By Kini Nsom
The Vice Prime Minister in charge of Justice and Keeper of the Seal, Amadou Ali, has said Government will soon arrest more of its officials who are involved in the embezzlement of public funds.
He made the statement during a Question and Answer session in Parliament on March 23.
The MP for Momo constituency and SDF Parliamentary Group leader, Hon. Joseph Mbah Ndam, had asked the Minister what Government was doing with officials who have allegedly embezzled huge sums of State money.
Mbah Ndam said Government officials have embezzled FCFA 960 billon in 10 years. He wondered what Government was doing to thousands of fake civil servants who are cheating the State of huge sums of money.
The Parliamentary Group leader opined that the Government anti-corruption drive, known in French as 'Operation Epervier' was a farce that effects only the arrest of small fishes while the corrupt sharks of the regime are allowed to enjoy impurity.
Reacting to these concerns, the Minister said the committee set up in September 2005 and reinforced in 2006 to investigate all acts of corruption was still in the field quietly doing its work.
He said Government will not spare anybody who has embezzled a franc of public funds "As soon as the facts are established, we will open judicial proceedings against those concerned," Amadou Ali said, reiterating that nobody is above the law especially in criminal matters.
Amadou Ali also said the authorities are gathering facts about people who are earning double salaries, fake family allowances and salaries of dead people. The Minister observed that since the anti-corruption drive was accelerated recently, some 133 people have been subpoenaed.
Three quarters of this number, he stated, have been charged in court to face trial for embezzling over FCFA 106 billion. While quoting President Paul Biya, Amadou assured the MPs that no corrupt Government official will be spared. He said if he, himself, is found guilty of embezzling public funds, he should be immediately arrested.
He dismissed as unfounded allegations by the local Magic FM radio in Yaounde that he recently got a fake contract that earned him FCFA 500 million. He challenged anybody who has any corruption evidence against him to report to the authorities. He equally called on members of the public not to hesitate to report to the authorities if they have facts about any Minister who is involved in corrupt practices.
Also speaking during the plenary sitting, the UPC MP for the Nyong and Nkelle constituency, Hon. Pierre Sende, frowned at the fact that there was still a lot of laxity in the public service.
He said file chasing in the Ministry of Public Service was still characterised by laxity corruption and bureaucracy. He told the Minister of Public Service, Emmanuel Mbonde, to make sure that the absence of certain individuals in his Ministry does not stall work.
According to the MP, work was slow in that Ministry because officials are always the absent.In response, the Minister said measures were being put in place to check the laxity of officials in the Ministry.
Another MP from the Dja and Lobo constituency, Hon. Ndinda Ndinda, virtually unleashed a verbal attack on the officials of the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, for the anarchy that reigned during the Interpools competition in which 18 teams were promoted to Division 1.
Hon. Ndinda Ndinda also regretted that a great football country like Cameroon does not have any modern football stadium. He asked the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Augustin Edjoa, what he was doing to establish State authority in the domain of football which FECAFOOT has long seized.
The Minister said the Government was taking top measures to end the anarchy in FECAFOOT and revamp Cameroon football.Edjoa said break time was over for those who think they can violate regulation duty and Government authority and get away with it.
Meanwhile, the MP for Santa and Bali constituency, Hon. Lucas Tasi Ntang, took the Minister of Youth, Adoum Garoua, to task with claims that he was not doing enough for the employment of youths in the country.
The MP also wondered why the ruling CPDM party chose to organise its basic organs at a time when Parliamentary session was going on.
The session has seen the tabling of two bills by Government: bill no. 809/PJL/AN to institute an enforcement litigation judge and lay down conditions for the enforcement of foreign court decisions, public acts and arbitual awards and bill no. 810/PJL/AN authorising the Head of State to ratify the Convention of the African Energy Commission adopted on July 11, 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia
amadou ali you are an oligarch of an exponential order. I dont know if you enjoy telling lies in the parliament while you turn around and praise the octagenarian thief in the presidential capacity.
when all u and ur cronies do is to supress justice. What did you do to Lambiv who question the electoral procedure? is it not you who said he is biting the finger that is feeding him? A school teacher should appreciate the wisdom of a student for posing a challenging question rather than forcing hot potatoe down his throat before he finishes. you arse holes should first of all arrest your right royal pope in that defunct capacity of a president before y'all succeed in getting the whole nation down the drenche. human resourses are evading the country everyday and it all means nothing to you bastards. that should be enough of a premonition before you embrace steps to the right direction. IF YOU AND YOUR COHORTS MEAN BUSINESS. ARREST BIYA AND THE WIFE FIRST. this is enough provocation. ýou set free a murderer and allow him to contest for elections. protect his thug children and encourage them to terrorise a peaceful population. what image are you giving this country. In the north of the country you invite your pals from nigeria, chad and niger to walk into the country and cast votes for you. no nation will prosper from a bed rock of deceit and corruption. I wonder where you guys really bought your degrees.
I just blame the 'balless' cameroonians that whirl around and allow one stupid crocodile to control their destiny. Cameroons solution lies in the kalashnikov.
Posted by: samleyin | Tuesday, 27 March 2007 at 02:48 PM
I just think that Cameroonians have given up the fight for hope. People come in and just say what they want and people stay quite. I think it is time we look in to the posibility of using force. I know people are saying uhuhuh but that is the true. Biya has to go and we need new blood in the opposition parties. I am willing to go extra miles to support. Let's do this think and free our people from the tyrant,Biya. Civil disobedience has not yield anything in cameroon
Posted by: Bill | Tuesday, 27 March 2007 at 04:46 PM
REMEMBER THE WORDS OF ALAN PATON
Yes, cry, cry....
Cry the beloved country.
I dont think we need Kalashs to free ourselves.
Medical Doctors should get involved in the fight.
Just a dose of xxx will be enough to induce heart attacks and send these tyrants beyond, and innocent lives will be saved without firing a short from a single kalash
If they go abroad for check ups, just network with your doctor colleagues to inject and let them return home and die...
Lets save the Kalash and bullets to give them a "decent" burial....
After all, better people have died and the world continues rotating.
Kill them, Doctors...kill them, because even the fake ngambe men and women have failed.
katakata
Posted by: katakata | Wednesday, 28 March 2007 at 12:49 PM
Mr Ali is an honest minister since he said he knows those corrupt officials and they will be put to book sooner.However,what disturbs us is that these culprits are usually bailed in the shortest possible time without serving their terms in jail,and they roam the Yaounde Delegation buildings and ministries in search of fresh appointment and contracts.There are several example of those who see nothing in embezzling huge sums of money all alone.
Mbah Ndams question in the parliament is just throwing water on a duck's back since the La Republique junta is not ready to implicate any CPDM henchmen or strong hold militiant and sympatiser.Election is at the corner and they need support so it will be out of place to mention a success in anti-corruption campaign since during this period the CPDM government use tax payers money and other mismanaged sums in different ministries to carry out their electoral campaigns.
Fritzane Kiki
Hong Kong
Posted by: Fritzane Kiki HK | Wednesday, 28 March 2007 at 09:37 PM
Survival of the corrupt. The big fish will always eat the small fish.
You pretend to drain a flooding room with a basket without first turning off the water source.
Posted by: AngloCameroonian | Thursday, 29 March 2007 at 04:27 AM