President Biya has signed a decree, creating a solidarity fund to be used to assist inhabitants of the northern regions affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
The decree creating the fund was read at a special plenary session of parliament in Yaounde yesterday, November 27.
The plenary session which was described by the House Speaker, Cavaye Yeguie Djibril as the first of its kind, because it brought together parliamentarians of all political parties to unanimously support the initiative by President Biya.
It was the first time all parties at the national assembly reasoned together, though the SDF, MDR, and MRC raised certain unanswered questions, during the reading of their support messages.
After Alain Mebe Ngo’o, Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence, Martin Mbarga Nguelle, Delegate General for National Security and Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization presented in three separate exposés, the Genesis, evolution of Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon, its socio-economic effects and the efforts made so far by government to fight against the group and bring its activities on Cameroon territory to an end, representatives of the parties mentioned earlier, were not satisfied.
Honourable Suop, representative of the Movement for the Renaissance of Cameroon mounted the rostrum and expressed worries over the management of the funds that will be collected.
He recalled that former Prime Minister, Simon Achidi Achu, now CPDM Senator, spearheaded the collection of money in a solidarity fund in New York, USA in the early 1990’s, and the money collected, disappeared somewhere between New York and Yaounde. Though the whereabouts of the money is not known to this day, reports have it that it was used to finance political activities of the ruling CPDM.
The MP also urged France to hands off African politics, accusing the French of inciting rebellions in Central Africa. He stated categorically that Cameroon is feeling the repercussions of conflicts created by the French and Chad, which he cited as their ally. At this juncture, the representative of the French Ambassador to Cameroon stormed out.
He left gallery ‘A’ which was occupied by diplomatic corps and did not return till the end of the ceremony.
Supp, who had earlier on November 26, forwarded a letter to the House Speaker, calling on harmonisation of salaries of the legislators and condemned the fact that Senators are paid twice as much as what MPs voted, said his party is still waiting for President Biya to address Cameroonians and explain what’s going on.
He said when Biya returned from Paris, after declaring war against Boko Haram, they expected him to address the nation on his return, but were surprised that he stayed on in Europe after the meeting.
“We thought he had copied Charles de Gaulle’s example. That he had seen that the war will be above the capacity of Cameroon’s military and fled like Charles de Gualles did when his country was fighting against Germany. Thank God our soldiers are up to task," he quipped.
Cavaye, called the MP to order, stating that insults and accusations of countries are not permitted at the national assembly. He urged MPs to focus on the issue of the day – getting together to fight against the common enemy.
Gambo, MP for MDR party, suggested that Boko Haram is using the degrading socio-economic situation of the northern regions to fight against Cameroon. He said Cameroonians in the extreme north region live in extreme poverty, extreme illiteracy and in precarious health conditions.
He reechoed the words of a police boss, who had said earlier that northerners are faced with, apart from Boko Haram attacks, high rate of unemployment, high way robbery, and that cases of prostitution and criminality are emerging in refugee camps.
He said the University of Maroua has become a virtual university as there are no class rooms where lectures could be held. The MP said president Biya coined the slogan ‘grand ambitions’ in 2004 later came up with ‘greater achievements’ and that the latest is that on ‘emergence’.” Where are the achievements in the far north region? ” he asked.
Unlike the UPC, UNDP and the CPDM parties which merely showered praises on Biya and the armed forces, the SDF parliamentary group leader, Joseph Banadzem Lukong, insisted on knowing from the defence minister what Boko Haram wants from Cameroon. He also said the public should be informed on how government secures the release of hostages because “it is creating problems between the country and Nigeria.”
Lukong stressed that the SDF is not simply joining the band wagon. “We had urged government in 2008 to invest more in security, to be ready for possible risks” he said, adding that they had gone as far as proposing that a surplus of over 400billion of the 2007 settlement bill be invested in the defence ministry.
“We have held meetings, NEC and our national chairman has issued releases on security issues and we are happy that this initiative has been taken at the level of the national assembly," he stated.
Two motions of support from MPs to the Chief of Armed Forces and to the soldiers were read out and handed to Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, and defence minister respectively.
