15, September 2016

Cameroon host celebrations marking International Day of Democracy ⁰

The First Vice President of the National Assembly, Honourable Hilarion Etong has called on the Cameroonian youth to be more involved in the democratic process. The Parliamentarian made the call today the 15^th of September 2016 during a ceremony to launch activities to commemorate the International Day of Democracy under the theme, “Democracy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

To Hon Hilarion Etong, the youth must be included in order to meet the needs of the future generations. He used the forum to remind members of parliament of the fundamental role they must play in mobilizing more youth into the democratization process. He also emphasized that parliament must contribute towards attaining the sustainable development goals while working with government and the civil society to strengthen democracy by 2030.

Some cabinet ministers, opinion leaders and MPs were part of the session which was followed by a round table discussion. The International Day of Democracy was instituted in 2008 and is a day which provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.

CRTV

15, September 2016

Cameroon 2016: The Black Queens will be in Limbe ⁰

The “Black Queens as they are commonly called” is the Female National Football Team of Ghana administered under the Ghana Football Association. It is among the eight partaker of the 2016 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations bid for Limbe- Cameroon this November 2016. The female football squad has been gaining strides under the administration of Yusif Basigi as head coach, Mercy Myles as Captain, Alhaji Adam Munkaila – Chairman of the Management Committee.

The team’s ever first international outing was in February 1991 in Lagos-Nigeria where it bowed to Nigeria one goal to five. Its biggest win was registered on 11th July 2004 where she beat Guinea 13 goals to nil. Its greatest defeat so far was on 22nd July 2016 in Paderborn- Germany during a friendly with Germany, she was battered by 11 goals to nil. Talking about the World cup tournament, it is worth noting that the Black Queens have made it 3 times; first in 1999, and with best results during the first round in 1999, 2003, and 2007.

And finally in the Africa Women’s Championship, it has made 10 appearances, first in 1991 with best results as second position in 1998, 2002, and 2006. But unfortunately has never succeeded to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games. That notwithstanding hopes are high that the team will likely register outstanding performances this 2016 for the fact that it will be appearing for the 11th time in the Africa Women’s Championship- free from the ordeal of “fresh man fright.” The team has twice produced the best players of the year, in the African Women’s football records.

– Alberta Sackey — 2002 African Women Player of the Year
– Adjoa Bayor — 2003 African Women Player of the Year

The Black queens are presently warming up – awaiting the November 2016 Africa Women’s Football Championship in Cameroon with white jerseys set as their first outfit and yellow as the second.

The team is composed by the following categories of players:

Goal keepers

– Fafali Dumehasi
– Patricia Mantey

Midfielders

–    Hillia Kobblah
–    Mary Berko
–    Agnes Quaye
–    Portia Boakye
–    Mary Essiful

Defenders

–    Janet Egyir
–    Juliet Acheampong
–    Grace Asare
–    Cynthia Adobea
–    Mercy Myles
–    Elizabeth Addo
–    Rosemary Ampem
–    Linda Eshun

Midfielders

–    Hillia Kobblah
–    Mary Berko
–    Agnes Quaye
–    Portia Boakye
–    Mary Essiful

Forwarders

–    Faiza Ibrahim
–    Elizabeth Cudjoe
–    Samira Suleman
–    Agnes Aduako
–    Diana Ankomah

Culled from CRTV

15, September 2016

Trump, Clinton are tied among likely voters ⁰

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton are tied among likely voters in a four-way race for the White House, a new poll shows. The CBS News/New York Times poll, released on Thursday, shows both Trump and Clinton have support of 42 percent among registered voters. Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson has 8 percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein has 4 percent. Among registered voters in that scenario, Clinton has a 2 points lead over Trump, 41 to 39 percent, with Johnson earning 22 percent and Stein only 5 percent.

In a two-way race, Clinton also leads Trump among likely voters by 2 points, 46 to 44 percent. She has a 5 points lead over Trump among registered voters, 46 to 41 percent. The poll was conducted from September 9 to 13 among a national sample of 1,433 registered voters. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.

Recent polls have shown that the race between Clinton and Trump is tightening at both the state and national levels before the November election. According to the NBC News/Survey Monkey tracking survey released on Tuesday, Clinton was leading Trump by only 4 points, 48 to 44 percent, among registered voters.

Whereas, Clinton was leading Trump by 10 points in the same poll about five weeks ago. Her lead over her main rival slimmed to 2 points in the poll in a four-way match-up. She received 42 percent to his 40 percent. In that scenario, Johnson earned 11 percent, while Stein bagged 4 percent.

Clinton’s growing unpopularity follows renewed focus on her use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state, as well as alleged conflicts of interest over her connections to the Clinton Foundation fundraising. Clinton is also facing criticism over the delayed release of her pneumonia diagnosis over the weekend.

The 68-year-old former First Lady was forced to abruptly leave a 9/11 memorial in New York on Sunday due to a medical episode, stirring speculations about her well-being. The candidate’s physician, Dr. Lisa Bardack, released a statement via the campaign and said she had pneumonia.

Presstv

15, September 2016

Biya and outgoing French ambassador meet for the last time in Etoudi ⁰

President Paul Biya has met for the last time, the outgoing French ambassador to Cameroon, Christine Robichon. Cameroon Concord News was reliably informed that the audience that held on the 14th of September 2016 provided an opportunity for the Cameroonian dictator to thank Madam Robichon for the peaceful co-existence that reigns between Cameroon and the French republic.

The French diplomat read a farewell message to Mr Biya, informing the president that she has come to the end of her three-year mission in the country. During the over 90 – minute tete-a-tete, they reviewed the state of bilateral relations between Cameroon and France. They also revisited the political and security situation in the Central African sub region.

15, September 2016

Cameroon: Senate President grants audiences to French and German diplomats ⁰

The President of the Senate, Marcel Niat Njifenji has held talks with the outgoing French ambassador, Christine Robichon and the new German diplomatic head, Dr Dr Hans-Dieter Stell.

During both audiences, discussions focused on bilateral and parliamentary ties between Cameroon and their respective countries. Christine Robichon who is at the end of her three-year stay in Cameroon hailed Franco-Cameroon relations.

For his part, the new German ambassador, hoped for improved partnerships as he begins his diplomatic mission in the country.

CRTV

15, September 2016

Former Brazilian President charged with corruption ⁰

Prosecutors in Brazil have filed charges of involvement in money-laundering and corruption against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife. Federal prosecutors on Wednesday indicted the couple for alleged implication in graft schemes and the embezzlement of more than $2 billion from the country’s giant state-run oil company, Petrobras.

The former Brazilian president and his wife were also charged with receiving a luxury apartment at a seaside resort in Sao Paulo from a major construction company involved in the Petrobras corruption scandal. The 70-year-old ex-president has strongly denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly declared his innocence, saying the prosecution against him and his associates is politically motivated.

Lula’s lawyers also said that prosecutors lacked evidence to support their allegations, which they said were part of political scheme to hinder his chances to run for the 2018 presidential election in Brazil.

“This Lula-centered farce was trumped up as an affront to the democratic state and intelligence of Brazilian citizens,” Cristiano Zanin, one of his lawyers, said. Despite all accusations targeting Lula and his party, recent opinion polls have indicated that he enjoys sizable popularity among Brazilians and stands a much higher chance to win the next presidential election than potential rivals.

Lula, who was key to bringing the summer Olympics to Rio, left office with huge popularity thanks to social programs during his administration, which lifted tens of millions of Brazilians from poverty. His legacy, however, has been seriously tainted by the emergence of the Petrobras scandal, in which dozens of politicians and executives stand accused of having embezzled from the huge state oil company in a web of inflated contracts, kickbacks and bribes during his presidency.

A scandal also affected Lula’s successor, Dilma Rousseff, leading to her impeachment by Congress last month over breaking budget rules and her handling of Brazil’s worst recession since the 1930s.

Presstv

15, September 2016

Cameroon news summary: A Shu Lorraine Beleisi Production ⁰

The Buea Municipal Council on an urbanization mission:

The Buea Municipal Council, recently broke down shelters and petit businesses along the streets of Buea. Officials say this is in an attempt to maintain some sanitation and order in this town. More is to be done, to transform Buea into an outstanding town in Cameroon.

Cameroon Government ramps up security ahead of AFCON:

Cameroon’s Defence Minister, Joseph Beti Assomo, says government would take measures to ensure the security of players, fans and others during the African Women Cup of Nations slated for November in Yaounde and Limbe.

Camair-Co’s Ex Director General, Jean Paul Nana Sandjo, denies American Nationality and denounces witch-hunt:

According to The Times Journal, The former Director General of the ailing national airline, Camair-Co, Jean Paul Nana Sandjo, recently announced to all, that he was neither seeking to flee Cameroon nor was beign investigated for financial impropriety as was being bandied by the press across the nation.

NCC Creates Excellence Award for Socially Responsible Journalism:

The National Communication Council has announced the creation of a Media Excellence and Responsible Journalism Award scheme, dubbed Excell’Com, in a bid to uphold ethically sound journalism.

14, September 2016

Niamey: Boko Haram kills 5 Nigerien soldiers, injures 6 others ⁰

Nigeria-based Boko Haram Takfiri militants have attacked soldiers in neighboring Niger, with reports saying more than two dozen people have been killed in the fighting.

Niger’s Defense Ministry said late Tuesday that the attack on its soldiers had been carried out a day earlier near the village of Toumour, about 65 kilometers northeast of the town of Diffa.

Nigerien armed forces spokesman Colonel Moustapha Michel Ledru said five soldiers had been killed and six others injured as a result of the fighting, which also saw at least 30 militants killed.

The official, who was delivering a statement on Niger’s national television, said two Boko Haram militants had been arrested and the army confiscated a large quantity of arms and ammunition.

The clashes came less than a week after two Nigerien soldiers were declared dead after their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device during a patrol near Barwa locality in Diffa.

Presstv

14, September 2016

Cameroon honours outgoing French ambassador ⁰

The government of Cameroon has honoured the outgoing French ambassador to Cameroon, Christine Robichon with the status of the Officer of the Order of Valour. Ambassador Robichon was decorated during a farewell state dinner offered in her honour by the President of the Republic at the Yaounde Monte Febe Hotel.

The Minister of External Relations, Lejeune Mbella Mbella saluted the efforts of the diplomat in reinforcing bilateral ties between Cameroon and France. The Minister reviewed the ambassador’s contribution and that of France in helping Cameroon in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism.

Minister Mbella Mbella further observed that France has always been a reliable development partner to Cameroon and cited the recent C2D programme that has seen the injection of over FCFA 400 billion into the Cameroonian economy. The External Relations Minister praised Robichon’s efforts in championing the visit of the French President, François Holland to Cameroon.

He transmitted the message of appreciation from the Head of State to Christine Robichon for her role in the relations which he termed excellent. The dinner was attended by some 20 prominent personalities of the state including ten cabinet ministers.

CRTV

14, September 2016

Tombel: White monkam chemical kills 4 children ⁰

Four children are reported dead after consuming a poisonous chemical used for spraying grass (Monkam) in Tombel, Southwest, Cameroon. From the Video below, the mother of the children, Susan Mentaindam, narrated that the children had mistakenly used the white monkap as table salt to eat their plantains with oil.

This incident comes barely a year after a whole family died in their sleep in Moliwe, Limbe, after consuming a sumptuous porridge cooked with fertilizer mistaken for table salt.

As Cameroon embraces 2nd generation agriculture where more chemicals will be used to enhance productivity, it it high time, sensitisation is done on chemical use so incidents like this will be prevented.

Culled from Yannick Fonki Ndalay