Youths Awarded For Demonstrating Talented Skills

  Youths in the Bamenda I municipality and other destinations have been awarded prizes after showcasing their talents based on drama, singing, music, dancing, arts and craft, modeling, cinematography and photography. 

Regional delegate of Arts and Culture handing over prizes.

The award of prizes that ranged from 100000cfa, 50000cfa and 25000cfa for first, second and third prize respectively took place on Saturday 18, 2021 at the Regional Assembly hall, up station Bamenda. 

The workshop organized by RED FEATHER AWARD under the theme "Talent for moral civic and entrepreneurial rearmament" under the program YOUTHS TALENT CHALLENGE and sponsored by UNDP, with MINJEC and MINAC as partners. The workshop was set aside to give some soft skills to youths on entrepreneurship, leadership, civic, and moral education which they need in order to succeed as they pursue their goals.

Participants showcasing their know-how in drawing skills.

Nanda Danielle , one of the top award prize winner in modeling urged her friends to be able to seize opportunities to display their talents at any given time.

During the workshop, talks dwelled more on delinquency which is urging the youths to stay away from criminal acts, alcoholism and sexual immorality. Madam Njoka during her presentation, adviced the youths to have a positive mindset because they can make a change in the society and community where they belong to given that talented youths should equally have good morals in the society.  

              Participants at the workshop.

The regional delegate of arts and culture on her own part exhorted the youths to change their society despite where they come from. 

"We promise to sponsor such opportunities like this that deals with talents because we equally encourage talented youths, we are here because of YOTAC and this is the second time YOTAC is in Bamenda and we appreciate such efforts" The regional coordinator for UNDP said.

The Youth Talent Challenge, YOTAC was created in 2013 with headquarters in Yaounde, seeks to detect and promote building talents in Cameroon. Giving them the opportunity to make a living from their God given talents and also to serve as positive influencers in their communities.

By Kimbi Lionel

At 2022 Budgetary Session: Babessi Council Cries While Moving

  The Babessi Council in the Ngoketunjia division of the North West region has chosen to move while crying rather than stay on one spot crying with no development to show for.

The Anglophone crisis which has had a toll on the area since the onset, has permitted the council to rather focus on making Babessi emerge through various developmental projects envisaged for 2022. Meeting at the Babessi Council hall on Friday December 17,2021 the councilors of the municipality all agreed towards the vision of Mayor Joachim Metoh to have Babessi emerge even before the envisaged emergence of the country by 2035 as laid forth by the President of the Republic Paul Biya.

Mayor Joachim Metoh Mbah speaking to the press.

Through the various committee reports, the juicy projects outlined and unanimously accepted by the councilors did show prove of the general interest of the population taken into huge considering, as well as where the council wants to see itself in the nearest future.

With water, electricity, infrastructure and education to consume the voted budget of 887,700,000CFA balanced both in income and expenditure, the Mayor believes that it will transform the municipality economically, socially, health wise, culturally and aid in sports development of the local authority.

Revenue collection which used to be a major challenge especially in 2021, new strategies have been put in place by the council authorities to see that in 2022, revenue collection would not constitute a challenge. The council has therefore envisaged sources like the council additional taxes and state subventions all with the hope that reluctant contractors deliver their projects especially the cassava mill and the construction of the Babessi modern market by February 2022.

The Babessi 2022 budget of 887,700,000CFA will also help the council to execute projects like the provision of 4 boreholes in Muchacha, Konyiart, Menua and Saji, extension and the rehabilitation of the Mbakwa water in Baba-1, extension of electricity in Ngwinchenter in Babessi and Ibia, Tavendong and Saji in Babungo amongst many others.

Mayor Joachim Metoh Mbah used the session to call on all councilors to be peace setters and ambassadors of goodwill, with plans for his 5 years mandate to end not only in Babessi being an el dorado of peace but an epicenter for agricultural transformation and productivity.

By Peter Tasi

Wooping 1billion Voted For Juicy Envisaged Projects in Andek

Despite the insecurity which has perturbed total development to take it's course in Ngie, the council's authority have been bent on ensuring that all envisaged projects are executed to the later for the Andek council to regain back its top position not only in Momo Division but in the whole of the North West region.

Some Andek Councilors during photographs

The Andek council like other council's in the hinterlands are greatly affected by the ongoing crisis. Despite a tough 2021 for the council, the council authorities fought harder for the betterment of the community by ensuring that the 13 projects initiated were executed to the later being the construction of a zoo technical center, construction of a mixed bridge at Etwii-Bonanyang road, construction of 2 health center blocks at Andek, construction of a meat slap, construction of a community town hall, electrification of Ngie with three phase line and the installation of the DUDUM FM radio amongst others.

With 2022 approaching, the council has set a target of 100% execution rate of several juicy projects thanks to the investment allocation for 2022 of the sum of 525,000,000 CFA devolved to the Andek council as investment credit through projects like the purchase of a 20ton dump truck for the municipality, completion and equipment of the guest house, construction of a bridge to link GS Tinekoh, construction of a well with hand pump for water supply, rehabilitation of 2 bridges along the Bonatin-Bonanyang Andek road, construction of agricultural post, rural electrification of villages, rehabilitation of lower and upper Ebang portable water scheme, construction of Nkon Integrated health center and the support to Bonambufei group for production, processing and marketing of palm oil and kernel amongst the 22 envisaged projects for the Andek council.

Mayor Ubangoh Helly flanked by 1st and 2nd deputy Mayor's

All these projects are to be executed with the budget of 1,040,815,000CFA which is both balanced in income and expenditure. The large amount devolved by the State to the Andek council is a true manifestation of the willingness of the State to effectively implement the ongoing decentralization process in Cameroon. Mayor Ubangoh Helly believes that if such a trend continues, the State shall achieve the devolution of 15% prescribed by the law of 2019 on decentralization. "We need to do everything for Andek to regain it's activities else many more ministries might stop investing in Ngie because we want all credit allocations to Andek municipality to be consumed for the benefit of our people. We shall not allocate projects to areas that are still hostile because of the crisis." Helly said

Expressing concerns over the ranking of council's, which to him they were not finding the appropriate manner given that the officials concerned have not been to the field, Mayor Ubangoh Helly stressed that "most of the works ongoing in Ngie have not been documented by the Delegate that published the classification because they too have not been to the site, as a result of security challenges. They should better stop these publications because they are misleading. I strongly questioned the credibility of that ranking."

Mayor Ubangoh Helly granting interview to the press

The Mayor cautioned the elites that instead of criticising for low execution rates in the air, they should rather come on board and encourage the contractors in their various communities so that they can continue to sacrifice in executing the projects.

In the strides for Ngie to regain normal life, Mayor Ubangoh Helly has secured the Safety Net project, plans as well to intensify efforts to improve on social economy by granting loans and grants for startups, intend to organize a grand cultural festival, intend to train farmers on farming techniques while the councilors according to the local authority should be home oriented in order to achieve the goal for 2022.

Reporting GBV:Journalists Meet To Vulgarise Draft Code Of Ethics

   Journalists in bamenda have met in a one day training workshop to do an overview of the already drafted Media Code of Ethics in Reporting on Gender Base Violence. They converged in Bamenda at Blue Pearl hotel on December 09, 2021, with over 30 media practitioners answering present. 

Media practitioners posing at training workshop.

The event which was organized by Doctors of the World was aimed at including the draft code of ethics for reporting on gender base violence in the ethics of journalism through the ministry of communication. 

According to the document, which journalists have unanimously agreed on, it would therefore serve as a working guide for journalists, public speakers, graphic designers, media content builders and any other person whose work is related to the gathering, treatment and dissemination of information. 

The code spells out some standards to follow in the process of disseminating gender base stories and also for media actors to apply the provisions of the guidelines at different stages of their interventions. 

"This is a 32 months project and it is the continuation of a project that started in 2018 and ended in March 2021 due to crisis in the North West region". Singeh Helen highlighted. The GBV project manager in Cameroon for Medecines du Monde Suisse (Doctors of the world Switzerland), reiterated that they however had to push the project functionality to Mbouda in the West region before returning it back to Bamenda due to the crisis.

By Kimbi Lionel

Revisiting FEHACU 2021: "Cultural Pragmatism, a Panacea to Political Dynamism" Pa Peter Ngufor

The maiden edition of the Bamenda III Festival of Heritage Arts and Cultures dubbed FEHACU 2021 has come and gone but the indelible mark it left on the people and most especially those who patronized and gave in their total support to it's success, have saluted the initiators for holding such a cultural festival which did not only limit itself to the Nkwen village but was inclusive in nature. Not only has the cultural festival stood tall and gained grounds for the initiators but has been described by one whose institution partnered with the cultural festival, as a uniting of two political party's despite their ideologies but striving for the growth and development of the municipality.

Pa Peter Ngufor, CEO Farmers House.

Pa Peter Ngufor who doubles as an Agro-Industrialist and the Chief Executive Officer of the renowned Farmers-House in the Bamenda III Subdivision of the North West region of Cameroon, likened the cultural festival to two sides being the Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement party (CPDM) which HRH Fon Azehfor III belongs to and the Social Democratic Front (SDF) which Mayor Fonguh Cletus Tanwe belongs to, having to come together to jointly organise something to be a huge success and a crowd puller. He ascertained that it should be the spirit that should reign in the whole country not just in the North West or Bamenda III Subdivision.

"I will like to congratulate Fon Azehfor III and Mayor Fonguh Cletus Tanwe in particular for when you encourage something and it turns out to be a success, then it is a good thing for everybody both the citizens and the organizers. I will like to support such ventures in the future." Pa Peter Ngufor expressed while adding that it is an example worth emulating for others and to strive at all times to see things in the same direction when it comes to ensuring peace and development of the community irrespective of belonging to different political party's.

HRH Fon Azehfor III and Mayor Fonguh Cletus Tanwe.

Pa Peter Ngufor who has always been Frank to his assessment of issues, promised to lend his unflinching support to the future organisation of the Bamenda III Festival of Heritage, Arts and Cultures.

By Peter Tasi

World AIDS Day 2021: NW Seeks to Drop Prevalence rate from 4% to Zero

 December 1 each year is commemorated as World AIDS Day which seeks to show support for people living with HIV and to draw setbacks from those who have died as a result of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome related illnesses. World AIDS Day remains relevant as it reminds people and the governments that HIV has not been defeated.

Dignitaries gracing World HIV/AIDS Day 2021.

Commemorating World AIDS Day in the North West region on December 1, 2021 a walk of civil society organizations around some streets in Bamenda focused on raising awareness on the burden the disease represents especially during this context of the coronavirus. Presiding at the event proper at the NW Special Fund for Health Promotion hall at the Regional Hospital, the regional chairperson of the AIDS control committee represented by S.G Viang Mekala, insisted in his speech on the need to improve access to care and awareness. In thanking all those who have had to sensitize the masses on the need for treatment and or abstinence, Viang Mekala said the theme should serve as a wake-up call for everyone to act accordingly and continuously to stop all forms of diseases and situations that cause human suffering as well as should be an opportunity for the continuation of awareness rasing on the treatment and prevention of a disease which be said can be stopped by early testing and placement on treatment at an early stage.

Viang Mekala granting interview to the press.

The statistics of the North West region attest to that, 84% of people living with HIV knew their status while 85% of newly diagnosed people living with HIV were placed on antiretroviral drug therapy by June 2021.

"We encourage the population to know their status and if it is positive, they should accept to take the treatment of the antiretrovirus drug which is free of charge." Viang Mekala said.

Dr. Tayong Gladys talking to the press.

The last demographic survey which was done in 2018 shows that the HIV prevalence stands at 4%  down from 7.8% in 2004. The North West region which counts about 40,000 patients living with HIV/AIDS who are on treatment, Dr Tayong Gladys, the Regional Coordinator of the Technical Group for the Fight against HIV/AIDS highlighted that the challenges of taking care of such number of patients is further compounded by the ongoing crisis which has made some patients not being able to leave their homes to go for their drugs. "We have put in place strategies such as multiple months of treatment for clients who are clinically stable so that they don't come to the health facility every month and as well outreaches are done." 

The region which aims to have a viral suppression of atleast 95% also faces the challenge where the children and adolescent are still at 79% as against 92% which means that "the children who are on treatment really need the improvement on the care, treatment and support which is given to them as we have been able to identify only about 60% of children. So we call on mother's living with HIV/AIDS to test all their biological children for HIV." Dr Tayong Gladys expantiated. She also exhorted everyone to play a part in the fight against the disease as she challenged women to take the lead in the fight. 

During the visiting made to the exhibition stands of some NGO's, it was disclosed that sexual intercourse still maintains top position as a way of transmission and contraction of the disease which stands at 84%, mother to child transmission at 6% and through other means at 4%. Youths have been strongly advised to abstain from unprotected sex and go for test to know their HIV status which is free same too as the drugs when one is tested positive.

By Peter Tasi

World AIDS Day 2021: Cominsud Joins Fight To Attain Zero Percentage

 On December 1 every year, UN agencies, governments and civil society organizations unite to campaign on specific themes related to HIV.

It is with this that the Community Initiative for Sustainable Development, COMINSUD on December 1, 2021 joined in the activities aimed at raising awareness on HIV/AIDS which continues to pose a global challenge coupled with the Coronavirus pandemic.

COMINSUD exhibition booth at regional hospital.

Lum Priscilla, focal health person for COMINSUD explained that the reasons to join in the commemoration is to ensure that they give their own quota to reach the 95,95,95 goal.  

Lum Priscilla sensitizing dignitaries.

"The first 95 simply means the persons screened, that is 95% of the population who are tested Should know their status. The second 95 stands for the treatment which implies those who are tested positive should be placed on treatment and the third 95 is for viral suppression that 95% of the persons who are on treatment should attain a viral suppression." Lum Priscilla explained while adding that when everyone who is on treatment attains a viral suppression there will be no new infections because of the slogan which says You Equals to You which further means Undetectable Equal to Untransmissable given that when there is an undetected viral load, there will also be no new infections because the transmissions will be limited.

COMINSUD also used the commemoration to educate on the clinical management of rape which is part of a project aimed at providing rapid response to the most vulnerable displaced, host and affected in nine localities and six councils in the North West region.

Some sensitisation materials.

To note that COMINSUD is an NGO that works for a responsive society where the principles and standards of good governance are respected and upheld for sustainable development.

By Peter Tasi

FONAB Graduates Silver Batch, Matriculates 2021 Fresher's

 FONAB Education Foundation have on Saturday November 27, 2021 graduated their Silver Batch of students from the various schools of the polytechnic university. The ceremony that took place at the Bamenda Mile 3 Nkwen campus under the auspices of the supervisory authority of the University of Bamenda dubbed UBa and the administrator Dr. Cosmos Fonche Abong graduated over 150 students in various professional disciplines who are ready for the job market. Being a twin event, the university also did welcomed over 250 new students who took the matriculation oath pledging to abide by the rules governing the institution.

Dr. Abong posing with some graduands.

 While exhorting the graduating students to be     ambassadors, Dr. Abong challenged the graduands to uphold professionalism and productivity while exploring other avenues even not linked to their field of studies. He went further to applaud their tremendous sacrifice and hardwork above all and did also told them to stand by the code of ethics and deontology of their disciplines which will act as key for their successes.

The ongoing sociopolitical crisis rocking the North West and  South West Regions of Cameroon and further compounded by the presence of the Coronavirus pandemic, the director congratulated most especially the teachers, administrative staff, students and other collaborators for their resilience in ensuring that they perform their tasks despite the turbulations. "It is a concentrated concentration from all that has brought us to this moment. No single person can take the glory all alone. We all fought through distant learning to classrooms and a lot more. The 21st century demands job creators and not job seekers. That is why for 25years and counting, FONAB Polytechnic University Institute has been at the forefront of technical-know-how and professional orientation." Dr Abong illuminated.

From the various schools ranging from Education, food processing, engineering, business studies, health sciences amongst others, it has been 25years off the ground that has necessitated what and where FONAB Polytechnic University Institute are at the moment.

With the best overall student from the Accounting department of the FONAB Technical Secondary High School, second from the food processing department, management and Education in that ranking, the workaholic Dr Abong made it clear that it shows proof of what the society needs in this era.   

Nevertheless the other departments might have had a less number yet per discipline call thereto it might have been just enough to hold strong to professional orientation. Talking to the press one of the graduating students, Jude Zihah said they salute the dynamism of the University's administration, the lecturers and all the students for their devoted academic concerns and striving at all cost to succeed.

The Fresher's were told point-blank to leave the attractive social engagements and commit themselves to the professional courses they came to acquire knowledge in. The matriculation oath taking did commissioned them to their courses given the drips and drops from their outgoing peers. Talking to the media, Lizzete Lymnuy  said she is in the institution to update her skills in nursing because "I want to help humanity. I've seen the shinning colors of some graduating students and would do my best to be the best in my discipline".

It should be recalled that FONAB Polytechnic is the first private polytechnic to have opened its doors in the North West region way back in 1996. The institution has and is still educating and shaping many students from the North West, Africa and the world at large in diverse disciplines which they offer. They however have been pulling and pushing the world towards the evolution and emancipation of man and society.

FONAB Education Foundation includes Two schools, a Technical High School and the Polytechnic University which have been at the service of the public for knowledge acquisition and professional orientation reasons why all have and are still standing the test of time.

The silver jubilee was witnessed by academic dons from the University of Bamenda, University of Dchang and other higher educational outfits in Bamenda and beyond to which they are affiliated to.

Fonab Polytechnic offers professional Bachelor’s Degree courses in collaboration with the Universities of Dschang and Bamenda with some of the programs and specializations being: Mechanical Engineering, Education, Accounting, Management, Executive Secretarial Studies, Marketing, Banking and Finance, Electronics, Information and Communication Technology, Bakery and Food Processing, Fashion, Clothing and Textile amongst others.

By Peter Tasi