For alleged corruption: British High Commission transfares Visa services from Yaounde to Ghana.

Anglophone Cameroonians welcome the move in believe that it will work to their benefit.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

With effect from 28 July 2008, the British High Commission in Yaounde is transferring its visa processes to the British High Commission in Accra, Ghana. "From 28 July, all visa applications must be made on-line.At the same time, applicants should make an appointment to submit their application in person at the Visa Section of the High Commission in Yaounde. After obtaining an online appointment, applicants will need to print off a copy of the completed Visa Application Form (VAF) and take it to the High Commission in Yaounde along with a passport sized photograph, the relevant visa fee and any other supporting documents".
While advising applicants to check on the High Commission's website on a regular basis for news updates on this change those applying to settle in the UK,were told to allow between 5-45 working days from the date of submission of their visa application before collecting their visa decision.
The communique made it clear that the UK Border Agency (UKBA) is responsible for the safety and for transporting the applications which is expected to be sent to the British High Commission in Accra by secure courier. "UK Border Agency Clearance Officers in Ghana will make decisions on visa applications. No decisions will be made in Yaounde. Once the decision has been taken applications and documentation will then be sent by secure courier back to the British High Commission in Yaounde for collection".
Though a communique signed by Gillian Edwards, Deputy High Commissioner states that the decision is part of a worldwide move to centralise visa processing through a network of hubs and that the change will not alter the cost of a UK visa, many Cameroonians and especially those of English expression who feel marginalize strongly believe the move is to fight against corruption by some personnel of the high commission.
In the past years, there have been many allegations of corruption by francophone Cameroonians employed by the British High Commission in Yaounde. The allegations involved the granting of visas mostly to francophones( both genuine and fraudulent applicants).
In effect, many anglophones always cried out whenever they applied for visas at the High Commission because of the way they were treated(harshly) by the francophone workers who always checked applicants' documents, and believed to have had a very big say as to who got a visa. "Some of us - genuine anglophone applicants were made to look as criminals",said an Anglopnone, adding,"one of the workers stepped on many toes in 2004 when I invited one of my senior brothers to visit me in Britain".
That when the brother went for interview, one of the many francophnoe workers asked the brother why many anglophones were applying for visas to Britain. But when the brother turned down the question and told the lady that his being anglophone had nothing to do with his visa application, the angry lady told the the brother he wouldn't get the Visa,and it came out to be true.
On this score,he said he personally meet the chief immigration officer in Cardiff, Britain, and filed petitions to the British High Commissioner in Yaounde,and the British Home Office in London on the allegations from Cameroonians who visit Britain about corruption at the British High Commission to Cameroon by some Cameroonian employees(francophones)for his brothers case to be re-examine. Hear him
"When I met the Officer, I told him point blank that the British High Commission in Cameroon is discriminating against anglophones and favoring francophones because some corrupt francophone employees at the High Commission are occupying top positions. The officer told me straight away that a year before, investigations were carried out at that same High Commission on allegations of visa corruption. A day after, he phoned me that I should contact my brother in Cameroon and tell him to go to Yaounde and get his visa that was waiting for him. He then told me that many Cameroonians in Britain had written many letters to the Home Office informing them of alleged corruption, and complaining on behalf of their friends and relatives".
Though the high commission might not admit to this,many are those who believe the reason for the transfare is to combat corruption. They had kept an eye on the Yaounde Office for quite a long time. Whatever the case People don't need to travel to Ghana for their visas. Genuine applicants will have a better chance of getting a visa than before. And Anglophones Cameroonians believe this will work to the benefit because the person in Ghana who will make the decision to grant a Cameroonian a visa would base it on merit and not on whether the person is Anglophone or francophone.

US ambassador, Janet E. Garvey, speaks on issues concerning Cameroon

This was during a visit to the Northwest Province

On elections
I met with the Governor, SDOs, Dos and Mayors. I had a chance to meet with the Head of the SDF, to chat with them a little bit about their views about many pre-occupations. That’s what Ambassadors do.
I was particularly interested in talking about ELECAM. We’re bent to see Cameroon hold elections in future that are transparent. It was a very frank exchange.

On corruption; Arrest of Top Gov’t Officials

It is USA government policy and the embassy to fight corruption that eats away the foundation of a society: makes that society less stable, less prosperous….. It ought to be stopped.

What we have in place is that we discourage corruption.

We’ve told the government of Cameroon that there are policies we’re going to speak out, about corruption.

We will like to see everyone who is corrupt to be arrested. You have to empower the law. Cameroon wants a successful democracy. Cameroon wants to be a successful country. Cameroonians have to do this we will support, we will encourage, we will share and advice but we can’t do the job for you. It has to be done by Cameroonians otherwise it doesn’t work.

On Constitutional Amendment

On issue of the constitution, we were never opposed to the idea of amending the constitution. Cameroonians know how the constitution can be amended. We thought there could be altenance of power, which is a good idea.

On many occasion I made the views of the USA government officials: this is a sovereign country: we do not imposing its will. (You have just achieved independence in the last 50 years).

We’ve a lot of experience in democracy; we’ve made a lot of improvement in our mistakes. We’ve had to learn a lot of lesson along experiences because we don’t want other countries to make those mistakes.

The constitution has been amended; the change has been made. But we’re now focused on good governance policy: the need to make sure that next elections in Cameroon are freest and most democratic.

There has to be confidence that these election are legislative. The next election is the presidential in confidence in 2011. Assistance can be put in place that will give Cameroonians confidence in the electoral process. What will happen in the next election, strongly /Clearly reflects the will of the people.

An Ambassador is the representative of his/her country. We’re very much engaged in making sure we help Cameroon, to continue to develop economically and democratically.

ON NGo FAM CAMEROON

We released a press statement about that organization. They had nothing to do with the USA government or embassy. We do not have any dealing with them.

On Visa Restriction, Biya Building beside USA Embassy

More than half the people who apply for visas, we give them. On Biya’s house near embassy, there are a lot of house built in the neighborhood where the embassy is located. I don’t know who really owns them.

2011 presidential:Civil society forecasts Post-elections violence in Cameroon

Says loopholes in Electoral body (ELECAM) pave way for flawed elections and endangers peace

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

A platform of civil society organisations in Cameroon better known by its French language acronym (CSPD) has said that only a revision of the law creating the body to manage elections in the country Election Cameroon (ELECAM), can assure free and fair elections and forestall post-elections violence in the country in 2011.

To CSPD, the law creating ELECAM, which Cameroonians should rely on for democratic elections, contains serious pitfalls and cannot assure post-electoral peace in the country, talk less of elections void of irregularities.

Members of the platform used the occasion of a coffee-forum at the headquarters of an NGO, Nouveau droit de l’homme (NDH), at Nkoleton, Yaounde,to call for an intensive and all encompassing lobby for the amendment of the ELECAM law.

Platform members said it was worthwhile and better to attempt a solution now, than to wait for the consequences of an imminent catastrophe which they say promises to be long-lasting and far-reaching.

Addressing participants at the forum, NDH president Hilaire Kamga who doubles as permanent secretary and spokesperson of the civil society platform, said the present leadership in the country has failed and should hand-over peacefully in 2011 to a new generation of leaders who are free of neo-colonial trappings.

“There is need for the complete renewal of the social and political landscape,” Hilaire Kamaga said. Adding that the activities of the present system and its projects and programmes are intended to satisfy and impress the colonial masters to whom they continue to pay allegiance.

Also speaking at the occasion, Tonteh Walters, national coordinator of Cameroon Youths Confederation, said the powers of the director of ELECAM as provided for by the law, require him to act only in accordance with the whims and caprices of the president of the republic who appointed him. And that the said provision should be amended to ensure checks and balances.

Cameroon:Workers’ strike cripples Douala Airport

Flights were not allowed to take-off and inward bound flights were forced to make U-turns

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

Though the situation had returned to normal a 48-hour strike recently engaged by air traffic controllers at the Douala International Airport since seriously hampered incoming and outgoing flights. Airliners and passengers remained grounded while inward bound planes either made U-turns or simply canceled flights to Douala.

Airport personnel said a Douala-bound Air France flight failed to arrive on schedule while a Bellview airliner from Nigeria made a U-turn. Other planes decided to land in neighbouring Equatorial Guinea for fear of mishaps, while players of Cotonsport of Garoua en route to Nigeria remained stranded at the airport for want of a plane.

The striking workers all included staffers of the Cameroon subsidiary of the continent-wide agency for air transport security, ASECNA. The agency’s Cameroon country director, Pierre Tankam, who described the development as very unfortunate, said the striking air traffic controllers had made just a single demand.

“They are demanding that the diploma required for access to the training of air traffic controllers should no longer be the GCE Advanced Level, but at least second-year university training. It’s a very pitiful situation for our country,” he told the Herald newspaper.

The Cameroon ASECNA workers’ strike followed a similar one engaged by their colleagues in Libreville, Gabon, and yet another by the agency workers in Niamey, Niger who laterhad their pay increased by 6 percent.
Pierre Tankam said these were the only countries of the 18-member agency engaging the strike.

Five of the ASECNA Cameroon striking workers who decided to furnish only minimum service were arrested and detained by police for “disturbing public peace,” under instructions from Littoral governor Fai Yengo Francis. He had advised them to no avail to continue working fully between 30 July and 20 August; time enough for their grievances to be fully examined and definitive solutions reached.

Meanwhile two of the workers were only released a day later, following pressure from their lawyer Ndeffo Levis to participate at discussions at a crisis meeting. But the negotiations apparently did not yield fruit as the governor named a 15-man team of air traffic controllers to replace the striking workers until 20 August.

Bad Governance: Cameroon's electoral body NEO, publishes report one year after elections,

The report endorses the twin elections of July 2007 as was widely expected.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

The election body, National Elections Observatory (NEO) created by the government of Cameroon to oversee the electoral system in the country has published its report one full year after the legislative and local elections took place took place in the country.

The report which to nobody’s surprise offers nothing unexpected endorses the twin elections as on the whole credible. It nevertheless admitted that there were irregularities, but not such as to diminish the credibility of the elections.

The strongly pro-government organ declared in its belated report that in spite of irregularities here and there, the twin elections were credible.

Roland Akong of the Herald Newspaper says “the surprise would have been that it took so long to announce its report if it had condemned the election as marred by irregularities”.

It should be noted here that the 2007 elections were some of the most irregular electoral exercises in Cameroon in recent years. Three Western embassies namely, the US, the British and the Dutch, issued a joint statement condemning the election unreservedly as flawed and as “a missed opportunity” for the advancement of democracy in country.

NEO's president François-Xavier Mbouyom, provoked much laughter and even cat-calls indicting disbelief when he explained why it took NEO so long to publish its report.

Hear him “The report was delayed at the printing press because of the February strike. And even before the report could be compiled to be sent to the printing press, it took considerable time to assemble reports from NEO’s 2000 polling stations and 2000 NEO staff across the length and breadth of Cameroon.”

Asked about the relevance he gave the report at this point in time, Mbouyom admitted that it was only good for archival purposes to serve as a reference in future.

The fact is that had Election Cameroon (ELECAM), the new election organising body been put in place in June as had been expected, NEO would have ceased to exist. How would have the report been published then if NEO’s existence was not extended for another six months to correspond with the extension of ELECAM.
Reason why commentators believe the report was a clear case of selling after the market.

Gracia Machel:Only first lady of two different nations

Now married to Nelson Mandela, she was previously first lady of Mozambique.

Gracia Machel, 63, is known to be the only Woman to have been first lady of two different nations. First married to late president Somara Machel of Mozambique, who in a plane crash over South Africa on 19 October 1986, with whom she had two children, Gracia later tied the nuptial knot with Nelson Mandela, then president of South Africa.

“He (Nelson Mandela) is doing fine, he's healthy, but you know he's ageing too...” It should be noted that Mandela, turned 90, last month.

Gracia Machel is a rare gem. As a first lady, no woman can compare with her – two husband presidents in two great nations. As a developer, she has achieved great things.

The graduate from the University of Lisbon in Portugal served Mozambique as a minister of education from 1975 to 1986 when she resigned and started working to reduce the country's illiteracy rate that stood at 93 percent at the time. Before long, she moved to the Foundation for Community Development in 1990, UNICEF study in 1996, chairperson of Mozambique's National Organisation of Children and then president of the country's UNESCO Commission. Among other humanitarian commitments, she served as a human rights activist for women and children.

She took upon herself the onerous task to produce UN reports on the impact of armed conflicts on children. And in 1995, she received the National Medal from the UN in recognition of her longstanding humanitarian works.

Currently, Gracia Machel is a panel member of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a component of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) that preaches respect for human rights and for the rule law, the fight against corruption, the need for smooth electoral processes, need for enabling business environment, among many others.

On a working visit to Yaounde, Cameroon, in her capacity as member of the peer review mechanism, she urged Younde authorities to create a national governance council to tailor the implementation of the ideals and principles of the review project here. She said so probably unaware of the ineffectiveness of commissions in the country.

Cameroon already has many lame duck commissions created by government to deceive the international community on what is actually happing in the country. They include among others; The Good Governance Programme, National Anti – corruption Commission, the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedom, Election Cameroon (ELECAM).

Yet the country is notorious for flawed elections, sluggish democratisation, poor human rights, corruption and governance records, and a hostile business climate, among others. Gracia Machel, notwithstanding, praised Cameroon for its readiness to engaged the peer review process, especially as it is one of the first members of the review mechanism. But analysts were quick to point out that she was not sure how soon Yaounde would catch up with the implementation phase of the project.

Bakassi Peninsular: Legal ownership by Cameroon yes.

But Bakassi remains de facto Nigerian.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

Cameroon awaits total handover (if possible) of the disputed oil-rich Bakassi peninsular with joy and anxiety on the 14^th August, 2008.

Legal ownership by Cameroon yes, but Bakassi remains de facto Nigerian.

In an editorial comment on the Herald Newspaper, its Publisher/Editor in chief, Dr. Boniface Forbin, says it is important that as Bakassi reverts to Cameroon, the Yaounde authorities should move to settle Cameroonians there and effectively occupy it. That it is occupation by Cameroonians that can truly secure ownership of the peninsular. Forbin however expressed worry that the continuous exclusive occupation of the place by Nigerians would in future tempt another Abuja ruler like the late military dictator Sani Abaca to pounce on the peninsular again. And that the repeated motions in the Nigerian parliament, rejecting transfer to Cameroon is a warning not to ignore.

Meanwhile, a recent visit to the area by four European Union heads of mission helped to draw attention to a major problem of Cameroon's ownership of the peninsular.

Although Bakassi, by court judgment, belongs to Cameroon, “the Islands are still almost wholly occupied by Nigerians. Only a handful of Cameroonians live there,” Forbin agues.

The EU ambassadors viz: the EU delegates, the Dutch and Spanish ambassadors and the British High Commissioner traveled to the peninsular to formally hand over a set of primary school classrooms and a health centre built with EU funds on the two adjacent islands of Kombo Amunja 1 and 3.

Though intended for Cameroonians, it is Nigerians who overwhelmingly populate the islands that are benefiting from the facilities.

“Javier Puyol, the EU chief who headed the delegation, regretted the crying absence of Cameroonians on the two islands. Noting the highly deprived, degraded and squalid conditions of living on the island, Puyol urged the government to woo Cameroonians to Bakassi by investing extensively in social amenities,” Forbin, revealed. Adding “though Puyol did not speak much his remarks led straight to a sensitive point that often comes up in discussion.”

While Nigerians continue to occupy Bakassi almost exclusively as is the case now Cameroon's hold on the Peninsular remains uncertain. Having successfully obtain legal ownership of the place, “it would seem to be a matter of commonsense to be effectively occupying it by attracting Cameroonians to settle in the area. Failure does not bode well for the future of Bakassi”, forbin advised.

It should be noted here that the small military presence there spread into insignificance over the scattering of islets is far too inadequate. It takes only a little ill-will from Abuja today or tomorrow and Yaounde's hold on Bakassi is put to question all over.

The fact that there have already been repeated motions in the Nigeria parliament to question the transfer makes this prospect no joking matter.

Moreover, in a world in which long cherished values and accepted modes of conducts are constantly being called to question, Yaounde cannot simply trust in the goodwill of others. Putting Cameroonians in Bakassi is the only sure way of holding the peninsular.

It was the same reason of the neglect of Bakasssi by Cameroon, and its exclusive occupation by Nigerians that tempted the military regime of Sani Abacha to seize the place, and cause such uproar lasting thirteen years.

Militarily and diplomatically Cameroon could not match Nigeria. It took the strong and active commitment of Kofi Annan, to bring Nigeria, under Olusengun Obasanjo, to yield to returning Bakassi to Cameroon.

Paul Biya had been remarkably unable to handle the matte. Overestimating the power of the ICJ verdict, he threw away an opportunity to get Baassi back on a platter of gold.

With Jacques Chirac as witness, Abdulssalami Abubakar who took over power following the sudden death of Abacha came to Yaounde with the offer but Biya left him waiting for hours at the Nsimalen airport.

At the same time Biya put on a sour anti-Nigerian mood that led to shutting the door to everything Nigeria, hardly suspecting that the path leading from the awaited verdict from The Hague would oblige being friendly with the Nigerians and even coaxing them. Thanks to Kofi Anan who made up for Biya's crippling shortcomings.

It turned out as a profoundly instructive leason for Biya that the ICJ verdict was far from being all, and that the read to the recovery of Bakassi was still far ahead, four years away, and requiring lots of diplomacy.

Paul Biya has no reason to continue to depend on the goodwill of friends and partners. Abuja's goodwill could fail someday in the future and we would be back to square one.

Nigeria's strongest argument in the Bakassi case was always the overwhelming occupation of the peninsular by Nigerian citizens. And that is also where Cameroon's argument of actual ownership lies.

Cameroon's prime minister Ephraim Inoni, once told Javier Puyol during an audience that Cameroon intended to keep the Nigerian population in Bakassi very much at ease.

With apparently no plan in view by Yaounde to settle Cameroonians there that could mean that Nigerians are in Bakassi again for a long time more to come. Time long enough to tempt another Abacha-like in Abuja again?

HIV/AIDS treatment: Uninterrupted intake of anti-retrovirals enhances effectiveness – Experts

That some patients ignorantly stop taking their drugs to turn to fake concoctions and prayers

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

HIV/AIDS research experts have called on AIDS patients on anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) in Cameroon to respect their prescribed daily dosage and take them uninterrupted if they want to feel much better.

Studies by the German Development Corporation (GTZ), in partnership with the country's Ministry of Public Health have revealed that of the over 75,000 AIDS patients that are supposed to be on ARVs only about 50,000 of them are actually on the therapy.

The studies also regrettably show that some patients abandon their treatment and turn to traditional healers and prayer groups who promise them speedy cure. Others, the finding adds, forget to take their treatment or skip the dose for different reasons.

All these attitudes, the AIDS experts further say, lead to drug resistance, treatment failure and increase morbidity and mortality rates of people infected with HIV.

It is for these reasons that GTZ and the Ministry of Public Health have launched a campaign to sensitise patients on the need for strict compliance and adherence to the rules guiding anti-retroviral treatment.

The representative of the National AIDS Control Committee, Daniel Ekoua, in his address at the campaign’s launching ceremony recently, advised that patients on ARV must never discontinue ARV treatment because it is a lifetime treatment and that any complications in the course of taking the treatment should be reported to a medical doctor. He urged them to buy alarm systems like watches, clocks, mobile phones which they can programme to remind them to take their drugs.

The campaign that will run until 13 August was launched by Alim Hayatou, the secretary of state in the Ministry of Public Health in the presence of the GTZ representative and other public officials.

Bloody jailbreak attempt in Cameroon

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

At list one person was gunned down of what would have been another massive break in six weeks

An inmate of the New Bell Prison situated in the heart of Cameroon's economic capital of Douala, was plucked from the roofs of the run down structure by a guard’s bullet recently. According to the Herald Newspaper, Bedou Dakouo, was verging on blazing the trail of another massive breakout when he was surprised and immediately shot dead by a guard.

It should be noted here that the botched jailbreak attempt was the third in the past six weeks. Officials of the ramshackle penitentiary facility, who have since conveyed the remains of the slain former inmate to the morgue of the Laquintinie Hospital, said Bedou Dakouo was the pathfinder for a group of other inmates preparing to stage a massive breakout on the night he was killed.

anonymity, “We have no choice but to gun down fleeing inmates. They are usually armed with guns whose origins are hard to tell, and are likely to shoot at us in their mad bids to break free from the prison,” a prison official who begged for anonymity told the Herald.

Last 29 June, 15 detainees were gunned down in a frenzied exchange of gunfire as they attempted scaling the structure’s 3-metre-high fence to freedom. They had disconnected electricity supply on the premises to ease their escape. Two others were shot dead as they staged another escape attempt in the wee hours of the following morning, bringing the death toll to 17.

None of the guards, who were backed by police, gendarmes and fire-fighters, were hurt.

Guards who mounted a meticulous search of the prison seized three guns from inmates amidst unanswered head-spinning questions about how the inmates came into possession of the ammunitions. The prison registrar, Joseph Tsala Amougou, at the time, was barred from making any statements to the press.
Thus, the June prison break and the recent botched attempt all came as little surprise. Meanwhile, on 25 December 2007, a total 20 detainees escaped from the New Bell prison, successively staging one of the biggest breakouts at the dilapidated structure constructed way back in 1933 and left to rot under the pressures of age, neglect, wear and tear.

Chronic overcrowding engendered by prolonged pre-trial detentions has meant that the structure, with a maximum capacity of 700 inmates, averagely hosts 3200 detainees. Heightened deficiencies in food, health care, sanitation, escalating sexual promiscuity and violence have steadily worsened over time, to add to claims of torture and endemic corruption. Wealthy inmates are known to bribe guards for temporary freedom or court appearance.
Following prison reforms announced three years ago, the government announced plans to delocalize the New Bell Prison, today hemmed in the heart of town between the vivacious Douala Central Market and the populous New Bell neighborhood. But the plan has remained on paper.

Fight against corruption: FBI summons to investigate assets held by entire political class of Cameroon

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

Cameroon is arguably on of the most corrupt nations in the world and has been ranked the most corrupt, twice by Transparency International (TI). Unfortunately, most of those toping the list of corrupt individuals are government officials including; Ministers, Directors and Board-Chairs of state corporations, Senior state officials among others who have been banking the money abroad especially in Europe and America. The act of corruption and embezzlement of state funds is almost being institutionalized within president Biya's closed to thee decades rule, reason why many believe he is the promoter.

Apparently disturbed by growing criticism and pressure both from at home abroad, Biya launched his campaign against corruption dubbed “Operation Sparrow hawk I and II”. Within these period, a number of people have been arrested and jailed for alleged corruption and embezzlement of state funds. Surprisingly, very little had been recovered from the said officials leaving doubts as to the effectiveness of the operation. In a bid to retrieve more, government is said to be seeking assistance from the FBI to investigate assets of Cameroonians abroad and especially in the US

It is within this backdrop that Jeune Afrique Economie has published a preliminary list of 59 Yaounde regime officials suspected of holding ill-gotten monies and properties both at home and abroad (especially in the US and Europe). The list comprises those already in prison, those awaiting court trial and even those still serving, raising doubts whether Biya can summon the courage to punish them all. Analysts believed the article which carries no new information is intended to boost Biya’s image as an anti-corruption fighter

However, the Herald Newspaper reported that the front page article of the pro-government quarterly Jeune Afrique Economie (JAE) has shocked the Yaounde authorities.

“The article carries not only the names of those who have already been sentenced to long prison terms, but also those who are in prison detention awaiting trial. And even more so, the article carries the names of many not yet arrested but who would have vowed to be loyal and clean”, the paper added.

JAE says that the letter which carries the mention “secret, secret, secret” is written in not so accurate English because the president who wrote it himself, did not want it to enter a second hand.
The Magazine, owned by Cameroonian born, Blaise Pascal Talla leaves his reader believing therefore that he must have got it directly from President Paul Biya himself.
Cameroon, states the article, officially requests the assistance of the United States FBI to help it with financial investigations abroad which the government is undertaking against its suspects.

But many believe the FBI,noted for effective investigation will not limit its mission abroad owing to the fact that most of the suspects own questionable properties at home.

The list contains names of senior officials who have already undergone the judicial process and are in prison like Emmanuel Ondo Ndong, former GM of FEICOM, Alphonse Siyam Siewe, former minister of Water and Energy and Pierre Desire Engo, former GM of the National Social Insurance Fund. And also contains names of persons who are believed to belong to networks intended to plunder public finances.
The FBI is requested to find out if they have bank accounts or properties in the US, especially, where most of them were said to be investing.
The alleged list includes Paul Gabriel Hameni Ngamo, the recently dismissed administrator of Cameron Airlines; Lamare Ngankouo, inspector of Treasury and former GM of the National Sinking Fund and Peter Akumchi Awa, former GM of the Treasury

But, what appears surprising about the list is that it also includes names of persons who would be considered to be the regime’s faithful darlings, people considered to be above all suspicions
These persons are alleged to include Edouard Akame Mfoumou, former Finance minister, Esther Dang Belibi, former GM SNI, Gervais Mendo Ze, former CRTV GM and more.
The list includes Louis-Paul Motaze, Economy minister, Jean-Marie Atangana Mebara, former secretary general at the presidency, Iya Mohammed, GM of SODECOTON and FECAFOOT president .

The JAE report revealed further that the government’s letter to the FBI was sent months ago, raising fears that the president dug-up some old information that was already known to the public, to strengthen his image as a true fighter of corruption.

During the tenure of Niels Marquardt, the US ambassador who left Cameroon a year ago, the issue of the recovery of illicit funds held abroad came up in the press and it was understood that the US government was helping Cameroon in the matter.

The French ambassador to Cameroon before Georges Serre, the present one, also offered the French government support to Cameroon over the issue of holdings abroad by corrupt officials in Cameroon.

Marquardt's successor, Janet E. Garvey, is also bitter about corruption in Cameroon. “It is USA government policy and the embassy to fight corruption that eats away the foundation of a society: makes that society less stable, less prosperous… It ought to be stopped”. She told journalists during a visit to the Northwest province of the country.

Like her predecessor, ambassador Janet E. Garvey, emphasized, “We’ve told the government of Cameroon that there are policies we’re going to speak out, about corruption. We will like to see everyone who is corrupt to be arrested.”
In effect, commentators doubted that the JAE story broke new ground.
The names cited in the different categories have repeatedly occurred in the press in Cameroon.
Since it is allege that JAE is editorially in favour of the Biya regime, commentators read the report with skepticism believing that old material had been dusted up and re-packaged to give the impression that President Biya is leaving no stone unturned in the anti-corruption campaign, whereas his critics believe that it is not doing well enough.

Is the president using it for his political motives rather than to fight crime in Cameroon?

The following list was published by Jeune Afrique Economie (JAE) in English. Except in a few cases where clarity obliged, the names and titles are exactly as published in JAE

Polycarpe Abah Abah – Ex-minister of Economy and Finance
Paul Gabriel Ngama Hamani – Tax Inspector (Finance), presently administrator for CAMAIR
Lamare Daniel Njankouo – Ex-general manager of the «Internal Amortisation Debt Office» ex-delegated minister of Planning (Ministry of Finance)
Peter Akumchi Awa – ex-general manager of the Treasury (Ministry of Finance)
Caroline Doris Meva’a, Abah Abah’s wife – Executive position within Ministry of Finance
Lucien Mevea’a – private secretary to the Minister of Finance (Ministry of Finance)
Justin Njomatchoua – General secretary of the Ministry of Finance
Charles Tawamba – Customs Inspector (Ministry of Finance), presently general manager of CAMPOST
Célestin Pascal Kamanou Tawamba – General manager of Pasta company (belonging to the Minister of Finance)
Titi Pierre – General manager of the Budget (Ministry of Finance)
Djamila Babale – Financial adviser to the minister of Finance (Ministry of Finance)
Blaise Eugène Nsom – General manager of the Treasury (Ministry of Finance)
Anatole Nkodo Ze – Manager of Commission of Privatisation (Ministry of Finance)
Alfred Bagueka Assobo – Manager of Commission of Control of State Company (Ministry of Finance)
Samuel Amenguele Akin – Senior tax inspector (Ministry of Finance)
Nken Kome – Senior customs inspector (Ministry of Finance)
Rose Yougkeh Tamfuh, wife of Tanyi Mbianyor (British citizen) – Senior tax advisor to the Minister of Finance
Clarkson Oben Tanyi Mbianyor – Ex-minister of Forestry, senior tax inspector
Antoine Manga Massina – General manager of Customs (Ministry of Finance)
Rebeca Ndedi – Senior tax inspector (Ministry of Finance)
Laurent Nkodo – Senior tax inspector, presently general manager of Taxes (Ministry of Finance)
Mongue Nyamsi – Financial controller for the Ministry of Finance

Paul Tasong Njukang – Senior tax inspector (Ministry of Finance)
Dieudonné Evou Mekou – General manager of the Internal Amortisation Debt Office (Ministry of Finance)
Akame Mfoumou – Ex-minister of Economy and Finance
Emmanuel Mbian – Lawyer (Former lawyer of Ministry of Finance)
Esther Dang Bayibidio, wife Belibi – Ex-manager of the National Investment Company (SNI) presently member of management of Ministry of Finance
Alphonse Siyam Siwe – Ex-general manager of the Port of Douala and Ex-minister of Energy and Water
Emmanuel Ondo Ndong – Ex-general manager of FEICOM (Communal Bank)
Gervais Mendo Ze – Ex-general manager of the CRTV, Former delegate Ministry of Communications
Patricia Daisy Enam, wife Melone – Ex-financial duty manager of Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV)
Elisabeth Mongori – Ex-divisional manager of communication for the Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV)
Pierre Desire Engo – Ex-general manager of the Social Security Funding (CNPS)
Edouard Nathanael Etonde Ekotto – Ex-delegated governor to the city of Douala, ex-PCA to the port of Douala and the SIC Cameroon (State proceeds against him)
Jean Marie Atangana Mebara – Ex-ministry general secretary to the President of the Republic of Cameroon, former minister of Foreign Affairs
Yves Michel Fotso – Ex-general manager of CAMAIR and presently administrator of the Commercial Bank of Cameroon (CBC)
Marafa Hamidou Yaya – Ex-ministry general secretary to the President of the Republic of Cameroon, presently minister of Territorial Administration
Zacheus Mungwe Forjindam – General manager of the Shipyard in Douala
Marcel Niat Njifendi – Ex-manager of national electric company and ex vice prime minister
Paul Kammogne Fokam – Chairman of Afriland First Bank
Charles Metouck – General manager of SONARA (National Refining Company)
Martin Aristide Leopold Okouda – Ex-minister of Public Works
Michel Thierry Atangana Abega (is incarcerated) – Ex-team head of management of Ministry of Finance
Urbain Olanguena Awono – Former Minister of Health
Iya Mohamed – General Manager of SODECOTON and president of National Football Team
Joseph Edou – Ex-General manager of the Credit Foncier of Cameroon
Gilles Roger Belinga (is incarcerated) – Ex-general manager of the National Housing Company of Cameroon (SIC)
Louis Paul Motaze – General manager of the Social Security Funding (CNPS)
Roger Melingui – Ex-delegated minister of the Budget and ex-general manager of the National Office for Commercialisation of Base Products
Seydou Mounchipou – Ex-Minister of Telecommunications and Post
Perrial Jean Nyodog – General manager of Tradex (National Oil Company)
Maurice Kouoh Eyoum – Adviser of Ministry General Secretary of the President of Republic of Cameroon
Benoît Tayou – Inspector of the Treasury (Ministry of Finance)
Pierre Edimo – Senior tax inspector (Ministry of Finance)
Ahmadou Oumarou – Law Adviser of Commission of Privatisation (Ministry of Finance)
Louis Marie Abogo Nkono – Former minister of State Property and Land Tenure
Jean Baptiste Nguini Effa – General manager SCDP
Roger Tchoufa – Managing director of Atlantic Group and Group Five Ltd