Cameroon’s Prime Minister Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute’s address to the people in Matazem, Santa, gateway into the North West region of the country this Tuesday afternoon was greeted by gunshots allegedly fired by separatist fighters from a distance. He is in the restive Anglophone region on a four-day working visit to evaluate the level of implementation of resolutions of the two-year-old Major National Dialogue convened to seek solutions to the Anglophone crisis.
After the South West region where he was given a hero’s welcome, the Prime Minister Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute is in Bamenda, Chief town of the North West region of Cameroon on a four-day working visit.
During his stay in the region, the Head of Government is expected to hold a series of meetings and consultations with the population and different groups in the region to seek ways for a return to normalcy, as well as evaluate the level of implementation of the Major National Dialogue two years after.
Before he got to Bamenda, PM Dion Ngute made a stopover at Matazem in Santa, gateway into the North West region where hundreds had converged to welcome him, including administrative authorities and students.
Known for his down to earth nature, the Head of Government went to the people and thanked them for the warm welcome. Before he could end up his speech, it was saluted by gunshots fired from a distance by suspected separatist fighters.
PM Dion Ngute was hurriedly led back into his car and the convoy drove out of Santa, en route to Bamenda where the situation was much different. When he got to Up station, Bamenda, the Head of Government was greeted by hundreds singing messages of peace.
This visit is expected to culminate in a recommitment of all to the restoration of peace in the region that has suffered so much losses in the course of the five-year-old Anglophone crisis.
Ariane Foguem
The Government of Cameroon through the voice of the Governor of the North West region, badly hit by the Anglophone crisis for close to five years has promised to beef up security around schools to ensure an effective kick-off of the 2021/2022 academic year come September 6 in that part of the country.
Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique made the promise Tuesday August 31 during the sector conference of the secondary education sector in the North West region.
He told the education stakeholders that tight security measures will be put in place in schools across the North West region ahead of the 2021/2022 academic year.
For such a move to be successful, Adolphe Lele Lafrique said the population must play their role that of supporting efforts put in place by the Government to guarantee the effective start of classes from September 6.
“All measures will be taken to ease class resumption but we are hoping that the population should mobilize to accompany the administration, stakeholders, and security services in that regard”, Governor Adolphe Lele Afrique said.
The education stakeholders on their part revealed that apart from security concerns, all is almost set for the start of the academic year. Last academic year, 177 schools were operational out of 555 in the secondary education sector in the region.
The fate of Education in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon
The Anglophone regions of Cameroon have since late 2016 witnessed a socio-political crisis that has deteriorated overtime and led to violent clashes between armed forces, loss of lives and property, internal and external displacement and a growing climate of fear and uncertainty.
The current crisis has its roots in grievances that date back to the early 1960s. Recent events led to the escalation of violence and armed confrontations between government forces and non-state armed groups who want the total independence of the two English-speaking regions.
Education has been one of the greatest victims as much of this violence is targeted at schools, with pupils and teachers frequently facing attacks. Armed groups have regularly attacked schools, in the course of which many including pupils and teachers lost their lives and others survived with severe trauma.
Government has been battling hard to reassure families on effective security in schools at the start of academic years since 2017. Separatists fighting the adopted a school boycott/disruption strategy to put pressure on government. This has had a severe impact on children’s ability to attend school and learn in a normal atmosphere.
Ariane Foguem
