CBC Health Board Launches Local Capacity Initiative Project Celebrating Countless Awards

The CBC Health service has celebrated a countless number of Awards since the North west; South West HIV free Project kick started in the Region at the same time launching a robust health care system program that will impact grossly the health life of local communities directly and will be owned by the communities earmarked through the project dubbed Local capacity Initiative playing host at the Mutual Fund for Health Hall Bamenda on the 22nd of July 2014. Presenting the Project in Bamenda, the Director Prof. Tih Pius Muffih, stressed that the launched local capacity initiative project is one of the strategic approaches that aims at boosting the uptake of antenatal care (ANC) and preventive mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services in the various health districts. According to the Project Director Prof Tih, through the Local Capacity initiative project, the CBC Health Board will create and strengthen support structures, otherwise called dialogue structures in 30 districts to take an active part in leading supporting, co-financing and co-managing health care programs. “This project targets, mobilizing, engaging and strengthening stakeholders ranging from district Medical officers, district management teams, local councils and traditional authorities to own and take the lead in defining their own quality health care working towards accomplishing it with resources mobilized by them”. He noted that the strategy aligns well with PEPFAR’S focus on community engagement to enhance and optimize health service uptake and the sustainability of health program resources to limited countries such as Cameroon. Beside, the population at the launching were informed that the approach to health care also fits well with the current drive towards decentralization of services to local Councils. The project goal is to build the capacities of rural Councils and district management teams through capacity building and supervision for sustainable quality HIV and Aids services in the North West and South West Regions, given that the local capacity initiative project is a Sub-Project of HIV Free N.W\S.W Project. Above all, the project objectives are to mobilize stakeholders to take ownership of ANC\PMTCT Services to ensure sustainability, revitalize and build the capacities of dialogue structures and rural Councils for good governance. While congratulating CBC Health Services for its relentless efforts in fighting HIV\AIDS in the country, Dr Odile who deputized for the North West Regional Delegate of Public Health, expected that at the end of the day, there would be well and functional health management committees with well trained members to plan, implement and monitor health activities within their Districts “we expect that district management teams will follow up to ensure respect of good governance principles at all levels within the district and local Councils playing a more defined and coordinated role including health care financing in the district”. She also saw the improvement of monitoring and documentation of health outcomes, by district teams and district health management committees empowered to monitor and ensure the smooth functioning of facilities within the district. The local capacity initiative project which will last for three years will involve ten health districts of the North West and South West Regions. In the North West it will concern, Ako, Benakuma, Mbengwi, Tubah and Bafut, while in the South West it will be, Eyumojock, Konye, Wabane, Ekondo Titi and Bangem. The project is not an independent project as it aligns with the CDC\PEPFAR project and seen as a strategy to further sustain the accomplishments of the strategy to further sustain the accomplishment of main project, HIV Free N.W\S.W. Worth noting, is the fact that the activities of the local capacity initiative project will be implemented and reported as part of objective 7 of the HIV Free N.W\SW Project. The Local Councils and Chiefs are generally viewed as custodians of the populations and so have a lot of influences. Through this project, they will be more involved and even capacitated to take the lead in planning, mobilizing, monitoring and participating in health care financing. One of the high point of the occasion was the presentation of over a dozen of National and international Awards CBC Health Services has bagged since 2011 to 2014.Amongst the Awards was that from the US Government, Cameroon Ministry of Health, World Echoes Newspaper 2014 Prosperity Icons Award Designating the Project Best Health Driven Project in the Republic and the Watch Dog Tribune Award. CBC also used the occasion to Award Fon Chafah XI of Bangolan and the Lamido of Banyu for promoting health service activities in their Fondoms and Lamidad.

Crying Fowl to Unorthodox Traditional Practices 1: Chieftaincy Rites & Human Right Abuse Cases in the West Region *Bouongnong Jean Jacque Victim Amongst others *Why it is Time for Action & the Press to Condemn Strongly

It’s hard to bear and disheartening to know that in the 21st century acts of human right abuse are still being perpetrated before the very eyes of the administration and the Cameroonian government in the name of unorthodox traditional practices yet the National Human rights commission and some human right NGOs/ activists watch with little attention. 

The case of Bouongnong Jean Jacque amongst others is a glaring example. Who because of subjection to succeed the late soothsayer Fon of Bagam who died in September 2013 had to escape for his dear life for fear of going through the harsh, excruciating and satanic initiation exercise. Which entails being in the “La’ahkam” for 12 months, delivering nine children within that period, with nine young virgins put at his disposal to ensure continuity in the dynasty and to take up a mystical animal in the bush through the “Totemic initiation exercise” to show strength, power and might taking authority.

Jean’s escape to be enthroned has left untold suffering to the parents, causing the father Bouognon Kendine Luc to die of serious torture in October 2013 scaring the mother Mebouo Jacqueline and other children to be permanently on the run till date for failing to produce their son for the thrown of Bagam which is under the leadership of a regent today. According to the Village council chairman Nkengfack Patrice, the family of late Kendine will know no peace so long as Jean Jacque heir to the thrown of Bagam is not produced by the family known to be under their keeping.

This case is just one amongst a good number of such banal traditional acts or cult rites that subject individuals to under go serious torture under fetish initiations that may at times last for 13 months or in some cases even two year,  drinking from funny calabashes and having sex with the late Fon’s wives .

Reliably informed as this reporter opens further investigation the entire family of Late Bouognon Kendine Luc is in danger if the said Bouongnong Jean Jacque is not produced from his hide out. News avails that the said jean Jacque helpless in the face of this situation has been wandering about disguised under the cover name Mezepo Jacque. As search campaigns and calls are increasingly being made by the North West and West Fon’s Union after the said absconded would be Fon of Bagam. 

This reporter wandering aloud finds it difficult to understand what is going on that in a modern era where Christian values are strongly being upheld, crude traditional values are still reigning supreme, witchcraft the order of the day and is tolerated by government because apparently it looks like nothing is being done as traditional fundamentalist keep violating the rights of villagers or individuals under the cover of tradition.

It is time for action which is what we of this Media House World Echoes Newspaper strongly decry, crying fowl to all the audiles bad tradition is causing innocent citizens suffering in the hands of demon fowlers and calling on government and all Human right NGOs to pay special attention as we strongly advocate for tradition without the abuse of human rights and tradition for progress. Saying no to any forceful enthronement, No to any fundamental and unorthodox traditional practices and no to outright abuse of power, victimization and man hunt.

Urgent Search Campaign for Absconded would be Chief of Bagam Since 2013

The quarter traditional Council Chairman Bagam  Nkenfack Patrice, the Cultural and development President, sons, daughters, and the Presidents of the North West and West chiefs Union has launched fresh Calls and campaign search for Bouongnong Jean Jacque the would be chief of Bagam who absconded in 2013 and has since left the thrown vacant.

This Appeal should serve as an announcement, whosoever has seen him or has an idea of where he is hiding should report to the Nearest Police station or draw the attention of the State Counsel or the Chiefs Union.

NB: A Heavy compensation awaits bearer of intelligence information about his where about

Panic Grips North West as Boko Harams Declares others in Bamenda

Fear, uncertainty and suspicion rocks the North West Region and her population over allegations that members of the Nigerian based terrorist group, Boko Harram, are in Bamenda, eight of them at the Regional Head Quarters of the North West Region. The rumor which started spreading like wild fire in Bamenda since last week holds that one of the elements of Boko Haram and wife all from Nso confessed in Beleiver’s Living Church in Nkwen, Bamenda III Sub-Division that eight of them are in Bamenda for the usual suicide bombing exercise which is witnessed in Nigeria daily, at the same time seeking refuge, playing the role of main informants and spies. Knowing the havoc Boko Haram has caused and continues to inflict in Nigeria and the Northern Region of Cameroon, most Bamenda dwellers in particular are afraid to go to popular places like Churches, markets, and bars. Besides, everybody suspects any strange face especially bearded men in town. Many think that the rumor about the presence of Boko Haram in Bamenda might be true given that North West Region appears to have the longest boarders with Nigeria in West Africa, given that Divisions like Donga-Mantung, Bui, Boyo and Menchum are close neighbors to Nigeria, the base of Boko Haram. Its because of the closeness North West has with Nigeria that in the on-going economic tour of the North West Governor, Adolph Lele L’afrique, took off ample time to sensitize the population about the deathly group and their eminent presence. He equally calls on each a sundry to report any suspicious faces to the forces of law and order including the administration to prevent any surprised attacks. It is worth noting that Boko Haram attacks people of all Religions including even Muslims. They bomb places, kill people indiscriminately and kidnap people demanding for ransoms amongst others. Its is feared that some individuals especially thieves may be using the name Boko Haram to rain havoc in town especially with the false alarms that comes up time again so be ware and do not minimize any information because it may be useful just at the time you or we may be rejecting.

End to Tribal, Land, Grazer & Social Conflicts in the N.West: The Press Resolves *Time for the Press to take up its Responsibility is Now! -Time for Action is now, why Hatchets must be Buried *Press Reports should be Educative, not Fanning, but Reconciling

The Media, both Print and audiovisual can make or mar when it comes to peace, unity and development. This explains why a Legal Colossus, Peace Crusader cum Election Expert, Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle, who worked tooth and nail and waisted his energy and finances to bring unity and peace to the ever warring North West Region to no avail in the 21 Century, regretted at the end to see his hard earned efforts fizzled out with out an achievement, handed over of course to the Media the Region for them to help right all the wrongs orchestrated deliberately by some overzealous and non peace lovers for selfish end. Unfortunately for the peace crusader, the North West Media especially those of the Print and some audios, instead of being educative, meditative and resolute on the matter, were rather fanning the flames through diabolic and bias reports at the same time blowing news items out of Proportion motivated or engineered by elite and Fons. Today World Echoes Newspaper can regrettably count an unending list of warring Fondoms of the North West Region. There are: Bali VS Bawok conflict, Bali VS Ngyen Mbu conflict, Mankon VS Nsongwa conflict, Nzah, the Muslem Community VS Catholic University conflict, Tubah Elite VS Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda against decentralization of Faculties, Balikumbat VS Bambalang, Balikumbat VS Bafanji, Bamukumbit, Babungo VS Baba I, Kom VS Bum, Oku VS Mbeseneko, NSO VS Din, Nso VS Nkar, Nsoh VS Nseh, Binshua VS Binka, Nkambe VS Moh, Njirong VS Ntumbo, Ndawara Baba Danpullo VS almost all the Villages he has plantations of his tea estates and ranches, Kedjom Keku People VS their Fon who was roasted to death, Ndu genocide, just to mention these few hot spots amongst others all boarded around sovereign rights, authority, outright land grabbing, imposition, show of power and might, suppressing, outright arrogance and aggression, abuse of power, test of military might, disrespect, non payment of royalties, wrong clemency, political engineering above all horrible PRESS Reports. Most regrettably, the flames of these crises are fanned by the Press financed by elite and promoted by North West Fons, custodians of the land. The Elite When it comes to the elite, every true Press Man of the North West Region knows how the power hungry elite intoxicated the once revered North West Fons Union leadership to bite the very finger that fed the North West Fons who are now left to wallow in the absence of peace. In the name of peace crusader Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle. The then leadership preferred confusion, manipulation, division and misunderstanding amongst Fons to peace. That is why till date, the Union has known no peace as Big Fons are against Smaller Fon, likening some quarter heads, others terming themselves modern and rich Fon, some members of the Council of elderly Fons who will not seat and watch petit Fons rob the dignity of Fons into mud, moving around spraying titles in questionable areas. Conflicts within NOWEFU Because of Politics, one Fon outsmarting the other, intrigues and manipulation in the Union, NOWEFU is now in camps, divided in action and plans. No iota of peace can be plucked from the Union nor can they spray to the public or population they are called rule by nature. The in house fight has grown to open confrontation and blackmail using the Press. To borrow a phrase from Chinua Achebe’s most read novel “things fall apart” World Echoes Newspaper can comfortably posit that things have fallen apart in the North West Region and the Centre can no more hold. Role of the Press The Conflicts term it intertribal wars and infighting in NOWEFU has continued to rage on over the years tearing the Region apart, but regrettably, no single print Media or Audio of the North West Region in Cameroon has wept for the beloved Region. Shouldn’t the Print Media of the Region including audio\visual looking at the great havoc the situation is causing the Region individually and collectively dedicate pages of their Newspapers and airspace to begin calling the destroyers of the North West Region by their names, canvassing for peace, reconciling villages and Fons, condemning intertribal wars, promoting social dialogue and understanding? Meaningful dialogue and lasting solutions through media actions and Press reports, from Journalist mirror of the society remains the only formidable tool and weapon that can greatly kill the canker worm eating deep in the our society. World Echoes Newspaper for these reasons has taken up the duty and responsibility while praying fervently that other organs follow suit because it is a war we must all win GOD BEING OUR HELPER.