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The Cameroonian sprinter beat his opponents with a time of 10 seconds 14'' in the men's 100 meters at the 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana on March 19, 2024. For the ladies Gina Bass was the winner. The African Games end in Accra, capital of Ghana on March 24, 2024. Cameroon, 11th in the general ranking of countries having collected more medals, has just scored points. Indeed, for the day of March 19, 2024, Emmanuel Eseme honored Cameroon in Athletics, particularly the 100 meter. He won a gold medal in this discipline with a time of 10 seconds 14'' against formidable opponents including the Nigerian Itsekiri Ushereoritse who clocked 10 seconds 23'' and the Namibian Gilbert Hainuca 10 seconds 29''. Women's 100 meters, Gina Bass crowned champion. In the women's category, three countries were competing, namely Gambia, Liberia and Nigeria. Gina Bass, the Gambian, won the title with a time of 11 seconds, 36''. She is followed by the Liberian Maia Alyse Mccoy 11 seconds 49”. Nigerian Olayinka Olajide arrived with a time of 11 seconds, 55’’. Who is Emmanuel Eseme, the gold medalist of the African games? Emmanuel Alobwede Eseme, gold medalist at the Accra 2024 African Games, was born on August 17, 1993 and is 01.84 m tall. He is an engineer by training, graduated from the School of Public Works of Yaoundé. He was detected by coach Patrice Kinang in 2017. From this year on, he devoted his time to working on his performance. In 2018 he won two gold medals at the university games in Maroua in the 100 and 200 m events. Emmanuel Eseme is a specialist in the 100m, 200m and the 4 × 400 meter relay. Holder of Cameroon's national records in the 100 and 200m with a record of 10 s and 20.31 seconds respectively. He took part in the African championship, the world championship and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the 200m events. As a reminder, this is not the first time that Emmanuel Eseme has achieved such a performance. On August 1, 2023, he achieved the feat of 10 seconds 04'' in the final of the men's 100m at the Francophonie Games in Congo Kinshasa by knocking down the Ivorian Olivier Zirignon, holder of the title since 1997 at the Madagascar Games. J. Patrick DJON

the company begins work. The project concerns the construction of 27,200 km in the departments of Mfoundi and Lékié, with the aim of facilitating the flow of products, from production areas to local and sub-regional markets and improving the movement of goods and people. . This development project concerns the section Nkometou-Carrefour Ekabita Mendoum-Carrefour Ezezan-Carrefour Katanga (Nyom 2) - Carrefour Yegassi - Carrefour 4 Nkolondom-Carrefour Nambeyala-Carrefour Febé village and connection road to the road loop (Oback). The project concerns the construction of 27,200 km in the departments of Mfoundi and Lékié, with the aim of facilitating the flow of products, from production areas to local and sub-regional markets and improving the movement of goods and people. . This development project concerns the section Nkometou-Carrefour Ekabita Mendoum-Carrefour Ezezan-Carrefour Katanga (Nyom 2) - Carrefour Yegassi - Carrefour 4 Nkolondom-Carrefour Nambeyala-Carrefour Febé village and connection road to the road loop (Oback). the demolition of existing gutters and ditches in a state of disrepair, the demolition of culverts and culverts with a section ≤ 1.00x1.00 ml, the demolition of reinforced concrete structures, the construction of culverts and gutters and ditches. Concerning the roadworks, the services to be carried out by the company concern the scarification of the existing roadway, the implementation of lateritic gravel (25 cm) as a foundation layer, the execution of the base layer in crushed gravel 0/25 (20 cm) and the creation of the asphalt concrete wearing course 5 cm thick. It is also planned to construct sidewalks and shoulders, upgrade safety equipment, public lighting and implement environmental protection measures. As of March 15, 2024, the general progress of the work is 3.85%. Clément Noumsi

Lekié loop: the company is implementing bituminous concrete between Pk 10+250 and Pk 13+800 and is awaiting payment of its accounts. As of March 15, 2024, the rehabilitation works on sections of regional roads R0105  Nkolbisson Interchange – Zamengoue Interchange, Zamengoue Interchange – Ekekam – Evodoula and R0133: Ekekam – Monatele, with a length of 81,500 km are executed at 15.20%. The company is on site, although there has been a drop in the pace of work. The rehabilitation works on the Lekié Loop are subdivided into three sections, the first which starts from the Nkolbisson Interchange to the Zamengoue Interchange extends over a length of 9,050 km, the second, the Zamengoue – Ekekam – Evodoula Interchange (43,950 km) and the third,  Ekekam – Monatele (28.5 km). To date, the work has been completed at 15.20% corresponding to cleaning and clearing carried out over 81,500 km, cleaning of natural outlets, scarification, recycling and general reshaping of the subgrade carried out over 20,000 km, general earthworks and contribution of lateritic gravel in subgrade layer carried out over a length of 20.00 km. The company has started roadworks, with to date, the base layer implemented over 11 km, the sanded impregnation which covers a length of 5,400 km and the wearing course carried out over 5,100 km. Concerning the culverts, 13 have been completed, 3 are in progress, out of a total of 112 works to be carried out. The concrete ditches already completed cover a length of 4,800 km. Overall, we note that the pace of work has been slow for several weeks, due to the wait for payment of the company's accounts. The latter is indeed awaiting the settlement of its accounts for a total amount of 6,219,995,226 FCFA including tax. Clément Noumsi

The auditorium of the Ministry of Communication hosted a workshop on Saturday, March 16, 2024, aimed at strengthening the capacities of women and girls on public speaking and female leadership, culminated by the presentation of certificates of participation to all participants. under the auspices of the Women Empowerment In Africa association. The celebration of the 39th edition of International Women's Rights Day continued to resonate within the Women Empowerment In Africa association. Building on the theme of the 2024 edition, namely: “investing in women: accelerating the pace”, Women Empowerment In Africa mobilized many women and girls around a public speaking workshop in their honor, served in person and online via the social network Facebook. It was Saturday, March 16, 2024 at the auditorium of the Ministry of Communication. Several participants took an active part in discussions and training highlighting their oratorical and female leadership skills. An initiative considered as one of the safe ways to invest in women. A learning and capacity building meeting that has become a tradition within the Women Empowerment In Africa association, which has once again achieved its goal. That of contributing to the empowerment of women. Lucy Christiane Agwese from Jiokeng, shares the merits of this workshop: “We organized this public oratory and women's leadership workshop to strengthen the capacities of young girls and women. As an association which promotes the rights of women and girls, we realized that female orality is not valued enough in our community and we said to ourselves that it would be important, by combining the theme of this 39th edition, investing in women: accelerating the pace; to strengthen public speaking among women and girls so that the investment we make in it bears more fruit.» The panel, so rich in modules and themes, brought together brilliant women, each expert in their field of expertise, asked to further contribute to the development of women. Ms Adèle Bibiane BAHA, lawyer and youth and activity advisor, spoke to the women on the theme: “investing in women: leadership and the fight against gender-based violence”. Her communication gave way to that of Ms. Suzanne A. ZOGO, senior journalist, director of domestic public communication at the Ministry of Communication, who focused on "Positive parenting", with an emphasis on education of children. In complete immersion, after having briefly been educated on life issues, the women underwent training from Ms. Bérénice Kyliane MOMO, eloquence trainer, vice-president of RIPAO Cameroon and the founding president of WEA, Lucy Christiane Agwese epse Jiokeng. The two trainers took turns taking possession of the room to train the women respectively on “how to succeed in public speaking (what to do before, during, after)” and on “Public Speaking and Female Leadership: overcoming glossophobia and the art of pitching”. A sequence very animated by practical cases, performed on stage by women and girls, who could then detect for themselves their level of competence in relation to oratory art and wipe out the inadequacies right away. There was great satisfaction among the women who participated from near and far. Cathy Bateng Déborah, holder of a master's degree in microbiology with an immunology option, of Chadian nationality, is delighted with her participation: "As a woman and what I aspire to be, becoming a leader in the service of young women too, I am called to speak well, to communicate better with my team. I gained a lot, the contact with the panelists and even with the participants, it was great meetings for a first. We covered such interesting themes, notably how to educate children well and also how to communicate well as a female leader. We tend to be self-conscious about our inferiority, sometimes even underestimated, and this helps us to better understand the environment and our responsibility to transmit it. We must first really be informed in order to transmit our knowledge. Thank you very much Women Empowerment In Africa, for the opportunity, these are rare opportunities, which very often require a lot of money to be able to benefit from them. For me it is a privilege to participate without giving anything. This is already a really good initiative, I would like it to have several frames like that, so that others can also benefit, so that we too can improve in such training,” our participant confided. The love of transmitting was above all summed up in a desire to invest in women and accelerate the pace, offering a workshop of such scale free of charge and planning a long-term collaboration. “There is already this training that we have offered free of charge to all women and girls. Online we had 500 recordings, in person, around thirty and others followed us online. It is a great joy and we intend to continue with them in training and support for those who need us, whether for their professional, academic project or any other request. It is a better framework for development that we offer to women, the proof, at the end of a workshop like this, we can see the smile on the faces of these participants by what they have gained not only the self-confidence, but also the abilities to better deploy themselves in their studies, in their daily work.” Noted the President of the WEA. We also experienced a Success story, feedback from Nazaria Benjamine Nzouatoum, Accountant and Winner of the Women Speaking Challenge 2023, who demonstrated the transformation she has undergone within Women Empowerment In Africa since her coronation. A challenge that continues its journey, in the face of such an initiative which reassures our winner, “For me it was already a great joy to see that it did not just remain a competition, to see so many people mobilize to come more learn, sufficiently shows that the demand is great. There is still work to do. For me, I am not going to say that I came to edify but rather, I learned a lot more with the participation of the experts who spoke. I could further encourage Women Empowerment In Africa, to continue in this momentum to make this effort, to mobilize women more, to maximize at the level of communication so that there are trained people, who become aware of the fact that oratory has a truly crucial place in everyday life but also in other aspects. Today, thanks to Women Empowerment In Africa, several people are already contacting me for events, which was not the case before. Even in my professional world, I stand out best through public speaking training,” Nazaria expressed. Women Empowerment In Africa, a non-profit association founded in 2018, working to advance the rights of women and girls, particularly through education, empowerment and the fight against violence against women and girls, has closed the work of this magnificent workshop with the presentation of certificates of participation attesting to a transfer of skills to women by the WEA, with meetings in perspective to reassure women in their investment. “In perspective, we intend to continue our mission on related aspects. We will, in the future, launch the 2024 edition of the Women Speaking Challenge, which is a public speaking competition for women exclusively. After this competition we will have the Women Empowerment Summit, as part of the 16 days of activism to combat violence against women and girls. We will continue to carry out actions aimed at helping women and girls to promote their rights on a daily basis,” announced the Founding President. What could be better than the fulfillment of women in their daily lives? A challenge that is also accepted through the promotion of oratory and female leadership. Women empowerment is its business. Bertin BIDJA

An inaugural workshop to advance advocacy and participatory management of air quality was held this Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in the Cameroonian capital at the Djeuga Palace hotel. According to environmentalists, nine out of ten people breathe polluted air in many cities on the continent. The “Clean Air African Network” project sponsored by the US State Department and engineers from Makéréré University in Uganda have developed low-cost sensors to help monitor air quality in certain countries. East Africa (Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda) and West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon). For the Project Manager Dr Deo Okure, the objectives are clear: having the ability to build with data to know what needs to be done, capacity building of members, progressive use of results to undertake corrective actions measures and organize experience sharing in order to contribute significantly to improve air quality. This workshop saw the participation of several sectoral administrations. Reactions Dr Nasser Nducol, IRGM nuclear science and technology research center « We have an environmental monitoring program which allows us on a daily basis to monitor the quality of the air that is breathed in our main cities, particularly Yaoundé and Douala. We were invited to this workshop as a participant and we left very satisfied. In terms of added value, this initiative seeks to affect the daily lives of Cameroonians in their everyday actions. We notice a lot of unconsciousness in their actions, the waste set on fire in the streets, the vehicles which emit a lot of greenhouse gases, etc. We do research which leads to laws which are not investigated. We believe that this initiative will make it possible to hit the target, which will certainly improve the air quality in our cities. In the city of Yaoundé, the data we have shows that the air quality is critical and it is important that measures are taken to improve the air quality. There are several actions that can limit pollution such as using gas instead of firewood, not burning garbage ». Dr Assah Félix  Kembe, FMBS UY I focal point Cameroon « We have started studies to measure the level of air pollution in the city of Yaoundé. The difficulty was that atmospheric sensors are quite expensive but now that we are in a collaborative research project with the AirQo African group from Uganda, allows us to use low cost sensors that are manufactured by our partner and which we can deploy several. Air pollution is linked to lung disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and many other illnesses. Air pollution is a major factor. If nothing is done, it is economic activity which will take a cost but also the mortality rate will increase. Hence the need to improve the quality of life in our cities ». Clément Noumsi

The Regional Public Works Delegate for the Littoral region proceeded on Monday, March 18, 2024, to the launch of the cantonment work on the National 3, section Bekoko (Interchange) - Ponts du Moungo, over a length of 5,360 km. This work carried out by the company SOTRATEL for a period of 7 months, divided into three passes including a heavy pass which will extend over 3 months, a semi-heavy pass lasting 2 months and a light pass lasting 2 months, has the overall aim,  to free up the road rights-of-way in order to facilitate the movement of users. Cantoning is all basic maintenance operations carried out manually or mechanically on the edges of a section of road and on its drainage system, with the aim of promoting visibility and improving sanitation. The company in charge of the work will therefore carry out tasks such as weeding or clearing the edges of the road, pruning trees or shrubs, stripping and cleaning the shoulders, cleaning existing hydraulic structures, cleaning of ditches and outlets, clearing upstream and downstream of engineering structures and on sections of the watercourse bed, restoration of guardrails and safety barriers, restoration of signage and security signs and clearing rights-of-way. In view of the way in which cantonment activities were carried out, the Ministry of Public Works recently developed a methodological guide for cantonment on road axes. Calls for Tenders for the execution of cantonment works on certain main paved roads of the national network have recently made it possible to enter into contracts with several companies. Clément Noumsi

Following Contract No. 0010/M/MINTP/CIPM-TERI/2023 relating to the execution of work to treat critical points on Nationale 1, section Pont Bénoué - Pont Mayo Sala on the Ngaoundéré - Garoua road, the company CROISIERE BTP SARL mobilized several days ago on the site. Scheduled for reconstruction, the state of the Ngaoundéré-Garoua road is of concern, hence the intervention taking place on the Pont Bénoué - Pont Mayo Sala section. The company CROISIERE BTP SARL mobilized on the ground is currently carrying out scarification, grinding, mixing and reshaping services for the existing roadway. The aim of this work is to improve traffic on this severely degraded route, pending the start of reconstruction work.. Regarding the reconstruction of the Ngaoundéré-Garoua road, a mission from the African Development Bank has just completed a field trip, to prepare the finalization of the financing file for the works. During this mission, experts from the ADB and those from the MINTP interacted with the administrative and traditional authorities and other stakeholders in the project intervention area. The African Development Bank is engaged alongside the State in the reconstruction of this important axis of the Douala-Ndjamena corridor. Clément Noumsi

The newly installed governor of the BEAC was received yesterday in audience by the head of state of the Central African Republic (CAR), also current president of the conference of CEMAC presidents. It was on the sidelines of the festivities for the thirtieth anniversary of this sub-regional institution which were launched on March 16, 2024 in Bangui. At the end of this meeting where he was accompanied by AliChaibou, the director of the Central African national BEAC, Yvon Sana Bangui who was installed in his position on March 1, 2024, said he went to present his gratitude to President Faustin Archange Touadera. And, collect from him the necessary guidance as well as advice for the proper fulfillment of his responsibilities at the head of this noble sub-regional financial institution. Furthermore, he indicated, he took the opportunity to also thank the other heads of state of CEMAC who made their choices on his modest person by designating him as head of the BEAC. “It is a duty of recognition that took me to Bangui and also to receive the high guidance of the current President of CEMAC in the accomplishment of the mission. I am aware of the challenges and the important responsibility that falls on me. This is why I made a commitment to the Head of State to serve the BEAC with integrity, professionalism and enthusiasm, counting on the staff of this institution, the control and management bodies of CEMAC as well as the support of heads of state. We have challenges to overcome in terms of monetary and financial stability. We also have challenges to overcome economically,” he said. Concerning the CAR, Yvon Sama Bangui brought a glimmer of hope. He indicated that the reforms associated with the Conferences of CEMAC Heads of State since 2018 which concern this country will be implemented for its socio-economic development. Good news for this country in the sub-region which, like the others, is struggling to take off. Julien Efila

All-terrain motorcycles for the country's three northern regions. On Monday March 18, 2024, the esplanade of the Ministry of Forests and Fauna was the setting for a ceremony at which MINFOF's regional delegates were awarded rolling stock for greater efficiency in the field. The ceremony, presided over by the Minister of Forests and Fauna, comes at just the right time at the start of 2024, to enable MINFOF agents in the field to cover their areas of competence normally, by being present where needed. "This follows an open call for tenders dated July 27, 2023 for the acquisition of these field vehicles for our ministerial department. These 150 motorcycles, added to our fleet of vehicles, will help improve the working conditions of water and forestry personnel, mainly eco-guards, who carry out a dangerous job, sometimes risking their lives. The aim is to increase ecoguard patrols in our protected areas. All in all, 42 motorcycles are destined for Cameroon's water tower region, Adamaoua. 65 motorcycles for the most beautiful region, the Far North, and 39 motorcycles for the North. Other regions will follow in the wake of the means available, and I ask them to continue to show resilience and self-sacrifice in their work. It's up to today's beneficiaries to make the most of this opportunity, for an emerging Cameroon in 2035", an extract from Minfof's speech. Reactions Col. Jean NYEMEG, Far North Regional Forest and Wildlife Delegate, «I am chief forest engineer and regional delegate of Minfof in the far North. We have several national parks, notably Waza, which is the flagship of Cameroon's national parks. The eco-guards experience a certain number of difficulties in carrying out their duties, notably an insufficiency of rolling stock. I believe the Minister of Forests and Wildlife has just filled an important void. You know in Waza Park, we are dealing with a type of cross-border poachers who are heavily armed, sometimes with weapons of war. It was therefore a question of providing the beginnings of solutions to respond to the threat and I believe that these motorcycles are welcome. We are militarily trained to provide an adequate response and all eco guards are well trained and this ceremony is the beginning of solutions to our concerns. ». Jules Doret Ndongo, Minfof « Poaching is a scourge, it is illegal hunting, it is prohibited by our laws and regulations. Precisely, one of the missions of our ministerial department is to reduce it to its smallest expression. Nowadays, this poaching takes place in our protected areas with modern means, you have heavily harlequin poachers who go on horseback and who are in permanent conflicts with our eco guards which leads us to sign an MoU with the Ministry of Defense in order to support a response proportional to the attack. Very regularly, Thanks to the national control brigade, we carry out seizures and offenders are brought before the competent courts. I would like to congratulate my field collaborators for the important work that they sometimes do with reduced resources and I would like to hope that these 150 motorcycles which go mainly to the far north will allow our collaborators to be effective elected officials in the field». Clément Noumsi

On this 18 km section, which constitutes Lot 2 of the Babadjou-Bamenda road, work on the base course is underway, with 5.5 km completed by March 15, 2024. Earthworks have been completed along the entire length of the road, and 10 km of the base course has been laid. Of the project's 52 hydraulic structures, 48 have been completed and the prefabricated elements for the remaining 4 are available. Like Section 1, the project also includes a related component, with the development of the Mile 11 - Lake Awing - Farmers Potatoes Warehouse - Catholic School Afuh - Awing Market - GHS Mewungne -Three Corners Awing road. The company has started work on the 18km/23.5km right-of-way, which has been cleared to date. The road will be upgraded to a two-layer surface over a length of 23km. The Babadjou-Bamenda road reconstruction project calls for a pavement structure comprising a 30 cm sub-base of recycled and improved materials (30% GNT 0/31.5), a single-layer overlay on the soil concrete, a 20 cm sub-base of untreated gravel (GNT 0/31.5), a 13 cm base of bitumen gravel and a 5 cm wearing course of semi-grained asphalt concrete. Clément Noumsi

The company reports that the work will be installed in 12 days. The 42.53-meter-long structure is located on the Kekem-Carrefour Tchouaffe factory route and will cross the Ngoum River in the Haut-Nkam region. The project also includes the development of access roads on both sides of the structure, for a total length of 100 ml. According to the company's schedule, the steel bridge, previously assembled from metal elements acquired during the first phase of the project, will be installed in 12 days. The 464,913,044 f cfa project, carried out by SOTRAM Sarl, is under the technical supervision of the Le Competing/Cameng/Transahelienne consortium, and the geotechnical control of Cabinet TWS Sarl. On site, work is in progress on the technical backfill of the 02 abutments, which is nearing completion, the backfill of the access roads, the riprap and the continued assembly of the deck. Clément Noumsi

Load tests carried out. In preparation for the completion of the bridge over the Logone River between Yagoua in Cameroon and Bongor in Chad, loading tests were carried out on March 15, 2024. These were extended to the bridge over the Mayo Boneye. The length of the bridge over the Logone River is 620m between the abutments, with a 7m-wide two-way carriageway, two 1.5m sidewalks and access roads on the Cameroon and Chad sides, for a total length of 15 km.. Load tests are a decisive stage in the construction of structures, as they provide an overall measurement of the behavior of a structure under the effect of an external load, with the aim of assessing the acceptability of the structure with regard to its function of supporting traffic. Clément Noumsi

Egypt's Pharaohs top the table at the African Games with 154 medals. They won these metals in several sporting disciplines, notably swimming. They will be able to increase this number before the end of the competition on March 24, 2024 in Accra. Egypt, Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa put in a fine showing at the 13th All-Africa Games in Accra, Ghana. The Pharaohs of Egypt topped the podium with 154 medals, including 90 gold, 35 silver and 29 bronze. Egypt was followed by Nigeria with 76 medals, including 27 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze. South Africa came third with 25 gold, 29 silver and 38 bronze medals. For the Pharaohs of Egypt, Abdalla Nasr won the last gold medal in swimming in the 100m for the men's pavilion. He occupies third position in the overall medal rankings. Four other gold medals were won in various men's events. South Africa On the South African side, Caitlin De Lange is currently the top medallist of the African Games, with 04 gold medals in the 100 m × 4, 4 × 100 m mixed relay, women's 100 m freestyle and women's 50 m backstroke, and one silver in the women's 50 m butterfly. Caitlin De Lange set a Games record of 28.76 seconds in the 50m backstroke. South Africa's Catherine François Van Rensburg came fourth with three gold medals (400m, 1500m and 4 × 200m women's freestyle), and one bronze in the women's 200m freestyle.. Egypt in pole position The Egyptians moved into first place in the overall standings with a total of 154 medals. The men's swimmers won 07 gold medals. South African women won 06 gold medals for their country. The top swimmers also included Algeria, represented by Syoud, Ardjoune and Nefsi. Namibia was represented by Wanternaar, Mauritius by Teeluck and Zimbabwe by Cyprianos. Egypt is currently in first place and will have to work even harder to maintain its pole position. For the 4 × 100m freestyle relay and the women's 50m freestyle, Caitlin De Lange is the headliner. Marwan Elkamash takes part in the men's 50m breaststroke and the men's 1,500m freestyle. Abdalla Nasr takes part in the men's 4 × 100m freestyle relay. Catherine Van Rensburg 400m individual medley for women. As a reminder, the African Games continue in Accra and come to a close on March 24. The host country, Ghana, ranks 6th with 46 medals. Cameroon, represented by 65 athletes, is currently ranked 11th with just 22 medals. J. Patrick DJON.

On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Salle de la Convivialité at the National Museum in Yaoundé hosted the finals of the national public speaking competition dubbed "Elles parlent". A women's voice contest. The social hall of the Yaoundé National Museum was packed to the rafters on Saturday March 16, 2024. Relatives, friends and acquaintances came out to cheer on the 16 finalists in the minimes, juniors and seniors categories. Each contestant had a maximum of three minutes to speak, inspire and convince the jury. In each selection, a topic of reflection was imposed on them. In the case of the minimes, for example, i.e. women aged 18 to 25, they had to identify a social project and demonstrate its importance in all areas of working life. Several criteria, including poise, eloquence, diction, text hierarchy, language level, correct dress and many other qualities, were used to decide between the competitors. The audience in the National Museum's Salle des Convivités were given a blank piece of paper on which to judge each candidate's performance. Young English-speaking women were not left out of this year's competition. What's more, the competition was held simultaneously in Cameroon's two major cities, Douala and Yaoundé: Douala and Yaoundé. After almost ninety minutes of speeches by the various protagonists, the jury members were able to give their final verdict. For Manuela NKORO, second prize in the junior category and winner of the Prix d'Ebène for the public's choice, it was a wonderful experience: "It was through my friend that I learned about this competition, and today I can't believe I've won two prizes. It's a really big surprise for me. All women should take part in this competition, because it's a great way to discover yourself and it's a wonderful experience". Bernadette NJI, the oldest candidate in the competition, was awarded the combativeness prize by the jury. For her, it was an immense joy: "It was my daughter who entered me in this competition. On the first day, I was sitting down and didn't know what it was all about. I followed how the other women spoke, and from then on I was interested. For Aline ESSONO, president of the BITÕ association and promoter of this activity, this year's huge challenge had to be met: "We usually organize the contest in Yaoundé only. Last year, we organized the competition in Yaoundé and N'DJAMENA. This year, we wanted to organize the competition in Douala and Yaoundé at the same time, and that was a real challenge. ». Women's public speaking: Breaking the shackles of silence. The "Elles parlent" national public speaking competition was the brainchild of five women with a passion for public speaking. Initially, it was reserved exclusively for young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Charlotte DOOH, Vice-President of the BITÕ association, explains: "When we set up this competition, we thought of young girls from poor backgrounds. Every evening, we went out to look for these girls in insecure areas such as the Briqueterie district in Yaoundé. On several occasions, we faced fierce opposition from their parents, for whom they were more useful for the back-to-school itinerant trade. It's all thanks to the mayor of this locality, who supported us when he heard about this activity". For the association's president, Aline ESSONO, the competition has an educational and ethical purpose: "For us, this competition is a way of giving a voice to Cameroonian women. It's women who educate, and it's women who are the foundation of society. We're working to give a positive voice to women. ». For Anne NDONDJANG, winner of the senior category, the public speaking competition means she can now dream big: "My mother and I had a very difficult past. Because of this situation, I had forbidden myself to dream big. Thanks to the BITÕ association and to God, I'm very happy today, and I'd like to tell my children not to be discouraged and to believe in themselves. In the next few days, I intend to join this association. ». This competition is not the only activity for the women of the BITÕ association. Charlotte DOOH explains: "Every two months, we organize a round-table discussion on a subject of interest to women, with the voluntary assistance of professionals from various sectors. Last year, we organized a round-table discussion on sexual assault at the Comptoir des Arts cultural center in the Dragages district. We invited lawyers, a psycho-clinician and two senior members of the police force. It was very enlightening for us ». Serge Ngouadio

World Consumer Day was a mixed bag. According to a press release issued by the telecommunications regulatory agency on March 14, the problem stems from a breakdown in connectivity on certain submarine cables. A statement that is far from appeasing consumers who have just celebrated the world day dedicated to them on March 15. Many questions remain unanswered about the duration of the disruption, not to mention the loss of earnings for operators of all kinds in the NICT value chain. Retailers and consumers alike are at a loss. As far as compensatory measures are concerned, responsibility is difficult to establish, as the disruption is spreading across the continent and becoming more difficult to deal with. One of the parties to the contract can invoke non-observance or non-performance of the contract and be exonerated from liability. This justification is often referred to in law as "force majeure". It's a situation that's already enduring, and for almost a month now these disruptions have left no one indifferent. For some analysts, the losses to date amount to hundreds of millions of CFA francs. The bill is high, and this problem has brought back the debate with non-conformists for whom globalization is a straitjacket in which our freedoms are reduced and controlled by the giants of the field.. Yet the theme of this year's World Consumer Day opens up a different side of the dependency we face with artificial intelligence. The origin of these disruptions remains unclear, prompting concern and conjecture among experts and users alike. The impact has extended beyond national borders, disrupting services ranging from communication to administration, causing a notable slowdown in economic activity. Businesses and government services are paralyzed, underlining the critical importance of Internet connectivity in the day-to-day functioning of contemporary societies. Clément Noumsi

The tax regional of center 2 was facing the media on Thursday, March 14, 2024. The new reforms of the 2024 Finance Law authorize the Directorate General of Taxes to introduce several tax innovations that take into account the informal sector and even crypto-currency and web-based activities. This year, the IRPP is back after a 20-year suspension, and will be imposed even on foreigners resident in Cameroon. The offensive will extend to schools, with a view to raising awareness and preparing the younger generation for tax compliance.. Reaction Daniel hyppolite Bickoe, Regional Head of Tax Center Centre 2 « The main message to remember is that by June 30, 2024, all citizens who are considered non-professional taxpayers must go to www.impôt.cm, the web portal of the General Tax Directorate, to submit their annual tax returns. By "non-professional taxpayers" we mean all those who do not belong to one of the various categories of tax regimes, such as "impôt libératoire", "régime du réel simplifié", "régime du réel" or "régime des organismes à but non lucratif". Those who have already declared their income will continue to do so, and those who do not belong to any of these regimes will have until June 30, 2024 to declare their income online. The need to do so stems from the civic responsibility of contributing to public burdens according to one's ability to pay. It's time for those who have income to declare it, so that everyone can contribute to the national burden. ». Clément Noumsi

In the run-up to this major event, the organizing committee held a press conference on Thursday March 14, 2024 at the Djeuga Palace Hotel in Yaoundé. Alongside the film Le Lion ne meurt jamais (The Lion Never Dies), the idea is to give these former Indomitable Lions a chance to speak for a week, and to involve them in this important project, in which each of them, in his or her own time, helped to build Cameroon's glorious image throughout the world through soccer. "Lion's Week" is a concept that reminds the collective memory of the need to do something for our icons. For the first edition on the epic of the old lion His Excellency Albert Roger Milla, activities are planned in the city of seven hills from April 22 to 26 at the National Museum, a photo exhibition retracing the career (life) of His Excellency Albert Roger Milla. We'll be taking an excursion into his private life, with a number of personal items on display for the world to see, with two highlights: a focus on the 1984 African Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire, and the 1990 World Cup in Italy. During the photo exhibition, on April 25, we'll be hosting a round-table discussion on the theme of Roger Milla, global icon. The aim will be to highlight the other aspects of his life outside sport. To round off the celebrations, a gala match will be held on the morning of April 27 at the Stade Olembe, pitting the national friends of His Excellency Albert Roger Milla against those from abroad. A gala dinner for all these friends and acquaintances in the evening at the Djeuga palace in Yaoundé will bring this week of celebrations to a close. For the project's promoters (NGWEM Donatien Ulrich Samuelet DJONA Dieudonné Pierre), Le lion ne meurt jamais (The lion never dies), it's a question of immortalizing our icons by making a film about his life, and Lion's Week comes as a precursor, already announcing the forthcoming release of this 90-minute feature film which will retrace the exceptional career of an extraordinary, humble man of many talents. For Jules Denis Onana, former Lion and chairman of the Lion's Week organizing committee, "there are role models we can identify with, and take them as examples. Our society needs them, as it does everywhere else. There are always reliable values that serve as benchmarks for the younger generation. Many of today's young people haven't seen him play, but thanks to NICTs, they can see extracts, and this film will be just the icing on the cake. We want to show the world all the achievements of this exceptional man through his humanitarian work with his Heart of Africa foundation and many others. During this week, you will discover the Roger Milla that many people don't know, and you will understand why he is an icon and should be celebrated as such. Clément Noumsi

It was Thursday, March 14, 2024 with the inauguration of an agency specially dedicated to financing rural actors in the realization of agro-pastoral projects. The financial institution is launching its first branch dedicated exclusively to financing rural players and agro-pastoral project developers in the development of their agricultural projects. The branch, located opposite the Yaoundé Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Industry (CAPEF), was inaugurated at a ceremony presided over by Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze, accompanied by several other members of the government. According to the ADG (Administrateur Directeur Général), Reverend Charles Rollin Ombang Ekath, the need to engage in the financing of agricultural value chains arose from a desire to contribute to the growth of the Cameroonian economy through this sector. "Financing agriculture requires certain specificities that are linked to the activity. That's why we recruit engineers and train them to be good advisors for our customers. We also propose products that are adapted to this sector; products for each target group, i.e. the elite, women and young people, so that every Cameroonian is involved and can produce something. That's why we've decided to get involved", declared the ADG. Although he did not reveal the amount of the initial envelope made available to future customers, the bank nevertheless intends to grant credit for agricultural projects for a minimum amount of 2 million FCFA for projects with a maturity of at least one year. La Régionale Bank's initiative is fully in line with the Cameroonian government's policy, for which the Prime Minister signed a decree on March 22, 2023, creating, organizing and operating the fund to facilitate the supply of credit for the development of agricultural and livestock value chains, according to the Minister of Finance (Minfi). Louis Paul Motaze took the opportunity to reaffirm the government's willingness to support this private initiative, which "removes the obstacles to the development of agriculture in Cameroon". He added: "The country's economy is essentially based on agriculture. But the main problem is financing this sector, because agriculture is a rather special sector, and traditional banks are reluctant to finance agro-pastoral projects. When we see an initiative like this, a bank that is breaking new ground by committing itself to this field, we can only support it". With regard to the quality of the bank, the member of the government suggested that the institution should provide serious support to promoters of agro-pastoral projects, to ensure that these projects are carried out properly and that there is a return on investment. This is in line with the import-substitution policy advocated by the government in the SND30. Reaction Martin Paul Mindjos Momeny, President of CAPEF « We're very pleased to see that this project, which we've been following for over a year, has come to fruition, and I'd like to point out here that we're partners with Regional Bank, with whom we've signed a partnership agreement to finance the activities of our national members. The advantage we have here is that the regional bank has proposed many products for our members, some of whom are retired workers, as well as products for women, young people and traditional farmers. We told them that our members are all over the country, and that the bank that wanted to work with us should go as far as possible in terms of covering the country, and we agreed to open branches in all ten regions. I'm delighted that this was announced by the Managing Director in his speech. Our joint plan is that, in the days to come after this opening, we'll go out into the field to raise awareness and involve our members in this financing scheme, so we're going in with high hopes, and we'd like to thank the government for facilitating this initiative, in particular the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture. We are beneficiaries and we expect to benefit significantly from the initiative ». Clément Noumsi

Fair and responsible artificial intelligence for consumers World Consumer Day 2024 was celebrated under this theme on Friday March 15. The conference room of the Royal Palace in Yaoundé was the setting for an awareness-raising workshop organized by Asoproc (Association du progrès pour la protection des consommateurs), with the support of ART service régional Centre-Sud-Est, which highlighted the toll-free number 1515 for denunciations, open from 7.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. on working days. The importance of digital technology and its financing was discussed in relation to the theme of this celebration. It's worth noting that all the trimmings were laid on for an agape offered to the guests. Reactions Louis Albert Bikele, Marketing Director SAFVIS SA « We are a Cameroonian company that guarantees the quality of its products, and we have joined forces with Anor. All our products have a certificate issued by Anor, which allows us to market our products under the permanent control of the authorities (mincommerce and others). We are partners with consumer associations, because without them we are nothing. It's our duty to open our doors to them, because our destinies are linked. We're here today because wherever consumers are called upon, it's our duty to be at their side ». Mme Jacqueline Koa, president of the conseil national de la consommation « Today, Cameroon joins the international community in celebrating the 39th edition of World Consumer Rights Day. In Cameroon, the National Communication Council has carried out a number of activities with associations defending the rights and interests of consumers. Awareness-raising has been our credo, and we've also been involved in training and educating our members in our two metropolises (Ydé and Dla). For the consumer, it's a message of hope, because all these structures - associations, councils and other institutions - are there to support and ensure that consumers are better protected in terms of their rights and duties. We act as an interface between the authorities and consumer rights associations. We help associations to take legal action when a dispute arises. ». Martial Kengni, président ASOPRPOC « There are a number of activities surrounding this celebration, including a workshop on the theme of fair and responsible artificial intelligence for consumers. Many Cameroonians are unfamiliar with artificial intelligence, and this workshop will provide the beginnings of an answer to help young people, who are increasingly migrating into the digital domain, understand. Our young association intends to defend consumers everywhere, and we will be concluding our activities on March 30 with a sports walk and another awareness-raising workshop. ». Clément Noumsi

the State of Cameroon must supervise the careers of its talents. This is what university teacher Djilo thinks since the announcement of the death in precarious conditions of Ndongo Ebanga, former boxer and Olympic medalist on March 6, 2024 at the CNPS hospital in Yaoundé. The educator declares that the State must put in place a policy which values retired athletes. Ndongo Ebanga, a slice of life of the bronze medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Cameroon has lost a world-famous sportsman. Martin Ndongo Ebanga is the second boxer from the country to raise the flag of Cameroon during an international competition. He took part in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and won a bronze medal. He died on March 6, 2024 at the age of 57 at the CNPS (Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale) hospital in Yaoundé where he was interned. Ndongo Ebanga was one of the greatest boxers in Africa. He was born on March 23, 1966 and had his moments of glory in the light weight category (less than 60 kilograms) in the early 1980s. After the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, he participated in the African Games in Nairobi. in Kenya in 1987 and was crowned with a bronze medal. He had 10 Cameroonian championship titles. Returning from the African Games, he makes a courageous decision. Martin Ndongo Ebanga went to conquer the WBC (World Boxing Council) super lightweight world title in 1992. In this adventure he missed out on the title but gained experience. Subsequently, he became a coach and trained young people following the example of Ndamen Njikam. Long later he was the head of the Cameroonian boxing federation. Since the announcement of his disappearance in Yaoundé, his precarious living conditions have been revealed to the public. The university teacher Djilo who knew him and is very close to boxing circles, thinks that the State should supervise the resources of these talents during their moment of glory: ‹‹ Ndongo Ebanga is one of the greatest boxers Cameroonian. I knew him in the early 1980s in Douala. Martin was champion of the Littoral. He carried the flag of Cameroon high at the time when boxing was not very popular in the country. It is thanks to this gentleman that Cameroon saw its flag fly for the second time at the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles. He was a boxing master. Unfortunately, when he retired, he experienced indescribable misery,” says Gilbert Djilo, university teacher. Martin Ndongo Ebanga did not have a happy retirement. University teacher Djilo knew Ndongo Ebanga. He reveals that the former bronze medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics did not enjoy a glorious retirement. For him, high-level athletes should become aware of the realities of their profession which does not guarantee a happy retirement: “The guys lived from day to day. As soon as someone has a pot of money they will squander it, forgetting that later the forces will no longer be the same. Athletes must live on the basis of the reserves they would have kept from the moment their star was in the firmament. It is this lack of anticipation of life that causes many athletes to find themselves in indescribable precariousness in retirement ››. the State must supervise the resources of its talents. The Ministry of Sports and Physical Education must establish a policy that requires sports players to pay part of their earnings to the National Social Security Fund CNPS, in order to ensure a peaceful retirement. Martin Ndongo Ebanga is not the first Cameroonian boxer to die in poverty in retirement. In the past, his illustrious predecessor, Joseph Bessala, who also medaled at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, lived in precarious conditions in the Yaoundé omnisports district until his death. J. Patrick DJON