L'Effort Camerounais (English Version)

Editorial: If I Were the President

By Ireneaus Chia Chongwain

One of this country's most prolific writers of English expression, Professor Bole Butake, once wrote that the things happening in this country are very pregnant. Whatever things he was referring to have either given or continue to give birth to progenies that are beyond the common man's understanding. Reactions of some CPDM militants to a French Catholic non-profit organisation's report on President Biya's supposed ill-gotten wealth, may not only indicate how politically retarded some Cameroonians are, but also signal how far developed this country's destructive sense of political complacency has become. If I were the President, I will prove even my own party militants wrong.

Cameroon And The Fight Against Corruption:What Catholics Think Of Government's Ongoing Anti-Corruption Drives

A recent damning report from a French Catholic non- profit organisation on the Head of State’s ill-gotten wealth has cast doubts over government's determination to kick corruption out of Cameroon. The report has also generated a lot of controversy and thrown several personalities across the divide into disarray as many believe when a fish starts rotting from the head, the putrid process cannot be reversed. The disputed report aside, Catholic Christians have personal opinions on government's ongoing anti-corruption drives- opinions that are devoid of external influences and manipulations. The Bishops of Cameroon have even given their viewpoint on corruption, which L'Effort Camerounais, is revisiting. Also get the views of some Catholic Christians on corruption.

Pastoral Letter of the Bishops of Cameroon on Corruption

"Corruption is destroying our country." That is what the Bishops of Cameroon wrote in September 2000. Even if this "Pastoral Letter to Christians and to all men and women of goodwill on corruption," received wide media attention, it is not certain that it has been widely read, or appreciated for what it is. That is why we are publishing large excerpts to challenge our thinking, and lead us to a deeper analysis of the situation.

Declaration of the Bishops of Cameroon on corruption and embezzlement of public funds

 

"Happy are those who hunger and thirst for justice," (Mt 6:6).

Meeting in Rome, outside our Ad Limina Apostolorum visit to the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, from March 12, through 21, 2006, we, the Bishops of Cameroon, after reviewing the national life and praying for our country at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul, have decided to publish this declaration addressed to our people and to the friends of Cameroon.

"Ongoing efforts to fight corruption is all window-dressing but also a good beginning", Mgr George Nkuo

 

Interviewed by Emmanuel F. Sanosi

  

My Lord, what do you think about government's efforts so far to fight against corruption in Cameroon?
I wish to commend the government for realising that there is something wrong in the country. Although government's attempts are more of a window-dressing, I believe the government can do a lot more.  People who have embezzled public funds should be brought to book. They should not only be simply arrested and detained, but measures should be taken to ensure that stolen funds are returned to State coffers. These funds are meant to improve on the welfare of cameroonians, but carting them away creates an economic vacuum which creates a vicious circle as individuals become more corrupt since they cannot make ends meet from honestly earned revenues.

"The Church contributes to a culture of corruption", Church Historian says

Interviewed by Emmanuel F. Sanosi

 

Rev. Fr. Joseph Tangka teaches Church History at the St Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, Bambui. While evaluating government's efforts in fighting corruption in Cameroon, Fr. Tangka also examines the ill from the Church's perspective, going way back to the French Revolution. He explains that although the government is not making much headway in its fight against corruption, the Church can equally be blamed to some extent, for the government's seemingly feeble efforts. Excerpts:

How catholics evaluate the ongoing fight against corruption

Views sampled by Grace Ongey and Jude Abanseka

Barrister Ivo Alonjo
 

It is good government is fighting corruption, but the decision is coming too late. What the government is doing now is only a face-saving measure. If government is serious about fighting corruption, it should first identify the areas of government that are most corrupt. Officials can then be assigned to identify corrupt people and how and why they are corrupt. It is important to know why people are corrupt before fighting the ill.

Bishop, Priests and Christians Celebrate Year of Priests in Kumbo Diocese

By Livinus Tal Bam

 

Pilgrims flooded the road to Sacred Heart Parish Shisong on July 24, 2009, as they joined the Bishop of Kumbo to celebrate a Pontifical Mass marking the beginning of the Year of Priests in Kumbo Diocese. On the sidelines they also commemorated the sixtieth anniversary of Fr Aloysius Wankuy's Priestly ordination.

Radio Evangelium may not meet deadline to go on the air

By Livinus Tal Bam

 

The radio station of Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province, Radio Evangelium, may not go on the air this September as initially planned, the Bishop of Buea, Mgr Immanual Balanjo Bushu, has said.

PAPSAB: Nerve centre for street child management

By Emmanuel F. Sanosi

A Professional Association for the Protection of Street and Abandoned Children in Bamenda, PAPSAB, organised a workshop on street-child management from July 14 to 15, 2009 at the Mezam Divisional Delegation for Social Affairs.