Orphanage exhibits arts, crafts works of pensioners

Yaounde, Cameroon—The House of Hope Orphanage otherwise known as a ‘place called home’ located in Nyen-Mbo, Momo division of the Northwest region has exhibited the arts and crafts works of its pensioners to the public. The orphanage organized a charity social evening at the Solomon Tandeng Muna Foundation in Yaounde on Wednesday March 4, 2015.

The founder of the orphanage, Madam Ayaba Malvis Kamah said her childhood life and the plight of orphans in Cameroon motivated her to create the orphanage.

“My childhood was very difficult, though I had both parents, I lived like an orphan. Life was so difficult and hard for me, in fact I was like a refugee in my own father’s house. I don’t want other children to feel like that” she said.

There are thousands of children in Cameroon who are not receiving the love and care they need and according to Madam Ayaba, the orphanage is dedicated to assisting as many as possible to grow into healthy, stable, mature and spiritual adults.

The social evening was an avenue to call on potential donors to come to the aid of the orphans whose needs are enormous, “they need teachers, tables, shelter, clothing, medical care…I need to give them best education, what I did not have as a child. But my means are limited, that is why we are using this social evening to call on good will donors to come and support the orphanage”. Madam Ayaba said.

Pensioners of the orphanage during the charity social evening exhibited arts and crafts works while the orphanage’s founder presented its programs and ongoing projects to invitees.

Founded in January 2012, the House of Hope Orphanage according to its founder counts 26 pensioners with two in secondary school.

Asonganyi explains why he boycotted Feb. 28 patriotic March

Thousands march in support of soldiers fighting Boko Haram

Yaounde,Cameroon--The cell is the smallest unit of life. Human beings and other living organisms are a collection of cells. As a Biochemist, I operate in an academic domain that studies the processes that keep a cell, and eventually the organism alive. We have since reached the conclusion that all processes in the cell are interlinked, and form a life-sustaining network, every link of which is virtually as important as the other.

This is the same with the life-world in which humans live in society: every human activity is interlinked and forms a life-sustaining network, every link of which is important to the life-form. Successful politics benefits the journalist, just as successful journalism benefits politics. And you can continue the linkages. This is why I do not share the view of those who think that journalists should keep their pens, to the exclusion of marching shoes.

Further, France is a pluralistic society, with political opinions spanning the extreme left to the extreme right. There are people in France who hate Africans, Jews, Moslems, Christians, Arabs, Immigrants, you name them. These do not represent the main current of opinion in France. They strengthen pluralism in France not diminish it. In the same way, there is no reason to think that the shouting of anti-French slogans by individuals during a protest march can represent the main current of opinion in Cameroon. Therefore I do not share the opinion of those who think that France will be scandalized by the anti-French shouts from some participants at the February 28 March. The shouts do not affect our friendship with France, just as they do not discredit protest marches as a form of political expression.

Since the 1962 repressive Ordinance of Ahidjo, the state has constantly encroached on the rights and liberties of society, especially its right to express itself through public association and processions. The ordinance lasted until 1990 when what were described as “liberty” laws replaced it. Unfortunately, the laws turned out to be not too different from the ordinance because they too enforced the overriding dominance of the administration over the judiciary on issues of rights and freedoms.

As expected, the “liberty” laws have worked to the advantage of the regime. Freedom of association (Law No. 90/053) and freedom to hold public meetings and processions (Law No. 90/055) are tightly controlled by the administration for what they claim is the “preservation of public order.” Indeed, since the laws came into force, hundreds, if not thousands of opposition meetings and processions have been banned by administrative authorities. As recently as February 24, 2015, a public march declared by SDF Women of Yaounde IV administrative unit to protest against recurrent power cuts and water shortages was banned because the administrative official used his whim to impute improper motive and considered the march “a potential threat to public order”!

In spite of this repeated proscription of public marches and processions as an avenue for political expression, a group of journalists decided to organize what they described as a “huge patriotic march” on February 28 in solidarity with our affected compatriots and the Cameroon army that is fighting against Boko Haram. For curious reasons, the organizers of the march scheduled it on February 28, a day on which in 2008, the CPDM regime turned a peaceful protest march against price hikes and the intention to modify the constitution to institute a life-presidency, into a violent confrontation that left several youths dead, maimed or arrested, molested and locked up. Further, the organizers decreed the uniformity of dress, slogans and gadgets for participants – like for the confiscated May 20 marches by the regime – thus tightly controlling the citizens’ manner of expression their patriotism and support during the march. In addition, because of our Cameroon experience, fears were expressed that some of the organizers were disguising their self-interest by dressing up arguments in the cloak of patriotism or concern for the public good.

As a person who has suffered repeated refusals of public officials to use protest marches for the expression of my political views, and who understands the universal declaration that “everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association” and the AU’s declaration that “The exercise of this right shall be subject only to necessary restrictions provided for by law, in particular those enacted in the interest of national security, the safety, health, ethics and rights and freedoms of others,” I chose to express my patriotism and support for our soldiers and our affected compatriots by boycotting the march.

Many Cameroonians usually presuppose the existence of a democratic culture in our society, and so easily turn a blind eye to the fact that expression of patriotism through public manifestation is not supposed to be selective. The organizers of the “huge patriotic march” failed to realize that the type of public march that they organized is only relevant in a society that is not habituated to freedom if it furthers the struggle for the advent of the tradition of freedom, and the associative relations of a liberal political culture.

In a society where the state has proscribed public manifestations as an avenue for political expression, the attempt of the journalists to re-enact the Paris democratic march in our non-democratic environment, was a clumsy attempt to play into the hands of a state that regularly blocks the use of such expression. The Paris March may have been in support of Charlie, but it was a bold statement for freedom of expression. The February 28 March has not left the impression that beyond support for our soldiers and our affected compatriots, it was also a statement for the freedom of the public space in our society in which citizens express themselves through all democratic avenues open to them. After all, Boko Haram is about the refusal of an essential freedom – the right to education. We need a culture of democracy that allows citizens to express themselves openly and collectively or silently and individually, according to their likes and dislikes, not according to the likes and dislikes of agents of a corrupt and repressive state.

Public manifestations like the February 28 March are an expression of solidarity which is bred by common values, goals and identities. Such solidarity among citizens occurs only when they feel themselves part of a collective project. Solidarity can exist only among individuals who are equal in their individuality, able to take responsibility for themselves and define themselves as part of a public debate. Solidarity develops among people who seek happiness and the rules for its guarantee. The Cameroon state does not yet tolerate the existence of the space in which individuals whose autonomy depends on that of all others could coexist, united above and beyond the differences of interests that can neither be suppressed nor ignored.

Public marches are a form of political expression that is supposed to be protected by the state. The declarations of the police and gendarme chiefs that they would provide appropriate protection for the February 28 March are commendable, and are clear evidence that the mantra of administrative officials that marches will result in “disturbance of public order” is a pretext used by the state to muzzle political expression.

"This is why I patriotically boycotted"

Patriotism is a sacred obligation of citizens; and solidarity is a requirement in a society that seeks development, prosperity and happiness for all its citizens. Thousands of citizens expressed their patriotism and solidarity by participating in the February 28 March. Millions of others chose to do so differently.

My participation in the rhetoric and passions of the march of February 28 would have been for me a statement that public marches are a form of political expression in Cameroon, which is not yet the case! My participation would have diminished my support for the equally valiant youths whose own March in February 2008 was violently repressed by our undemocratic state.

This is why I patriotically boycotted the February 28 March, even if I firmly support our valiant soldiers that are fighting the evil force called Boko Haram. It is why I patriotically boycotted the march although I share in the sufferings and loses foisted on our compatriots of the war zones by the monsters called Boko Haram.

By Tazoacha Asonganyi Yaounde.

No deaths in Yaounde High school stampede—Health, Education Ministers say

Yaounde, Cameroon—Over 73 students of Government High School Nkoabang in Yaounde are receiving treatment in some hospitals in the capital after sustaining injuries in a stampede at the school gate on Tuesday March 3, 2015.

Elements of the Fire Fighting unit rushed to the scene, ferried victims

A stampede was triggered after  about 2.000 students,  denied access to the campus by school authorities for not having some textbooks, according to official sources, tried to force their way in when the gate was opened for a school official who wanted to leave campus.

The injured students were immediately rushed to some private hospitals and others to the Yaounde Central Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.

Five parents who rushed to the scene reportedly collapsed and were also rushed to the hospital.

The Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda and Secondary Education minister, Louis Bapes Bapes dispelled claims that some of the students had died when they visited some of the victims at the Yaounde Central hospital on Tuesday afternoon.

“I can assure you no student died”, Minister Louis Bapes Bapes told reporters after their visit to the hospital. He insisted that “if I am lying, I think the doctors will not be my accomplices”

Classes have resumed in the school, under tight security though.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

Bamboutos traditional rulers donate over CFA 22 .7M to military

Yaounde, Cameroon—A delegation of 16 traditional rulers from the Bamboutos Division of the West region has handed the sum of CFA 22.750 million to the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of Defense as support to the Cameroon military in the war against the Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

Traditional rulers pose with MINDEF, collaborators

The amount was handed over to the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o in an audience he granted the traditional rulers in Yaounde last Friday February 27, 2015.

The paramount chief of Bamissengue and president of the cycle of traditional rulers of the Bamboutos, His Majesty Teihgni Detio said the cash donation is the beginning of plans by the elite of the Bamboutos to boost the morale of the military at the front which will continue in the days ahead. According the chief Detio, the determination of the Head of State to eradicate the dreaded sect has re-awakened the patriotic spirit of all Cameroonians and the population of the Bamboutos could not indifferent.

The secretary general of the cycle of traditional rulers of the Bamboutos, His Majesty Tchuetchue Mbokouoko Rodrigue revealed that the donation is in line with resolutions of the meeting of traditional rulers of the Bamboutos that took place in Mbouda last January 17, 2015 under the aegis of their patron, Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi, Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development.

During the meeting, the traditional ruler revealed, they resolved to support the war against Boko Haram materially, financially and spiritually.

Though the envelop was not opened, Minister Mebe Ngo’o immediately handed it to the army chief of staff, General Rene Claude Meka for onward transmission to the commanders of the 3^rd and 4^th military regions who together with regional governors will know how best to use it.

Describing the gesture by the traditional rulers as a sign of patriotism from committed citizens who are determined to defend their fatherland, Minister Mebe Ngo’o promised to transmit their message of appreciation to the head of state, commander in chief of the armed forces. The Defense boss told the traditional rulers that their gesture will galvanize the forces at the battle front. He told the traditional rulers that though Cameroon has lost some of her military men in the war, the damage inflicted on the terrorist group by the forces is enormous.

The gift from the traditional rulers of Bamboutos came just a day after the Minister received a huge consignment of gifts consisting of fresh fish, sardines, cooking oil etc from some business persons as their support to the forces.

However, observers have been expressing doubts whether the money will trickle down to the beneficiaries.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

Lofty Nkambe Council school project bankrolled by Japan

Yaounde, Cameroon—The Nkambe Council has received non-refundable endowment worth 43,541,113 FCFA from the Japanese government that will fund the building and furnishing of five new classrooms for Government School Bambe in the municipality’s Wat village where over 300 pupils currently study in two poorly furnished classrooms built with mud bricks.

Mayor Ngabir presenting speech, Ambassador, Fon of Wat, look on

The Council will with its own funds finance the renovation and furnishing of the two existing classrooms and the head teacher’s office. It is expected that the project will see more pupils enrolled in the school in the coming school year.

The grant contract documents were signed at the Japanese Embassy in Yaounde on Thursday February 26, 2014 by the Mayor of the Nkambe Council and the Ambassador of Japan to Cameroon.

The mayor, Mr. Ngabir Paul Bantar, who signed on behalf of the municipalitiy, said Government School Bambe found in Nkambe Central Sub Division, Donga Mantung Division of the Northwest Region, has not had any befitting structure since its creation some two decades ago. “We have been managing in two mud brick unplastered classrooms”, he said. He further revealed that the grant is the biggest the council has received in decades.

According to the mayor, education in that rural municipality has been stifled by an acute shortage of infrastructure and personnel. “This timely offer will go along way to make-up for the great infrastructural deficit”.

Crediting the offer to the cordial diplomatic relationship between Cameroon and Japan, the mayor disclosed that “the outstanding structure upon completion will epitomize this wonderful relationship between the friendly and brotherly people of Japan and Cameroon, for generations to come.”

'We are grateful', the mayor tells Japanese Diplomat

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Cameroon, Mr. Tsutomu Arai said education is one of Japan’s development priorities in Cameroon.

The Japanese government has constructed and equipped several “Japanese Schools” in Cameroon within the framework of the bilateral cooperation between the governments of Japan and Cameroon.

Though Government School Bambe does not fall within the ‘Japanese Schools’ in Cameroon, the project however attracted Japanese funding. “Our objective in funding this project is to contribute to the laudable efforts the government of Cameroon is deploying through grassroots organizations, local councils and the civil society at large”, the Japanese Ambassador said.

The project, the Japanese Diplomat explained, will directly benefit more than 326 pupils “who do not have access to a consolidated standard, conducive and sustainable learning infrastructure”.

Construction which will span 8 months ought to begin in March 2015, according to the contract. But the mayor promised he will ensure that it is executed within six months so that it can be put to use in September this year-when the 2015/2016 school year begins.

(L-R)Fon of Wat, Japanese Ambassador and Mayor of Nkambe

Following the Japanese offer, the mayor revealed that the council has committed itself to renovate and furnish the existing two mud brick classrooms and the head teacher’s office.

Also present at the grant contract signing ceremony were the Fon of Wat, HRH Fon Ngorake Valentine, who is also councilor of the Nkambe Council, councilors Nfor Mohamadou Bawe who heads the project committee and Killah Godlove amongst others.

HRH Fon Ngorake Valentine called the project “a sigh of relief” not just for him but for children in Wat and it will help and neighbouring villages.

By Ndi Eugene Ndi in Yaounde

Youth Activist Picks unanswered issues in Biya's New Year Address

Buea, Cameroon—Read  the response of the Cameroon Country Coordinator of the Organization of African Youth (OAYouth), to the Head of state’s 2015 New Year address to the Nation last December 31, 2014. (Unedited)

RESPONSE TO END OF YEAR SPEECH BY PRESIDENT PAUL BIYA

Jude Thaddeus Njikem

As a youth activist, I make it a point of duty to follow up on policy development and major pronouncements that might have an impact on young people. I therefore listened to the speech by the President of the Republic of Cameroon and read the transcript and I felt oblige to write, at least since the Cameroon National Youth Council is unable to comment on our behalf.

As my friend Nadege Yoko puts it, it was a speech well made, the president made very interesting pronouncements about the importance of peace and development, which are intrinsically linked.

Let’s look at the other unreported issues;

Appreciate the efforts of BIR for fighting the insurgency in the North. Greatly appreciated, our hearts go out to the fallen soldiers who have lost their lives in the fight. We pray, your families find consolation. You have proved to us that you can be more patriotic than some of us who sit and complain like I am doing.

What I don’t understand is why a speech such as this, which is supposed to give insights to the common man, on the state of the country-is empty with statistics. We don’t hear how much of public investment budget was spent, how many schools , bridges, hospitals, were built or teachers recruited, farm to market roads tarred, we don’t know which effort at alleviating poverty has been successful and what strategies will be deployed subsequently.

Malaria, one of the main course of maternal deaths is free but Président Paul Biya, would you please instruct the Ministers of Health, Communication to reiterate this information to all stake holders and communities in a country where there are more private clinics/hospitals than state owned,? How does the malaria treatment go in those private hospitals? Is it the same as with education section where primary education is free in government run schools but expensive in private run schools?

283443 new jobs created in 2014? It would be quite interesting for the Minister of Employment and Vocational Training to break it up for us as well as in terms of underemployed and percentage of unemployed youths.

What more did the recent triennial appraisal report say about Growth and Employment Strategic Paper?

What steps have been taken to use up the Public Investment Budget?

We were unable to use 1000 billion in 2014, can we use more in 2015? Public contracts marred by poor execution, late deliveries etc, how will this be addressed in 2015?

Industrial development/big companies are coming, we clap our hands and welcome them, what about starting small businesses for our youths?

When will the Small and Medium Size Enterprise bank be eventually put in place and what steps have been taken to promote startup and support Small and Medium Size Enterprise?

Moving from a state-dominated economy to a more liberal system would mean prices of goods and services be moderated by global market prices? I wonder however why despite the fact that global petroleum prices have faced its lowest, we are still tight to the increment signed by Prime Minister Yang, and does commonsense not tell us it is a state dominated economy?

"...I make it a point of duty to follow up on  policy development"

As a response mechanism to Ebola outbreak, we closed down our borders with Nigeria, what is our emergency response mechanism, aside from shutting down our borders? How prepared is our state?

With regards to the Anti – Terrorism Law, I reserve my comments to a later date, at least when my team would have advised me but one question that lingers is “why try civilians in military courts?” in my opinion, we have shifted from the democratic institution we wanted to build and have put our citizens at the fore of intimidation and entrapments

“man weh no know anything, make he lock mouth. No spit noting man tok like me”

Jude Thaddeus Njikem

Vice President and Cameroon Country Coordinator

Organization of African Youth

Boko Haram Has Suffered Heavy Human And Material Losses—Biya

Yaounde, Cameroon--In his New Year Message to Cameroonians on December 31, 2014, President Paul Biya said the dreaded Nigerian Islamist sect, Boko Haram has suffered heavy human and material losses in each of its attacks on Cameroon. See President Biya’s New Year message to the Nation below :

Paul Biya

Fellow Cameroonians,

My dear compatriots,

It was our hope, following a period of intensive political activity, that as 2014 was not an election year, we would be free to devote ourselves primarily to reviving our economic growth which, as you are aware, is a prerequisite for improving the living conditions of our populations.

Such was not exactly the case owing to the escalation of attacks against our national territory by the Boko Haram sect. Besides this, there were the criminal activities of armed gangs on our border with the Central African Republic.

Initially, the Boko Haram terrorist organization carried out raids to seize isolated hostages or loot public or private property.

Buoyed by their grip on north-eastern Nigeria, the so-called “jihadists” launched major attacks on the Far-North Region of our country, for instance, the attack on the workers’ camp of a Chinese company at Waza and the raid on Kolofata, resulting in several deaths and the abduction of many hostages.

This could not be tolerated. We therefore set up a response and prevention mechanism which quickly proved its worth. Since then, Boko Haram has suffered heavy human and material losses in each of its attacks. It is hoped that they would learn their lesson.

At this juncture, I would like to pay glowing tribute to our defence forces whose valour has been demonstrated in recent fighting.

I have had occasion to say that the Nation as a whole ought to mobilize and rally behind its defence forces.

Such seems to be the case by all accounts from our regions. I have most particularly appreciated the stance of our Muslim compatriots. They, like all the other Cameroonians, have clearly understood that this war is by no means based on religion. They have clearly understood that it is a response to external aggression by a terrorist organization that does not subscribe to the values of a fraternal society.

My dear compatriots,

The growing threats on our borders have prompted us to take measures to safeguard against their effects on our internal security. Such is the purport of the law on the suppression of terrorism which Parliament recently passed by a large majority. It is far from serving as a pretext for restricting civil liberties, as claimed by some ill-intentioned people. Besides, the instrument is very clear on this point.

Furthermore, faced with an upsurge in terrorist activities, most leading democratic countries have in recent years passed new laws to prevent terrorism. By so doing, they have complied with the recommendations of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and the African Union. Such is what we deemed appropriate to do. Therefore, our objective is to safeguard against any terrorist-related risk as far as possible. Every State not only has the right, but also the duty to protect its citizens. I am convinced that the vast majority of our compatriots do understand.

I would also like to recall here that Cameroon is not the only country facing this threat which knows no boundaries. Some of our neighbouring countries, namely Benin, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, are collaborating with us to form a united front against Boko Haram.

The United Nations Organization and several big powers, particularly the United States of America, Germany, France, Russia and China, also back us. I will be revisiting this issue before long.

It goes without saying that mobilizing the required resources for our defence means additional spending. As you are aware, the situation in the Central African Republic also warrants our vigilance on our eastern border. We are forced to host tens of thousands of refugees from this brotherly country. I take this opportunity to commend the valuable assistance we are receiving from humanitarian organizations. It is clear that our duty-bound solidarity has an impact on the budget. But, we must also understand that security has a price.

My dear compatriots,

As I said at the onset, we were obliged to prioritize the defence of the national territory, for, there can be no peace without security and no development without peace. Nonetheless, we have not relented in our efforts to revive growth. Now that our democratic institutions are fully functional, growth is the focus of our policy. As I stated earlier on, our growth is a prerequisite for a strong economy and, hence, our capacity to roll back poverty and progress towards emergence.

A quick evaluation of our economic programme shows that our first-generation major projects are either completed, nearing completion, or on track. Such is the case, in particular, for the Kribi Gas-fired Plant and Port, dams and hydroelectric power plants, as well as some road and various infrastructure projects.

Thanks to these projects, there is renewed activity in various sectors of our economy. The impact on employment and the improvement of living conditions is also visible. The year 2015 should therefore be characterized by the launching of second-generation projects in the energy, water, road and highway and transport sectors.

My dear compatriots,

Most of the major undertakings announced in my address on 31 December 2013 have been fulfilled.

1.We celebrated the FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF CAMEROON’S REUNIFICATION last February in Buea with all the necessary pomp and solemnity. The town of Buea, which has been provided with various infrastructure, has been completely transformed. The impact of this celebration was also felt in neighbouring towns. This key moment of national unity is a milestone in our history.

2.I also promised substantial improvements in the health domain. These are now realities. Malaria treatment for children aged below five is now free. Our health map now comprises three new referral hospitals: the Yaounde National Emergency Centre, the Douala Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Paediatric Hospital and the Sangmelima Referral Hospital.

3.The employment spin-offs of our growth policy which I referred to a while ago have been confirmed. In 2014, 283 443 new jobs were created against 250 000 projected, as you would recall.

4.You would also recall that I underscored the need for Cameroon to have a viable emergency plan for the coming years. This announcement as well has been translated into reality. The said plan was adopted and launched during the Council of Ministers meeting held on 9 December. I will come back to this later.

My dear compatriots, 

Should we be content with these results which can objectively be considered positive? Substantial progress has been achieved as confirmed by the recent triennial appraisal report on the implementation of the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper. That being the case, I will simply say that we can and should do even better. I am convinced, as I pointed out last year under the same circumstances, that we must increase our growth rate at all costs. Are we sure we have done all we can? 

Take the case of investment for instance, which has so far been largely initiated by the State and reserved especially for anchor and social projects. Public Investment Budget allocations have increased considerably in recent years. In 2014, they represented about one-third of the overall budget, or approximately CFAF 1 000 (one thousand) billion. This is commendable. However, in terms of execution, there are hurdles and project implementation is often slowed down. I decried such under-utilization of budgetary appropriations. As you know, our needs are obvious and urgent. I am pleased to note that this year, there has been a marked improvement in contract execution rates which should increasingly match commitment rates.

Although in 2013 the public authorities, through Parliament, adopted major incentives for private investment, the latter still seems unable to take over from the State. 

However, there seems to be progress in this direction among local and foreign entrepreneurs thanks largely to awareness-raising campaigns by investment promotion bodies. This is proven by the recent signing of 13 agreements in the Ministry of Industry, worth CFAF 180 billion. 

I want to believe this is just the beginning. We do need an ambitious industrial policy. There can be no great country without industry. Even agriculture, which I love to say is the principal source of our wealth, is also expected to go “industrial”. 

It is understandable that the implementation of our major iron and bauxite mining projects, whose ultimate goal also is industrialization, is dragging as such projects are complex. Conversely, there is no plausible reason for our slowness in developing industries to process our agricultural commodities. 

Besides the benefits we could derive in terms of value added and employment, local processing will contribute towards rebalancing our foreign trade which is showing a structural deficit. 

In fact, our trade balance is characterized by a significant import surplus against exports which largely depend on the sale of three or four commodities whose prices are unstable. Our imports, for their part, mostly concern manufactured products, notably capital goods for our major projects. Obviously, it is difficult for us to restrict our purchase of capital goods. That, we understand. On the other hand, we should be able to limit the importation of the commodities we are able to produce. 

These remarks which I am compelled to make once more reflect the difficulty we are facing moving from a State-dominated economy to a more liberal system which is now the rule. The situation is such that sometimes we suffer the disadvantages of both systems. This, to me, explains the resistance to structural reforms which is stifling our growth revival efforts.

Some of these reforms concern our governance, particularly public finance. Significant progress has been made in this area and needs to be consolidated by ensuring budget sustainability, reducing subsidies as much as possible and reviewing the tax base. On the whole, our administration would stand to benefit by streamlining its procedures and, as I said recently and instructed, cutting down on its spending. 

My dear compatriots,

To jumpstart our growth, I have instructed the Government to implement a three-year “emergency plan”. Its objective is to achieve visible progress and measurable improvements in vital areas such as urban development, health, agriculture, roads, energy, low-cost housing and security. I expect the said plan to meet the most urgent needs of our populations nationwide.

This initiative is different from our Growth and Employment Strategy which will continue to be implemented by the Government. About CFAF 1 000 (one thousand) billion will be allocated to the plan. The implementation of this plan will determine whether we are capable of meeting the challenge whose outline and timeframe we have ourselves defined.

Of course, it is crucial for our country to meet this challenge. We have the wherewithal. 

My dear compatriots,

In a few hours, you will be happily celebrating New Year’s Day.

However, before that, let us spare a thought for our soldiers who have fallen defending our Fatherland. Let us spare a thought for those securing our borders, their grieving or anxious families and our compatriots who are suffering physical and psychological pain.

I would now like to extend to you all my best wishes for good health and happiness in the New Year.

Happy and prosperous New Year 2015!