SPORTS: Three Cameroonian Sporting Federations Suspended

Adoum Garoua- Sports & P.E Minister

As Cameroonians rejoice over the lifting of the suspension on its football federation by FIFA, three other Cameroonian sporting federations; boxing, rugby and power lifting have been suspended by their international federations.

According to reports, the International Boxing Association, IBA has suspended Cameroon following what observers describe as inefficiency in the management of its internal affairs.

Prior to the election of its executive early this year, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education has banned the outgone president, Bertrand Mendouga from taking part in the elections. The latter then sent several letters to IBA petitioning the Cameroon government of interfering into the affairs of the federation. These letters are thus at the center of the suspension.

However the current president of the Cameroon Boxing Federation told the state radio that they are doing all to see that the ban is lifted. Justin Tjouem said a general assembly will be called and the statutes of the federation adopted. “From there, we are also going to ask the Minister of Sports to let IBA know what the Cameroon law has decided concerning the election…”

Meanwhile the International Rugby Federation not taking part in international competitions and for not paying the corresponding fines by the international federation.

On it part, the International Power Lifting Federation has suspended Cameroon on grounds that the federation presented non athletes at several international championships. These “athletes” disappeared while abroad.

According the state radio, Power Lifting Federation president, Yaou Calvin has hinted however that he is in contact with officials of the International Power Lifting Federation and in the days ahead, the suspension would be lifted.

The above suspensions come at a time the International Football governing body, FIFA has just lifted a ban on the Cameroon Football Federation.

The Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT was suspended from FIFA organized competitions on  July 4, 2013 following an unhealthy atmosphere that surrounded election of its executives. The said suspension was lifted on July 22.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi

Cameroon Customs Officers urged to shun corruption

Minette Libom Li Likeng

Some officials of the Directorate General of Customs have been urged to stay clear of corrupt activities and cultivate values that will positively influence the society.

The Director General of Customs, Minette Libom Li Likeng made the call at the CAF football training center in the outskirts of Mbankomo near Yaounde on Monday July 22 as she chaired the opening ceremony of an international seminar on ethics and governance in the customs sector.

Organized by the Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs in partnership with Pointman Leadership Institute and Advocates International, the three days workshop aims at reinforcing their knowledge on ethics and governance principles that will help customs officers carry out their duties well.

Speaking in the presence of the Divisional Officer of Mbankomo, representatives of Pointman Leadership Institute (PLI), Advocates International and the president of the Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs, the Director General of Customs rejoiced that the Directorate General of Customs is privileged to be the first institution in Cameroon to be benefitting from such a high level seminar on ethics and governance, organized by two renowned institutions.

According to Henri Minder of PLI, they have carried of same training in more than sixty countries in the world.

For three days, the customs officers will listen to presentations and take part in workshops on individual and professional ethics and good governance practices which according Minette Libom Li Likeng is at the center activities of the customs department.

Since 2007, the customs department started a series of activities aimed at bringing reforms that will enhance ethics and governance and the Mbankomo seminar comes to consolidate the efforts already deployed in the domain of governance by the Directorate General of Customs.

One of the workshop facilitators, Quintus Smit from PLI told reporters that they have come to Cameroon not to teach but to encourage and correct them.

The Committee for the Enhancement of Ethics and Governance at Customs was created by the Minister of Finance in 2009 with aim of enhancing ethics and governance in the customs sector.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi

Prominent opposition party leaders boycott ELECAM-Stakeholders consultation forum

Dr. Samuel Fokam Azu'u

According to section 11(2) of the electoral code, the Electoral Board of Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) shall hold consultations with the Administration, the judiciary, political parties and where necessary, civil society within the framework of the management of the electoral process.

In respect of this electoral provision, the elections and referenda governing institution summoned the fourth consultation forum in Yaounde on Thursday July 11 ahead of the September 30 municipal and legislative elections.

The forum that took place under the theme “Evaluation of the biometric recompilation of voter’s registers and preparations for the legislative and municipal elections” was attended by the administration, judiciary, legalized political parties and invited civil society organizations amongst others.

However, unlike was the case with the previous forum, prominent opposition political party leaders were conspicuously absent from the fourth consultation forum.

The forum was holding at a critical moment in the electoral process, considering that political parties willing to take part in the elections are currently nominating their candidates.

ELECAM is finalizing the printing and championing the distribution of voter cards, intensifying material preparation.

Speaking at the forum, the president of the Electoral Board of ELECAM, Dr. Samuel Fonkam Azu’u called on participants to encouraged Cameroonians who registered ahead of the September 30 twin elections to go and collect their voters’ cards.

"We have to carter for the needs of the needy"-HOFNA Director

Christelle Bay Nfor

The Managing Director of the Bamenda-based humanitarian organization, Hope for the Needy Association, HOFNA, has said her organization was created to carter for the needs of the under privilege communities. Christelle Bay Nfor spoke to NewsWatch recently in Bamenda. Excerpts:

NewsWatch: Christelle Bay Nfor, you are Managing Director of HOFNA, what does your association do?

Christelle Bay: HOFNA means ‘Hope for the Needy Association’. It was created as a way of responding to some of the needs of the common man especially people in communities which are underprivileged and vulnerable. They either don’t have an open medium to express the issues or lack the support that go with because it doesn’t suffice to express a need but for the need expressed to be catered for. That is actually what pushed us to establish this association. If you express a need, the only thing that can make you think that something will be done about it is when you know there is hope. That is why you see it is not just about a need, but it is about hope for the needy.

NewsWatch: Last year you launched the “Making Education Realistic” (MER Project), can you tell us more about the project and the choice of C.S Nwangri as venue to launch?

Christelle Bay: First may be from the choice you will know the meaning. You would agree with me that when government took on the policy of subsidizing government run educational primary schools, that is making them free, the other educational schools at the primary level which are run by the lay private or by the missionary ran into causes of financing which means nobody in an underprivileged or poor community finds any reason getting into private primary schools to pay when the government school is there for free. These schools therefore become highly needy. So the situation becomes a bit aggravated when you go to a community that is traditionally poor and now has to face this additional challenge, especially with the government subsidized school not very assessable. That is why there was the choice of Catholic School

Launching of the MER Project

Nwangri. The school falls in the category of non-government primary schools, then you understand that there has been need vis-a-vis the normal government schools that are subsidized by government. HOFNA is not just about meeting immediate needs. It is about needs that are sustainable, once you start training people especially cultivating and inculcating into them the aspects that you can get to share with each other ‘s need, you now build up a society that cares about its own needs and those of others.

NewsWatch: After launching the MER project, what next ?

Christelle Bay: Like it is said in Economics, you have to have a scale of preference because Economic demands are inelastic but resources to meet these demands are always in limited in supply. So therefore, needs are there and HOFNA is not just doing this in in Nwangri, We’ve been doings things around underprivileged communities even in Bamenda you would be surprised. Around the Banjah area where there was a need for the community to have water, HOFNA as well HOFNA has done about three trips of donation to the Abanghor Orphanage where you have children, some orphans left by HIV mothers, fathers and so on.

NewsWatch: Many people today create humanitarian associations with secondary aims, any hidden agenda behind the creation of HOFNA?

Christelle Bay: The hidden agenda is that we have to carter for the needs of the needy. If that is hidden, then that is the hidden agenda.