- By Solomon Tembang A Cameroonian government official, the Divisional Officer of Kumbo Abedimo in the Bakassi peninsula, Felix Morfaw, has been abducted and several security forces reported killed in the Peninsula. The perpetrators of the crime are not yet known. The attack happened in the northern part of the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula, which Nigeria handed over to Cameroon in 2006. Morfaw was reportedly abducted by unidentified gunmen on Monday night. The attacked happened when the administrator and the security forces were on patrol in Akwayafe estuary in Akwa, headquarters of Kumbo Abedimo. Security sources say Cameroonian gendarmes had earlier arrested a number of people suspect…

- By Solomon Tembang The government of Cameroon has, for four months running, been locked in a quiet cool war with importers of rice into the country. Since the Head of State’s decisions in March to increase the purchasing power of Cameroonians, importers have seemingly refused to heed the efforts that aim at reaching that goal. Proof is that, not even the sporadic price controls and auction sales that have taken place across the country have succeeded in bringing down the cost of rice. Traders continue to sell at the price they chose fit. Depending on the type, a 50 kilogram bag of rice today sells at between 18 and 20 thousand CFA Francs, compared to 11 and 12 000 CFA Francs l…

One of Cameroon's stolen Gorillas of the Taiping Four that were returned to Cameroon some months back has died. The ten-year-old gorilla, named Oyin died on Monday 2 June after a yet to be determined ailment. - According to the Conservator of the Limbe Wildlife Centre, Vincent Ndoh, on 30 November 2007, the female gorilla, Oyin, alongside three others, Izan, Abbey and Tinu, arrived at Limbe from Pretoria Zoo in South Africa. Between December 2007 and April 2008 they were kept isolated from the Limbe Wildlife Centre resident gorillas, and during this time, apart from a mild respiratory infection that all the four gorillas suffered from and that lasted several days in the first week of…

- By Solomon Tembang A visit of United Nations envoys – members of the Security Council who were touring African conflict zones- to the Democratic Republic of Congo has been frustrated following a gun incident on the plane in which they were traveling. This caused the diplomats to abandon the visit. Reports say the security breach occurred when a UN guard discharged his weapon in the cabin of a jet on an airport tarmac in Goma, in the east of the country, while the dignitaries were on board. Correspondent reports say no one was hurt but the pilot decided the aircraft was no longer safe to fly. The UN diplomats were forced to leave DR Congo by bus. They were driven to neighbouri…

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR has evacuated its staff from North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo and suspended its operations in the area. - This followed a recent attack on a refugee camp by Rwanda rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), killing and wounding many. Those wounded in the attack included two aid workers with the U.N. refugee agency. In a statement Thursday, U.N. special representative Alan Doss called the attack a "terrorist act" that should be regarded as a war crime. However, the FDLR rebels have also condemned the attack and denied any involvement. Marjon Kamara, director of the U.N. refugee agency’s Africa Bur…

- By Solomon Tembang The wife of South African legend and former president, Nelson Mandela, Gracia Machel, is current undertaking a working visit to cameroon. Gracia marcle has been holding discussions with top government officials She was received in audience by Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni. During the audience the Prime Minister and his guest reviewed ways of setting up a national Governance council that will pilot the activities of the African peer review mechanism. At the end of the working session at the Prime Minister’s office, Graca Machel was treated to lunch by the Head of Government at his lake side residence during which he exalted the qualities of Gr…

- By Solomon Tembang Experts from financial institutions and supervisory organs within the Central African Economic and Monetary Committee CEMAC are currently meeting in Yaoundé to explore better ways of revamping the financial sector of the sub region. The two-day conference that opened today at the Yaoundé Hilton is seeking ways and means of harnessing the resources of the different financial institutions for the development of the sub region. Cameroon's Finance Minister, Essimi Menye, who opened the conference underscored the importance of the sector to the development of the sub region and promised that proposals from the discussions shall be implemented to boost the economy…

Cameroon's football icon and FC Barcelonan striker, Samuel Eto'o Fils appeared on state television on Wednesday to repair the damage caused to his image after the incident between him and a Radio Siantou sports reporter, Bonny Philip. - A few minutes into the hour-long interview, Eto'o apologised for head butting Bonny Philip, someone he described as a friend and even a brother. The incident, it should be recalled occurred last Friday at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel. After heated arguments between Sports reporters from local media, and the Indomitable Lions, Samuel Eto’o, in a surprising move, head butted Bonny, after a voice from the crowd referred to Eto’o as an ill…

At least six DR Congo refugees have been killed and over 30 wounded after Rwandan rebels attacked a refugee camp in Eastern DR. Congo. - A UN spokesman said the rebels attacked the Kinyandoni camp in North Kivu province and shot indiscriminately at unarmed civilians. Reports say the area around the camp has been controlled by Hutu rebels from Rwanda for years. However, under a peace deal, the Congolese army is retaking positions in the area. The UN says the rebels have attacked the civilians in retaliation. The presence of up to 8,000 Hutu rebels, some of whom allegedly took part to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, is seen as one of the main obstacles to peace in eastern DR Congo. Th…

Following a failed peace agreement between the Ugandan LRA Rebels led by Joseph Kony, The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared its intension to launch an attack on the LRA. Kony, the Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army has been hiding in eastern DR Congo through out the peace talks, fearing he would be arrested for war crimes. - A final peace deal was reached in March after almost two years of talks, but Kony never showed up to sign it. The chiefs of defence forces in Uganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the UN Mission in Congo, Monuc, have been meeting in the Ugandan capital Kampala this week to find a military solution to the problem of the LR…

- By Solomon Tembang A court case pitting the Social Democratic Front political party Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi and Cameroon's Minister of Territorial Administration, Marafa Himidou Yaya, Amadou Vamoulke the General Manager of Cameroon Radio Television, CRTV, Mondoa Bokoa Josue and the Publisher of the state-owned daily newspaper, Cameroon Tribune, Marie-Claire Ngana was recently frustrated because of language barrier. The suit filed in the Bamenda Court of First Instance began hearin on Monday 2 June but was later adjourned when prosecuting counsels objected to that fact that the defence counsels were speaking but in French insteat of English. The defence counsels prefered to use…

- By Solomon Tembang A locally produced incubator, invented by a 24-year-old Cameroonian, Aghangu Kamfu Herman, is making history as it is being used to incubate premature babies in the hospital. The machine uses Solar energy and elkectricity. The incubator has proven its effectivenesss as it has already been used in the Bamebda Genral Hospital to incubate premature babies and a phototherapy to take care of children suffering from jaundice. The facinating product is made of wood, and plastic glasses. Aghangu himself take credit with barely a CAP Certificate in Electrical Engineering to show from GTHS Bamenda. His field career started in the Monastery in Mbengwi where he was in charge…

Cameroonians in Equatorial Guinea are having a rough time with the authorities of the country following repeated deportations, harassment and detentions. - Many of them have been subject to many cases of violence and forceful evictions perpetrated by security operatives. The most recent case of deportations is that of over 70 Cameroonians on Tuesday last week. Reports say on Tuesday last week, over 70 Cameroonians were rounded up, detained for three days under inhumane conditions and finally repatriated by sea by the Equatorial Guinea police. One of the repatriated, Kepdeup Nanda Eric disclosed to the press that four female citizens were kidnapped by cops and taken to an unknown des…

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have started the qualifiers for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa and the African Nations Cup on a good footing by taking an early lead of Group 1, beating Cape Verde 2-0. - The curtain raiser of the match at the Amadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé came just nine minutes in to the match through Captain Rigobert Song. Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o netted in the second goal through a penalty shot awarded by the referee after he was faulted. In the other Group 1 match Mauritius held hosts Tanzania to a 1-1 draw in Dar es Salaam. The visitors took the lead in the 39th minute through Westley Marquette, who was then sent off in the 75th minute. The …

- By Solomon Tembang A five-man delegation led by the Gabonese Ambassador to Cameroon, his Excellency Michel Madougou was recently received in audience by Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, during which the Gabonese delegation expressed Gabon’s intention to tap knowledge from Cameroon’s urban transport system. The Gabonese delegation expressed the country’s eagerness to organise an urban transport system based on the Cameroon experience. During the audience, the delegation averred that Cameroon’s urban transport system was a model to learn from and that Gabon stands to gain if its existing capacities and managerial skills can be blended with Cameroon…

- By Solomon Tembang Drug peddlers involved in the sale of illicit drugs in Cameroon are in for difficult times in the days ahead. This comes on the heels of a full-blown fight launched by the government of Cameroon against the sale of these illicit drugs, while commemorating this year’s Africa Day for the Fight against Drug Peddling. It is worth noting that drug peddling in Cameroon has resulted to several deaths and other disabilities, mostly witnessed among the population in urban areas. The commemoration of this Year’s Africa Day for the Fight against Drug Peddling was occasion for the Minister of Public Health, Andre Mama Fouda, to highlight the devastating consequenc…

The crisis in neighbouring Chad that worsened earlier this year with fierce fighting and bombardments in the capital Ndjamena has scared many species of birds on the Cameroonian side of the border, thereby keeping away fauna loveres and eco-tourists. - Talking to Africanews shortly after his return from Kousseri in the Far North province of Cameroon, Sone Ngoh Elone a Cameroonian eco-tourism guide said: “Throughout the fighting the sounds of gunshots and other artillery scared the population and the birds. Some beautiful birds which used to live in Kousseri right up to the Chadian capital N’djamena have either flown elsewhere or to human population where they have been captur…

- The arrival of the gorillas follows protracted negotiations between the governments of Cameroon and the Republic of South Africa The ceremony shall be watched amongst others by Cameroon’s Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Professor Elvis Ngole Ngole, and the South African High Commissioner to Cameroon, Dr SS Ripinga.Ahead of the arrival of the gorillas the Limbe Wildlife Centre has constructed special habitats that will accommodate the animals. The staff of the center has also been trained on how to handle the animals.Earlier this week the Minister of Forests and Wildlife, Professor Elvis Ngole Ngole remarked that the return of the gorillas is a diplomatic victory for Cameroon.Keywo…

- The National Chairman of Cameroon’s frontline opposition political party, Social Democratic Front, SDF, John Fru Ndi has, described as lies, President Biya’s claim in an interview with the French Television Channel, France 24 that he took an appointment with Biya for a meeting for dialogue in Mvomeka’a and he Fru Ndi failed to turn up. In the interview, President Biya said he has always been open to dialogue and blamed the SDF Chairman for shying away from debate. “I think Fru Ndi will not say the contrary. We look an appointment and he chose Mvomeka’a, near Yaounde”. Biya added that he was satisfied with the appointment but Fru Ndi did not show up…