"Gov't officials impede private initiatives in the country"

Joseph Fosi Mbantenkhu, Professor of Haematopathology and Medical Educationist has blamed government officials for impeding private initiatives in Cameroon.

Fosi Mbantenkhu made the observation to The Cameroon Journal in his home town of Bambalang, Ngoketunghia division, Thursday, February 26.

The Professor, who returned to Cameroon in June 2009 after a long career abroad, said that the laws governing private initiatives in Cameroon are open and fair but worried that government officials tasked with implementing the policies create bottlenecks for their selfish interest.

“Government actually has good intentions to promote private initiatives, but individuals compromise government’s good intentions instead of creating an enabling environment for private individuals to operate,” Mbantenkhu lamented.

He said many of his business and humanitarian initiatives have not attained planned goals due to government officials who institute illegal taxes that tend to kill objectives. “Sometimes we comply with those taxes in tears and sometimes we go through the gymnastics of sealing and unsealing of the businesses by unscrupulous officials,” he said.

He added that where subventions are given, they do not come in time and sometimes the subventions are inadequate, or at times they are not given at all.

Mbantenkhu described most Cameroonians involved in the private sector as stoics. Stoics are people who are able to suffer pain or trouble without complaining or showing what they are feeling.

“Cameroonians of the private sector have resorted to endure in their endeavors with stoicism,” he said. This state of affairs, he said, has led individuals of the private sector to become credulous, too ready to believe things and therefore easy to trick.

Like the legendary Spartan who dies but never surrenders, Mbantenkhu advised people in private initiatives to never give up. “Comply with the rules and regulations despite obstacles from government officials.”

He advised people to create projects that will remain as legacy to the community and country, not just go in for projects with the sole goal of making financial gain.

It should be noted that Mbantenkhu has several initiatives to his credit, including United Rural Malaria Vector Fighters, URMVF; Royal African Rural Waterside Development Organization, RARWADO; Alpha and Omega Bilingual Nursery and Primary School; RARWADO Fishing Group; Citizen Advisory Centre, CAC; and a host of others.

It is also worth noting that all of these initiatives of Joseph Mbantenkhu, are based in his home town of Bambalang.