President Biya Receives Eight Delegations

The Head of State, Paul Biya crowned the three-day stay of the presidential couple in the Far North Region whose hallmark was the visit to the Guirvidig resettlement camp for the Maga flood victims, with audiences to traditional, administrative, religious and political authorities. The audiences on Friday, September 21, 2012 took place in the regional capital, Maroua.

The delegation of President Biya's ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) led by Political Bureau member, Sali Dairou, MP set the ball rolling for the in-camera audiences. At the end of discussions, Hon. Sali Dairou told the press that the delegation made up of Central Committee members, executive bureaux of the WCPDM, YCPDM and CPDM Section Presidents, came to thank the Head of State for his physical presence that comforted the flood victims and for the number of measures he announced to handle the situation. Bakari Bouba, Lamidou of Maroua led the delegation of traditional rulers who expressed joy to have been received by the Head of State.

President Biya also took off time to receive and discuss with religious leaders. One of such delegations was that of Imams, headed by the Assistant Imam of Maroua Mosque, Hayatou Mal Dalil. After sharing with the Head of State, the spokesperson of the Imams, Mahamat Dahar disclosed to journalists that the President of the Republic explained to them measures taken to cater for the flood victims and those to pre-empt future floods. The Head of State, he further said, enjoined them to help the government in maintaining an atmosphere of peace and security in the country, taking into account violence experienced in the sub-region and Africa as a whole. The Muslim religious leaders on their part, the spokesperson said, promised to continuously preach peace and also thanked the President of the Republic for subventions to pilgrims bound for Mecca. The Bishop of the Maroua-Mokolo, Catholic Diocese, Mgr Philippe Stevens was received alone. Besides thanking the Head of State for the reception, the Bishop appreciated ongoing efforts in fighting against corruption, embezzlement of public funds and the move to instill morality in public governance. President Biya also received Reverend Pastor Robert Goyeck Daga of the Council of Protestant Churches alone. The Pastor declared after the audience that the church could not remain indifferent to what the Head of State was doing in the Far North Region and Cameroon in general. He said the Protestant churches through their intercession ministry supported government's fight against corruption, poverty, stating that they were working for peace and development through moralization of behaviour, education and health.

Members of Parliament from the Far North, led by Kamsouloum Abba Kabir, MP also came to thank President Biya for his concern and assistance to the Maga flood victims. The delegation leader said the compassion and humanitarian gesture of the Head of State has already attenuated the suffering of the affected population by half. The measures taken by the Head of State and the firm engagement, specifically the construction of a dike road from Gobo to Kousseri, he said will facilitate movement, ensure more presence of the State authority and security in the area. The people's representative, their leader said, also used the opportunity to request the creation of the Faculty of Medicine in the University of Maroua.

The Government Delegate to the Maroua City Council, Bakari Robert led the delegation of mayors to the audience. He said after the discussions that President Biya encouraged them to contribute in the implementation of the "Major Accomplishments "programme and promised further measures to render decentralization more effective. The Head of State, he told the press, urged them to prepare for future elections starting with the soon-to-be-launched recompilation of the electoral register in order to ensure the victory of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement.

The Head of State's audience with administrative authorities of the Far North Region, headed by Governor Augustine Awa Fonka drew the curtains on the series of audiences. President Biya reportedly instructed them to create awareness on the population to avoid building in flood-prone zones.