Cameroon: North West Elite Call For Resumption Of Schools by January 2017

By Atanga Nji Paul

Mindful of government resolve to give commensurate attention to teachers' and lawyers' grievances through constructive dialogue as testified by the Head of State, sending the Prime Minister, Head of Government to dialogue with Teachers, Lawyers, and Civil Society in Bamenda on 25th and 26th November 2016,

Mindful of the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee presided over by the Minister of Higher Education to look into teachers' grievances at the end of which a comprehensive recommendation arrived at was submitted for consideration by Government,

Mindful of the special meeting chaired by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals to examine and dialogue with Members of the Bar Council that was held on Tuesday, 22nd November 2016 to seek solutions to Anglophone Lawyers' grievances,

As concerns Anglophone Lawyers' grievances;

Considering the formal handing over to Cameroon Government of the English text of the OHADA Uniform Act which was subsequently handed over to the Bar Council President in both hard and electronic versions, and posted on the websites of the Ministry of Justice and Bar Council,

Considering the imminent holding of the Stakeholders Meeting (Etat Generaux) of the Justice sector as requested by the Head of State, a forum in which the other grievances of Anglophone lawyers will be detailly examined by an Ad hoc Committee and resolutions thereof submitted for consideration by the Head of State, guarantor of our judicial system,

Considering the opening of judicial investigations by the Attorney Generals in NW and SW regions on allegations of molestation, brutality, seizure of wigs and other acts against lawyers in Bamenda and Buea which will permit the appropriate sanctioning of authorities guilty of acts of violence in consonance with the laws in force.

As concerns Teachers' grievances;

Considering the creation, organisation and functioning of the ad hoc inter-ministerial committee tasked with examining and proposing solutions to the concerns raised by Anglophones teachers' trade unions in the format requested by the leaders themselves in their 8-point resolution submitted to the Prime Minister, Head of Government following the meeting of 26th November 2016 in Bamenda. And trusting that the resolutions accruing from the deliberations of the committee shall be submitted directly to the Prime Minister, Head of Government and all pertinent recommendations shall be examined by Government to improve the Anglophone subsystem of education,

Conscious of the allocation of a sum of 2 billion (2,000,000,000) Francs CFA by the Head of State as special subsidy to lay private and denominational schools which will help alleviate the burden of cost in running these schools.

Cognisant of the special recruitment of 1000 bilingual technical school teachers to address the problem of shortage of teachers especially in Anglophone Technical schools and colleges,

Considering that on the instruction of the Head of State, formal judicial enquiry has been opened by the Attorney Generals in the Southwest and Northwest Regions on alleged violence on students in Bamenda and Buea and trusting that at the end of the on-going investigations appropriate measures shall be taken in accordance with the laws in force,

Considering that the boycott of schools and classes by teachers is penalising our children some of whom have to sit for official national and international examinations with other children and pupils who are regularly going to school unperturbed thereby jeopardizing the future of our children,

Convinced that the eventual resolution of all pertinent grievances by government cannot bring back the immense consequences on the children and universities due to the time lost,

Trusting that government has in the past listened to problems of the Anglophone subsystem of education as testified by the creation and management of the GCE Board, sole agency managing official exams at secondary school level; And that Government will continue to do so,

We the North West Elite, Senators and Members of the National Assembly hereby:

1. Appeal to all teachers, lawyers, school proprietors, the civil society, politicians, traders, bayam selams, parents, economic operators, taxi men, motor bike riders, students, pupils and all citizens of good will, to see reason and trust the government's good faith for dialogue and peaceful resolution of all the pertinent grievances presented by teachers and lawyers;

2. Appeal particularly to teachers, pupils and parents for normal resumption of schools to avoid jeopardising the future of our children;

3. Pray the lawyers to end their boycott of the courts which have a negative effect on their clients and call on them to instead hold meaningful consultations in view of tabling pertinent and exhaustive grievances during the imminent upcoming Stakeholders of the Justice system meeting in their quest to preserve the bi-jurial nature of our justice system;

4. Pledge our total support for peace, stability and tranquillity in our Region;

5. Affirm our unflinching support for a one, united and indivisible fatherland, Cameroon;

6. Strongly condemn the exploitation by unscrupulous politicians, Southern Cameroon's National Congress (SCNC) infiltrators of teachers' and lawyers' grievances to call for ghost towns and secession of the Anglophone part of Cameroon;

7. Fervently condemn all forms of violence and social tension that jeopardize the peace and security of our beloved fatherland irrespective of the source;

8. Pledge our unflinching support to His Excellency, President Paul BIYA and the government with the continuous open door policy as they find lasting solutions to the pertinent grievances put forward by Anglophone teachers, and lawyers and eventually others;

Done in Yaounde, on Sunday, 4th December 2016

Atanga Nji Paul, Mbah Acha Rose F., Fuh Calistus Gentry, Doh Jerome Penbaga, Solomon Azoh-Mbi, Fonye Francis, Fohtung Samuel T, Simon Achidi Achu, Fon Teche Njei Ii, Wanlo Chamoa John, Awanga Zacharias, Fon Ganyogah, Emma Eno Lafon, Wallang David, Dingha Ignatius, Njingum Musa, Kwei Andrew, Mbumseck Genesis, Banmi Emmanuel, Wallang Richard, Enwe Francis, Abety Peter; Kibuh Henry, Shey Jones Yembe, Nji Fidelis, Melo Uphie Chinje, Lantum Daniel, Fongod Edwin, Moh Sylvester, Sammy Chumbow, Fon. Chafah Isaac, Fru Angwafor, Mbayu Felix,Tan Paul, Nwana Sama Bernard, Gabsa Wilfred, Agwara Moise, Kilo Asheri, Shey Peter Mabu, Chimangha Linus, Chi Asafor, Sama Juma, Fru Jonathan, Simon Tamfu, Akwa Patrick, Bungo Jean Paul, Okie Johnson, Gabsa Wilfred, Doh Anderson, Ndzo Celestin, Adamu Musa, Nuhu Sali, Gabche Vincent Gabche, Chiangeh Grace, Tamanjong Moses, Foryang Godfred Fumbi, Dimla Lambert, Ngoran Austin, Kaah Ernest Mbuh, Isa Adamu, Abbas Mohamadou, Nying Divine