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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Buea Diocesan Priests’ Memo Scandal: Father George Nkeze fires back

Claims the worries raised in the memo to Bishop Bushu are already resolved!

By Christopher Ambe

A memo by the Association of Diocesan Priests (ADP) of Buea Diocese in which they accuse their Chief Shepherd, Bishop Immanuel Bushu  Banlanjo, of high -handedness, favoritism and more, and leaked to the press ,  has sparked a hot debate within Catholics in Cameroon especially in Buea  Diocese, The Recorder has gathered.
The Diocese is yet to formally issue a statement of clarification about allegations in the memo.Read the allegations reported here Cameroon: Buea Diocesan Priests Rise Against Their Bishop, Mgr. Bushu

But Rev.Father George Nkeze  Jingwa, Pro-Chancellor of UIDB, also accused in the memo, has in a letter to The Recorder dated November 19, 2012, stated: “The issues raised were addressed and resolved two weeks before your publication”

The memo was copied to His Excellency Piero Pioppo, the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, the President of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference (BAPE), and the Provincial Chairman of the Association of Diocesan Priests.

While many Catholic Christians who think that Bishop Bushu is doing his very best to develop the Buea Diocese both spiritually and infrastructure-wise say the memo was uncalled for, others hold that if priests had to sit down together despite their vow of obedience to their Bishop during their ordination, to draft such a document, this suggested that, there were unresolved crucial problems between the priests and their Bishop, which needed external intervention. 

If not, why should “a household matter as such be brought to the attention of the public?” a Catholic Christian argued. “It is shameful that priests could resort to petition-writing for a matter that they ought to have sat together as a family to resolve”

After this newspaper reported about memo, Bishop Bushu reportedly held a series of meetings in a bid to defuse the tension caused by public knowledge of the memo, which was supposed to be confidential but unfortunately leaked by reportedly by some priests
One of such meetings was the  convening   of Diocesan  Parish Executives .They  met in the Bishop’s conference hall  in Small Soppo and the meeting was  chaired by Bishop Bushu himself, during which the controversial appointments and the entire memo were read to the assembly, and Christian’s reactions noted. 

A Parish executive who attended the meeting told The Recorder that a huge majority of those who also attended the meeting condemned the spirit of the memo, especially as it did not only contain serious allegations but its tone was harsh. The Bishop reportedly asked the Christians to pray for the priests, also promised to see how the issues raised would be resolved for the continued unity of the Church.

It would be recalled that when The Recorder initially approached the Bishop’s House for a reaction, the Diocesan Chancellor Rev Father Evaristus Nkede confirmed that the memo was received by the Bishop, but regretted that it was leaked to the Press. He refused to allow The Recorder meet the Bishop on the matter.

Alleged in the memo to be a favored priest is Rev Father George Nkeze, Pro-Chancellor of the University Institute of Buea Diocese (UIDB).

When The Recorder met him in his UIDB office last week to get his reaction to accusations leveled against him, he readily accepted to grant an interview to that effect. “I am not afraid of interviews, you know”, he assured this reporter.

Although The Recorder was ready to conduct the interview instantly, Rev.Father Nkeze said he was busy with other things at the time. He preferred to have questions emailed to him, which this reporter did last Friday and received in return an acknowledgement email. But when this reporter, after repeated reminders, on Tuesday met Rev Father Nkeze for the responses, he was handed an official letter dated November 19, 2012 in which Rev.Father Nkeze appreciated the efforts of The Recorder to meet him about accusations against him in the memo. 

But surprisingly, Rev. Father Nkeze, apparently scared of the sensitivity  of  the  issues raised in the memo, to  shed more light on them, made the following  three observations in his  letter to The Recorder:  
11If you are interested in  publishing the truth, I guess it would have been proper as a journalist to investigate the issues raised before  publication
22  -    The memo was not addressed to me but to the Bishop
33-     The issues raised were addressed and resolved two weeks before your publication.”

The memo had alleged that funding of some projects like the University Institute of Buea Diocese was wrapped in mystery, and The Recorder expected Rev.Father Nkeze, who is Pro-Chancellor of UIDB to take advantage of the opportunity offered him to put things straight-especially as this clergyman is said to be outspoken. But he chose not to!

 The Recorder was also expecting his reaction to the following allegation against him in the memo:
 “There are certain priests in the Diocese who must be in control of everything that matters. So one person is Pro-Chancellor and the same time Interim President of the University Institute of the Diocese of Buea (UIDB),Bishop’s Delegate in charge of missions with Government and the external world, as if there is no one else in the Diocese who can handle that post. The same priest is known by us to be very influential in the appointments and transfers of priests in this Diocese, especially his friends whom he controls and manipulates to gain his own interest.
“He has therefore influenced the appointment of the Education Secretary and has also brought the St.Thomas Aquinas Catholic Bookshop under his control.

“In the same vein, a priest is appointed to the post of President of university Institute, who left for a Doctorate Degree in Rome less than a year ago and who has not put in one year of course work yet. The Pro-Chancellor, who was removed from UIDB less than two years, has bounced back and now both the education Secretariat and the Bookshop are in the hands of the only person matters in this Diocese”

Although the memo to the Bishop was reportedly signed by Rev.Fr John Tchamnda (ADP chair) for and on behalf of the Buea Diocesan ADP, some priests told The Recorder that it was only a handful of them who supported the memo. “It is a small clique that wrote it. We feel disgraced by that,” one priest, in Molyko, said to this reporter.
( First Published in The Recorder Newspaper,Cameroon,of November 22,2012)

Friday, November 23, 2012

Luma Stephen: An Asset to the CPDM in Buea

By Christopher Ambe

Luma Stephen Njoke:Alternate MP,,Buea Urban
Mr.Luma Stephen Njoke has, for years now been   the CPDM Sub-Section President for Buea Central I which includes Mukunda- where the Palace of the Paramount Chief of Buea is situated.

In fact, Chief SML Endeley of Buea and Hon.Meoto Paul Njie, former Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minster’s Office and CPDM Central Committee envoy, are militants of this sub-section.

Mr.Luma, soft-spoken and persuasive, is also the alternate Member of Parliament for Buea Urban. As alternate to the late Hon. Adolf Ngale Namme, MP for Buea   he was very collaborative, helping the late MP, in one way or the other to succeed, instead of engaging in a campaign of calumny against him, as some politicians do.

Mola Luma, who is a career accountant, is currently the Municipal Treasurer of Buea Council, and is noted for his stringency in keeping accounts. Before his appointment as the Municipal Treasurer, Mola Luma had held several duty posts in the Northwest and Southwest Treasury Services.

So efficient was this financial expert of Bakweri origin in scrutinizing public accounts, that even when he was appointed Municipal Treasurer of Buea Council, he was still retained as a senior auditor at Buea Regional Treasury, for sometime.

Mola Luma believes in capacity-building as a sure way of improving living standards. That is why in 2010 he launched a scholarship program in his subsection, and at least 34 pupils and students residing in the subsection, smiled home with a total of about FCFA 500,000.
 “These scholarship awards will be given annually and they are aimed at developing our branches, building the capacity of youth and to encourage education -for as the civil rights Activist Malcolm X states: ‘Education is our passport to the future, tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today’ ”,Mr. Luma remarked during the award ceremony in Mukunda,Buea Town.

Mola Luma is also described as philanthropist, who does not hesitate to assist needy people. But as a true Christian he does not make noise when he assists the less privileged.
Although a quiet and well-behaved Presbyterian Christian, he can sometimes strike his attackers in self-defense. This, as a warning so that people don’t take him for granted.

 It would be recalled that during the 2007 municipal and parliamentary campaigns, when APF militants came right to his residence to provoke him, almost hoisting their party flag at his house entance, knowing very well that Mola Luma was a CPDM stalwart, he chased them and later lodged a compliant to that effect with the Police. “There is no place for APF in Buea”, he insisted.

Mr.Luma becomes even more popular in Buea because of his regular sponsorship of what is styled the Luma Stephen Inter-quarter Football Tournament for Buea Youth, organized during holidays as his contribution to the development and promotion of football in the Southwest Region.

From our findings, this gentle husband and father of several children, is generally described as an asset in the CPDM in Buea.Militants and sympathizers told The Recorder that, he is not only reliable, but politically very knowledgeable; that he has leadership skills.
 It is worthy of note that for close to ten years, the ruling CPDM has won all elections in Buea-municipal, parliamentary and presidential. Militants say it is due to the continued ground work and hard work of CPDM apologists such as Mayor Charles Mbella Moki –who is a gifted public speaker and political engineer, and the likes of Mola Luma, said to be a political tactician and development agent

Many Buea Urban residents and CPDM supporters say they will vote for him as their Member of Parliament in the 2013 parliamentary elections, if he accepts to vie for the post.
But will Mola Luma listen to the people’s call? Only time will tell!
(First Published in The Recorder Newspaper,of November 22,2012)

Cameroon: Elite Celebrate Obama’s Re-election as US President

By Christopher Ambe

Mola Njoh welcomes his guests as  Rev.Dr Asana looks on
Mola Njoh Litumbe, a noted Anglophone minority rights advocate and Cameroonian senior citizen, on  threw  recently threw a party at his Buea residence in honor of President Barrack H.Obama’s reelection to a second four-year term in the White House.

Barack H. Obama, who is the first ever Black American to occupy the White House, is the 44th President of the United States.

 He was first elected the 44th President of the United States on November 4, 2008, and sworn in on January 20, 2009. Then in last November 6, 2012 US presidential election, Mr.Obama of the Democratic Party, beat Republican candidate Mitts Romney, to secure a second mandate.

Mr. Obama will be sworn into office in January 2013. 

Obama supporters at the party
Millions of minority and human rights promoters as well as advocates of genuine democracy across the world see Obama’s as a great source of motivation and inspiration to their cause.

The Mola Njoh Litumbe –organized party, which brought toghter some Buea –based digniatries and intellectuals, was chaired by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC), the Rt.Rev Dr.Festus A.Asana.

In his reflection, the PCC Moderator drew inspiration form the Bible book of Isaiah Chapter 40, notably verse 31, which says: “Those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow week.”

He said Obama Victory was a challenge to everyone, adding that any thing done in the fear of the Lord must succeed. “We can all develop the wings of Success in what we do, provided we trust in the Lord”

According to Host Mola Njoh Litumbe, who traced the history of the newly re-elected US President, Mr.Obama has been registering huge successes due to his humility and high level of education. He made a clarion call to Cameroonians to take their education serious so to be success stories in the future.
Cross-section of guests at the party listen to presentations

For her part, Professor Dorothy Limunga Njeuma, former Vice-chancellor of University of Buea and erstwhile Rector of University of Yaounde 1, reiterated the importance of good education.
Prof. Dorothy Njeuma, who is currently a Board member of ELECAM, Cameroon’s election management body  ,in her remarks, said  education is a very valuable investment for a bright future and career.

Taking the floor, outpsoken Hon Ayah Paul,MP for Akwaya and Secretary-General for  People’s Action Party(PAP),noted that today’s success is a result of yesterday’s  hard work and sacrifice.
He challenged Cameroonians to stand for their rights and not chicken out in the face of obstacles.
Speakers at the Obama victory party

Hon Ayah then took advantage of the presence of Prof.Dorothy Njeuma to send a message to the ELECAM. “Dr.Njeuma should carry our message to ELECAM.Posterity is looking up to you holding some prominent positions in ELECAM to make our country what it is supposed to be”, the MP cum PAP SG said.

Other speakers, who shared words of happiness and encouragement with the select audience, included Senior Barrister Prince Ekontang Elad, Retired Senior Administrator Ngale Kinge Jacob, and Rev.Dr. Ekoka Molindo, Vice-Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Buea.

Quite a significant number of journalists, clergymen, legal minds-magistrates and lawyers, were present at the ceremony, which ended with wining and dining.
(First published in The Recorder Newspaper,of November 22,2012)

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Cameroon Anti-Corruption War:"There Is No Reason Why Public Office Holders Shouldn't Declare Their Assets" -Dr.Namanga Ngongi,former UN Senior Official.

Dr. Namanga Ngongi recently ended  his five- year term as President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an Africa-led and Africa-based independent organization tackling the world's most pressing need - to be food secure - by making sure smallholder farmers are productive and profitable.
 This renowned Cameroonian intellectual and native of Buea, who has extensive experience in agricultural development, peace and security issues, began his career in Cameroon, where he worked as an agricultural extension officer for the Ministry of Agriculture, helping farmers to improve yields and to diversify and market their crops.
  In 1980, Dr Ngongi was attached to Cameroon Embassy in Rome. He joined the World Food Programme in 1984, becoming its Deputy Executive Director in 1994, a position he held until his appointment as UN Undersecretary-General, Special Representative and Head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2001.
 Since his retirement from the UN in 2003, Dr Ngongi has undertaken several high-level missions, including a study on food reserve systems in Africa.
 Born in 1945 in Buea, Cameroon, Dr. Ngongi obtained his PhD in Agronomy from Cornell in 1976.
 Before joining AGRA, with headquarters in Kenya, Dr. Ngondi was Member of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Cameroon).
 Dr. Ngongi sat down for an exclusive interview with Recorder Editor Christopher Ambe in Buea last November 19, on varied issues
Read on!

Dr.Amos Namanga Ngongi
You retired from the United Nations and came back home (Cameroon) to rest.Then, you were contracted again by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, and you have retired again. Are you not tired?

I will have plenty of time in the future to get tired. For now I am not tired. It is pleasure to meet with you again, after returning to Cameroon.

How was your stay with AGRA? We learned you left them at a time they organization needed you most?

First of all I am very pleased that I had the opportunity to be the first President of AGRA. There was an Interim President when I joined. It was really a good way to come back to agriculture. Let me say that it was a position that was focused on advocacy, policy dialogue and getting countries to do what they need to do, than working directly in farms planting crops. It was a great privilege because it opened my eyes to different opportunities and new ways of doing things-especially trying to recognize agriculture as a private sector–driven business. Farmers are self-employed, they are individual operators; they are private sector and should be recognized as such. What is really needed is  how to organize  the rest of the private sector including the financial sector to support agriculture; the markets sector to support farmers in trade; processors to process agricultural product s to add value. Really, it was a re-introduction to agriculture, having done different things in between my agricultural training and getting into AGRA.

You are back  home with a wealth of experience. How are you going to use such experience to improve on things in Cameroon?

First, it is at the individual level. I have a farm where I am trying to implant at the community level some of the things I learned. Secondly, since I had the opportunity to interact with decision makers and those who develop agricultural policies in many African countries, I will try to interact with policy makers in Cameroon to make a difference. A week ago there was a meeting in Yaounde of the Coalition for African Rice Development (CARD) at which the Minister Delegate of Agriculture delivered an opening address and the Cameroon delegation presented a progress report on the rice sector. CARD is one of AGRA’s partnership programmmes that I co-started. As President of AGRA I co-chaired this coalition with the Senior Vice-president of JICA, Mr.  Oshima. Together with other partners, we built it to a level that it is now working in 23 African Countries including Cameroon to help them have strategies that will turn agriculture into a profitable venture. And rice is one of the critical crops in Africa’s quest for a green revolution. A lot of research has been done on rice so there is the capacity to double or triple rice yields per hectare and increase production significantly. CARD’s target is to contribute to the doubling of rice production in Africa from 14 to 28 million metric tons between 2008 and 2018. African countries are spending over $10 billion to import some 15 t0 20 million tons of rice a year. If African countries can double or triple rice production that will save a lot of money for investment and create employment opportunities for millions of Africans along the agriculture value chain: production, processing, markets and the financial sector.

Many people are of the opinion that agriculture is the way out of our economic predicament. As an agronomist, do you agree with this?

Well, it is not just from the agronomic point of view. Take it from the economic point of view. If you have 70 % of your population involved in agriculture and they are producing only some 25-30% of the Gross Domestic Product of the country, it shows that there is a lot of room for improvement of efficiency and income-generation within the agriculture sector. If you increase the value of agricultural production by only 10% in a year, that will translate a growth of 2.5-3.0% increase in the GDP of the country and improve the lives of 70% of the population.  That is not too difficult to do considering the low state of productivity in Africa’s Agriculture. Agriculture is thus a good sector for job creation. Firstly, it needs to be developed to fully occupy those who are producing today because most farmers are largely under-employed, working tiny pieces of land and producing approximately one metric ton of grain per hectare compared to three metric tons in other developing countries. Secondly, this sector can contribute immensely to the creation of new employment, especially for young people. We have to rethink agriculture to make it a lot more attractive to youths. The hand hoe and cutlass should be replaced by improved tools and equipment. Third, processing of our basic food crops has to be given priority. We should be having cassava flour, yam flour and cocoyam flour not just tubers. The next stage should be composite flours including legumes to enhance nutritional quality.  This will add value and create jobs. There is great scope to generate employment in the service industry- to service agriculture:  seeds; fertilizers; credit; storage; transport. Agriculture presents great opportunities for Africa’s and Cameroon’s economic development. And it costs much less to develop jobs in agriculture compared to jobs in industry.  So if we invest properly in agriculture, we create employment, add value, increase income s and have a much more buoyant economy

And, do you think the Cameroon Government is doing enough to boost agriculture?

Well, I do think the speeches and policies are in the right direction. Everywhere you go you hear that agriculture is the backbone and engine for growth of our economy. That is repeated over and over. You also see some programmes distributing agricultural inputs to community groups, mostly young people and women. I would have to look a little bit more into the programmes that are on the ground to see if they match the speeches. I also have to link with NGOs and CIGs that are involved in agriculture and contribute to their programmes and create the required impact. One of the critical areas for agriculture is having a reliable seed supply system. This is still very much lacking in the country. There are a lot of attempts to produce seeds but we don’t really have viable seed- producing companies in the country.
The second point is how to organize logistics to deliver fertilizers to farmers at prices that are really competitive world-wide. I am buying fertilizers at 800 to 1000 dollars per metric ton. That is twice the cost of a farmer in Asia. It is difficult to be competitive if you are having such high costs for inputs. Here the Government can have more supportive policies and programmes.
The third point is how to tackle the post-harvest storage problems. We lose 25 to 30 % of the grains produced in the country through spoilage. For, cassava it is more than 50%, for yam probably 40%. If famers could access improved storage facilities that are rain proof, reduce adverse temperatures  and insect-infestation, the country will be able to save quite a bit of its production. This is an area that needs to be tackled urgently.
I would say in the long term, we have to really address the issues of land-land rights and land use. If a farmer is not sure of being able to use the same piece of land next year, why would she invest in improving it this year?  Most farmers have shaky tenancy agreements to use land. They don’t own the land. And talking of land, women who are the large majority of our food crop farmers have even shakier rights to use land. If the largest group of our food producers doesn’t have stable arrangements for food production year after year, why would they make the investments required to boost productivity of the land?

Mr. Paul Biya on November 6, 2012 celebrated his 30 years as President of Cameroon. Cameroon is said to be a democracy. Would you say his stay in power for 30 years is good for our democracy? 

I won’t pass judgment on whether it is good or not for our democracy. You have to judge based on what has taken place from 1982 up to 2012. We have a republican constitution and a constitution regulates the political life of the country. If the length of stay in office is not curtailed by a constitution, then it cannot be said that something is wrong with somebody being in office for 20, 30 or 40 years. The length of a presidential mandate is enshrined in the constitution, and as far as I know there is no limitation. I would say, by my own judgement, the person Paul Biya, who has been able to hold our country from 1982 to 2012 with steady hands and whose current term in office expires in 2018, has been able to build levels of acceptance, confidence and trust in the fabric of society that has permitted him to go on from year to year and from election to election as the President of Cameroon. So, I won’t question the length of the period, but whether the stay is in line with the constitution of the country.

Many people are of the opinion that Mr. Biya has over done it; that he should step down for someone else. If you were in position to advise him now, what would you tell him?

In terms of seeking political office, that is a personal decision. He has six years in front of him to make that decision-whether he will continue or not. As a population we should use the democratic instruments in our possession to decide on who becomes President. The ultimate democratic instrument is an election. People should vote for candidates of their choice. In the last Presidential election there were 23 candidates. It is not the shortage of candidates that keeps President Biya in power! Those who want President Biya to leave office have not yet been able to produce a candidate who can compete effectively and defeat him at the polls.  They have advocated for more transparent elections. As you know there is a biometric registration process now underway. A very advanced electoral registration process that is not available in most developed countries. Cameroonians should register massively and use it to determine who should lead our nation at all levels rather than being stuck on the length of tenure of office of the President.
  
Corruption and embezzlement of public funds seem to be a way of life in Camerroon.What would you say is the problem, conscious that the government is battling with these vices without much success?

I would say corruption is embedded in every society. But there is a great need for checks and other control measures. Who does not want to have the best house in the World? Who does not want to have a good car?  Who does not want to live a luxurious life?
But we should have structures that say “You, Mr.Ambe, you can live in the best house in the world, but it should be built with  money, which you have earned justly and not with the money that you have taken from other people unjustly, money that would have improved their lives” . I would say such structures are not yet fully functional in our country. If they were, the ostentatious display of wealth would be curtailed. If salaries of public servants including staff of state owned companies were published and the population sees people living at levels that would require them to have saved every franc they would have worked for 50 to 100 years then there would be public pressure to take action. The Public should also be empowered to institute class action suits for public servants to explain the sources of their wealth. 
I think we should go to the next step-the constitution. There is an article in the constitution which requires people to declare their assets. There is no reason why it should not be implemented, in my view. If you are appointed to a high political or administrative office and you don’t want to declare your assets, you decline the appointment.  If you must take the office then please declare your assets. It is a personal decision to be made. You want it you declare, if don’t you decline. Nobody can be forced to take a high office that requires declaration of assets. I think that will reduce the wanton amassement of wealth illegally.e
I am not saying that people should not be wealthy. Every body should aspire to be wealthy, but it should be done in line with the law and norms of morality.

You were a member of the National Anti Corruption Commission (better known by its French acronym as CONAC) and you later resigned. Why did you leave the Commission?

The appointment came to me as a surprise. It was, of course, a great honor but I was in advanced negotiations to join AGRA. AGRA gave me an opportunity to serve at continental level to be able to bring a change to our continent’s food security situation. I believe that what we have done at AGRA in the past five years has really contributed to a wonderful change in African agriculture and economy, which will also contribute to Cameroon’s agriculture and economy if the innovative policies and strategies that were developed in AGRA are implemented. So having made a commitment to an institution (AGRA) it was improper for me not to honor it. I did participate in the initial phase of CONAC‘s work in the first six months and then left to take up the AGRA appointment. It was not because I felt that it was not a valuable thing to do. But at every point one has to make some choices. That was the choice I made at that time. I believe that CONAC is doing useful work in fighting corruption. What it is doing to reduce corruption is a valuable contribution to our economic and political growth. We can say that the whole administration is taking corruption seriously. It is far from being perfect but clearly Cameroon is no longer the champion of corruption in the world! Progress is being made and I hope the progress can be accelerated and sustained with all the structures that are being put in place now- including the recovery of stolen assets by special tribunals.

Now that you are back to the country, if you are invited to rejoin CONAC, won’t you accept?

{Laughs}  I don’t participate in speculation. Here now in Cameroon, there is plenty of work to do. There are many ways one can contribute to the country. I should say that about a month ago I did visit CONAC to see my former colleagues and some of the new members to encourage them in the work they are doing. I was impressed to find a mature institution busy at work. 

Sometime ago you had some political ambition-to become the mayor of Buea.What has become that ambition?

Political ambitions are part of humanity, they come and go and follow the political cycles of each country. We have not yet reached the stage in our political cycle when decisions are made on seeking office. I belong to the CPDM and there is a CPDM process for designating their candidates for various positions. We are far from that process now. You can ask me that question when we get to that point in months ahead.

There are thousands of university graduates in the job market. They cannot find or create jobs. What advice do you have for them?

    First of all, we should address the educational system. The education system itself is almost a copy of the traditional, classical European education. It is fine for Europe, where a lot of things have been done already.
   We are in a country that requires the production of skilled personnel-at low, intermediate and high levels. We should strive to have a more technology-driven education to produce the skilled operators and managers we need, at the certificate level, lower diploma level, higher diploma level and university level who are able to go out to the world economy to identify existing opportunities and establish themselves in businesses; create jobs for themselves and employ some of their classmates.
   Universities and higher institutions should be able to create innovations parks where young people can go in to develop and test their ideas. For 20 ideas, maybe only two will be successful. But those two can probably change the face of our economy.
We have to find other ways of challenging our young in education systems. I see that UIDB has Higher National Diploma programmes that aim to produce professionals. That is good. Our educational system should begin to introduce skills rather than just academic pursuit and theory. I can not down play academic qualifications. I have them myself. But we should be able to have more practical knowledge and management skills included in the process of acquiring academic qualifications for a developing country.
     For the students themselves they have to proactively find ways after graduation to use the knowledge they have acquired to earn an income. The general tendency is to apply for a government job but such jobs are few. Despite the recent recruitment of the 25000 many thousands are on the streets. The institution of the Youth Voluntary Service is good. Young people will gain useful skills from enterprises they will be serving. This programme can contribute to turning the tide on youth employment.
  Youths do not only need skills they also need to have access to capital. It is necessary to have institutions that can put up risk capital to encourage youths try out their skills. It is well known that about 85% of new businesses fail within the first few years. That is why risk capital is needed not just for youths but for other economic operators. The Government can assist by setting aside some risk capital that encourages young people, in particular,  to try their hands in business-knowing very well that many of the businesses will fail in one or two years. But the 15 % or so that succeed probably will propel the economy to new dimensions and create employment.
( First Published in The Recorder Newspaper,Cameroon,of November 22,2012)

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