25, July 2016

China unveils world’s largest amphibious aircaft ⁰

China has unveiled the world’s largest production amphibious aircraft after seven years of work, which it plans to use to perform marine rescue missions and fight forest fires, the Xinhua news agency has reported. The AG600, which is about the size of a Boeing 737 and was developed by state aircraft maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), rolled off a production line in the southern city of Zhuhai on Saturday, Xinhua said quoting the firm. AVIC deputy general manager, Geng Rugang, said the plane was “the latest breakthrough in China’s aviation industry.” A plan for the development and production of the AG600 received government approval in 2009.

The aircraft has a maximum flight range of 4,500 km and can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds. It has a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes, Xinhua said. China has been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles, which has rattled nerves regionally and in Washington as China takes a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places like the South China Sea. In June, it put into service a new domestically-developed large transport aircraft, the Xian Y-20, powered by four jet engines.

Reuters

25, July 2016

Douala: GM of Cameroon Autonomous Port passes on!! ⁰

Emmanuel Etoundi Oyono who headed the Cameroon Autonomous Ports Authority has passed away. News of his transition to eternity was made public on Sunday July 24, 2016. Cameroon Concord News gathered that he was evacuated to France twice for medical reasons. Recently, he appeared in public and looked like a living corps.

On September 21, 2015, Emmanuel Etoundi Oyono left Cameroon for a one-month mission abroad and only returned to his native country after three months. He reportedly extended his stay due to a health problem. The Board of the Autonomous Port announced his replacement par interim on 11 December 2015.

Upon his return, the chartered member of the ruling CPDM crime syndicate flushed out Charles Michaux Moukoko Njoh, who had taken his seat and resumed duty despite his fragile health.

Sama Ernest (Cameroon Concord News)

25, July 2016

Maroua: Israel to revamp the economy of the Far North region ⁰

As the security situation caused by the Boko Haram insurgency improves, the Israeli government is bracing up to invest in the domains of agriculture, technology and infrastructure in a bid to revamp the economy of the Far North Region.

Israeli Ambassador to Cameroon, His Excellency Ran Gidor, discussed this and other related issues with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, during an audience in the latter’s cabinet on July 22, 2016. Speaking to the press later, H.E. Ran Gidor said the discussions enabled him to get the Speaker’s opinion on the pressing needs of the people of the Far North Region.

“He drew my attention to specific issues such as the lack of potable water and the need to attract Israeli investments in the domain of drip irrigation,” the diplomat disclosed. He pledged the concentration of Israeli efforts and resources in developing the Far North Region. In effect, he explained, agreements with some United Nations Organisation agencies will be finalised in the coming weeks for the first results to emerge, probably in two months.

Cameroon Tribune

25, July 2016

Professor Tazoacha Asongayi buried in Belluh-Lebang ⁰

The late emeritus Biochemistry University lecturer was lowered into his grave in Belluh-Lebang Fontem after a solemn funeral mass by the Bishop of Mamfe Diocese. It was about 2pm last Saturday, 23 July, 2016 when the remains of the vocal and prolific socio-political critic were lowered into the grave at the cemetery of the Roman Catholic Mission Parish Belleuh-Lebang Fontem. Professor Tazoacha Asonganyi died last 3 July, 2016 in Yaounde after an ailing episode.

Hundreds of mourners came from Cameroon and abroad to bid farewell to the late 67-year-old man who had been Secretary General of the Social Democratic Front (SDF), Cameroon’s leading opposition party, from 1994 to 2005. Among the personalities who braved the deplorable road to Fontem were the SDF National Chairman, John Fru Ndi, the former vibrant icon of the SDF, Andrew Akonteh, the deceased’s widow, Florence Asonganyi, offspring and crowds of Lebialem elite, countrymen and women.

The remains of the late Professor of Biochemistry, who earned his PhD in the London University in 1980 and taught in the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, had received academic honours from his peers and laid for viewing in Yaounde on 22 July before his final 400-kilometre journey to his native Fontem in Lebialem Division of the South West Region.

As chief celebrant of Asonganyi’s funeral mass, the Ordinary of the Mamfe Diocese, Bishop Andrew Nkea, recalled the late Professor’s selfless political and social life that bore him media fame. The chapter of the man, Asonganyi, who had become a front-line choice to media columnists, television and radio producers, is closed but his over 100 articles, and volumes will forever be reminiscent of the colossal but short in gait who recently toured the various Regions of Cameroon presenting his last piece titled: “Cameroon, Difficult Choices of a Failed Democracy”. Who would have known that he was just bidding bye to mankind? Adieu Tazoacha!

Cameroon Tribune

24, July 2016

President Obama’s half-brother says he will vote for Donald Trump ⁰

US President Barack Obama’s half-brother, Malik Obama, says he is deeply disappointed in America’s current Democratic administration and will vote for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the upcoming election. “I like Donald Trump because he speaks from the heart,” Malik Obama told The New York Post in an interview from his home in the rural village of Kogelo, Kenya. “’Make America Great Again’ is a great slogan. I would like to meet him.”

Obama is reportedly still registered to vote in the US state of Maryland, where he once resided. The 58-year-old, who identifies himself as a longtime Democrat, said he has switched to “the party of [former US president Abraham] Lincoln” because of his “deep disappointment” in the Obama administration.

“Honestly, I’ll be happy when my brother is out of office, and I will finally be out of the limelight and be able to live like a human being,” Malik said. The administration’s handling of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s email fiasco was what severed him from the Democratic Party, Obama said.

“She should have known better as the custodian of classified information,” said Obama. FBI Director James Comey said earlier this month that the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee was “extremely careless” over her use of a private email server as secretary of state but would not face criminal charges.

Obama officially endorsed Clinton in early June, saying she is the most qualified for the top job. He had on several occasions hinted at backing Clinton’s White House bid, with his administration going so far as blocking the release of significant documents in her email case.

Malik also said he was annoyed by Obama and Clinton’s way of handling Libya’s former leader, Muammar al-Gaddafi. Obama has described Washington’s failure to control the situation in Libya after Gaddafi’s fall as his “worst mistake.” The Republican Party’s refusal to promote same-sex marriage was another reason that Malik Obama said “appeals” to him.

Presstv

24, July 2016

South West Public Investment Projects comes under attack ⁰

The Vice President of the Committee of Public Investment Budget in the South West Region, Madam Agbor Magdalane has decried what she termed the “so-called miss-placed priority of the BIP projects at the regional level.” The South West Iron Lady was speaking in Buea during the first quarterly meeting to evaluate the level of execution of the Public Investment Projects in the region.

Madam Agbor Magdalane stated that projects at the level of the region have no vision and have no impact on the suffering masses. Lucrative projects such as roads, electricity, water and health have been relegated within the BIP. She hinted that renovation and purchase of equipment has rather preoccupied the development purse in the region.

Said Madam Agbor “The regional projects are not even poverty alleviation projects. You can’t have regional projects when you always have renovation of office buildings and buying of equipment. Do we have to renovate and buy equipments every year?” “We want to know what they do with the old equipment,” she demanded.

Constituencies such as Ndian, Manyu, Meme, Kupe Muanenguba and Lebialem that are in dying need of rapid development projects have been reduced to cosmetic attention and the bigger picture buried. It is not only embarrassing but sad. She further noted that “councils are crying for decentralization, they want power and the little power they have been given, they cannot do things, so that people are encourage knowing that they deserve more power. They are never present. If you look at the low recovery rate, it’s because of projects at the level of the council.”

For her part, the representative of the Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Development, Mme. Djomana Christine announced that henceforth the public investment budget for the region would witness an increase. The South West was awarded 383 projects for 2016 financial year with an estimated cost of about 4,692,951,150 FRS. So far, 672,948,051 FRS have been engaged with a total payment of 429,798,202 FRS giving a percentage of 9.16% in actual payment. The physical execution is rated at 33.06%. Ndian division with about 79 projects, amounting to 926,448,300 FRS still stands at 0.00% execution at all levels. The meeting was boycotted by some regional delegates and heads of state corporations in the South West Region.

Cham Victor Bama (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, July 2016

Buea Council provides accommodation for the Molyko fire disaster victims ⁰

The 3 families affected by the fire incident in Molyko, Buea in the South West region have been housed in a three apartment building in Buea. Mayor Patrick Ekema, made the goodwill gesture saying it is in line with the concern expressed by President Biya that every Cameroonian should have access to food, shelter and medicine.

The Saturday 16th July 2016 fire outbreak in the Malingo junction left devastating consequences and the Buea city council had to provide not only accommodation but new mattresses, gas cookers, pots, food stuffs to the victims. Mayor Ekema has reportedly pleaded with the finance committee of the Buea council to foot electricity bills and other related expenses for those affected by the disaster.

The victims of the fire were lodged at a Bomaka hotel for four days before being moved to their present site. In providing a new kind of responsible CPDM leadership, Mayor, Patrick Ekema made five visits to the victims to take stock of their welfare.

Cham Victor Bama (Cameroon Concord News Group)

24, July 2016

Failed Coup: Turkey disbanding presidential guard ¹

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has announced the disbanding of the country’s presidential guard following the recent failed coup. “There will not be any presidential guard as we do not need it anymore,” told Turkey’s A Haber TV channel on Saturday. Earlier in the day, authorities arrested 283 members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s guard over alleged affiliation to failed coup.

Turkey has launched a large-scale crackdown following the July 15 attempted coup d’état. A three-month state of emergency has also been declared in Turkey. Meanwhile, the key aid of US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen (seen below), who Erdogan blames for the coup attempt, has been arrested. According to a source in the Turkish presidential office, Halis Hanci arrived in Turkey two days before the coup.

Presstv

24, July 2016

Nigeria: An appeals court rules against a ban on Nigerian Muslims girls to wear headscarf ⁰

An appeals court in Nigeria has ruled against a ban on Nigerian Muslim girls to wear the headscarf to schools in the southwestern state of Lagos. The appeals court in Lagos overturned an earlier ruling in 2013 that had banned the right to hijab in government schools in the state. The new ruling “has restored hope in the judiciary,” said Ishaq Akintola, the director of the Muslim Rights Concern group. Also, in the southwestern state of Osun, the High Court ruled last month that any harassment of girls exercising their choice of hijab constituted an infringement on their rights.

Nigeria has an estimated population of about 170 million people and is almost equally divided between a mainly-Muslim north and a predominantly-Christian south. Secretary-General Ishaq Oloyede of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria has suggested that the anti-hijab campaign in some parts of the country’s Christian-dominated areas is an effort by religious extremists to force Muslim girls into an unacceptable choice between schooling and religion.

Presstv

23, July 2016

Koffi Olomide denies attacking dancer in a Facebook post ⁰

Koffi Olomide, one of Africa’s most popular singers, has been caught on camera purportedly kicking a woman at the main airport in Kenya. Police were seen intervening to stop the attack on the woman, identified by Kenyan media as one of his dancers.

The 60-year-old rumba star denied in a Facebook post that he attacked the dancer and said he respected women. In 2012, he was convicted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his home country, of assaulting his producer.

The court gave the singer a three-month suspended prison sentence. The altercation with his producer, Diego Lubaki, was over a debt of about $3,700 (£2,800), the court heard.

BBC