the new law favours the rich.

A critical reading of the new text gives the impression that the Ministers are being emboldened unlike the former law where immunity was restricted only to parliamentarians, but now the law extends this immunity to members of government. The two months unpaid rents which leads to an eviction of the tenant, the con say, have been tailored to favor the landlord. The issue of adultery which many believe is a private family affair do not favor the husband who is considered the all powerful within the family circles.

These and other articles of the penal code especially that which relates to religious deceit are some issues that have not gained total approval. That notwithstanding, the Senate worked long hours this Tuesday, June 28 and adopted all 370 articles of the bill that was defended by the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seal, Laurent Esso.

CRTV

Cameroon says over 20 billion of ill-gotten wealth revovered

29, June 2016

Cameroon says over 20 billion of ill-gotten wealth revovered 0

Alfred Etom, is the Coordinator of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, a body operating within the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) In a recent conversation with Cameroon Tribune, he speaks of the National Anti-Corruption Commission 2014 report! He says over 20 billion FCFA has been recovered.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission’s 2014 Anti-Corruption Status Report unveils fabulous sums of State funds embezzled. How much of these embezzled funds have been recovered?

Alfred Etom: Let me first recall that this report does not only contain activities carried out by the NACC, but also by other ministries and institutions with the aim of fighting corruption. In 2014, the Special Criminal Court recovered more than FCFA 7 billion. More than FCFA 3 billion was recovered by the Supreme Court. The Council for Financial and Budgetary Discipline also recovered more than FCFA 3 billion.

Vote holders were fined to the tune of FCFA 70 million, while NACC recovered FCFA 6 billion this year. So, nearly FCFA 20 billion of ill-gotten funds have been recovered since 2014. Specifically, the funds were recovered on the national territory. Although the process of recovering ill-gotten wealth hidden abroad is complex, it is ongoing.

Does this indicate an evolution in the recovery of embezzled State’s assets?

Alfred Etom: Yes, because Cameroonians are more and more cooperative. At the beginning, it was not easy, but they have noticed that we are committed. Once NACC is after you, we do not give up until we have the expected results. Now that we have developed our visibility, Cameroonians have a greater tendency to trust us. And this trust is motivation for us to keep working. This also accounts for the results achieved so far.

What are some of the challenges in this task?

Alfred Etom: One of the challenges we have to overcome is that we do not have regional branches. For us to carry out an effective fight to downscale corruption, we have to be close to the population. When people send us their tip-offs, it takes time for NACC to react just because we are far from them. It slows down the process and frustrates those who report corruption cases.

The report also talks of only 27 per cent rate of implementation of Regional Anti-Corruption Action Plans. What is your take on this?

Alfred Etom: The 27.3 per cent was in 2014. Then, we thought there was no real will to tackle the issue of corruption in the regions for many reasons. One of the reasons is that Regional Inspectorates of Service were not well-equipped to carry out anti-corruption actions, initiatives and investigations. Secondly, there was also lack of will to combat corruption because they thought that NACC only fought against big corruption, which is wrong. The third reason is that they themselves fed on corruption. It is difficult for somebody who feeds on corruption to fight corruption. Ever since, the situation has improved to about 30 per cent today. Things have improved.

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Cameroon Tribune

 

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