Cameroon

Heavy rains devastate Cameroon’s Mayo Danay: 10 dead

Africa /

In recent weeks, relentless heavy rains have devastated Mayo Danay in Cameroon’s Far North region, with Yagoua experiencing the worst of the downpours. The damage is severe: at least ten people have died, entire neighborhoods are submerged, 185 primary schools and 13 high schools are flooded, and over 1,100 livestock have been lost. Residents face extreme hardships, with many struggling to find basic necessities like food and shelter. Litassou Daniel, a local affected by the floods, recounted the dire situation: “The rain hit us in the middle of the night. Our kitchen utensils and livestock are gone. Now, we are in the water, unable to even light a fire.” The humanitarian impact is profound. Over 200,000 people have been affected, and 8,000 homes have been destroyed. Displaced individuals are living in temporary camps outside the city, urgently needing more aid as they have lost everything. Boussate Lydie, a displaced resident, expressed frustration: “We face this flooding threat every year. Our situation never improves. The tents we get don’t last, and we’ve lost livestock and homes. We’re begging the authorities for more help.” Additionally, the floodwaters have destroyed a crucial bridge linking Maga to Yagoua, further isolating some neighborhoods. Cameroonian Minister of Urban Development, Célestine Ketcha Courtes, visited the site to assess the damage and promised immediate action: “The bridge is completely destroyed. We will mobilize companies by Monday to implement a temporary solution to reconnect Maga and ensure better movement for the population.” The government has pledged 350 million CFA francs in aid, though many locals feel this amount is inadequate given the scale of the disaster. For now, canoes are the primary means of transportation, and there are concerns the region could become completely cut off if urgent measures are not taken.

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Cameroon state oil firm to face UK court over Glencore bribery scandal

Business /

The head of Cameroon’s National Hydrocarbons Corporation (SNH) announced that some of its managers and employees will appear before a UK court due to their suspected involvement in bribery linked to Swiss commodity trader Glencore GLEN.L. Adolphe Moudiki, SNH’s administrator and director general, initially denied staff involvement but issued a statement late on Friday acknowledging that some employees have been identified as suspects and will appear before a British court on Sept. 10. In June 2022, Glencore’s UK subsidiary pleaded guilty to seven counts of bribery in a London court, involving oil operations in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Sudan. On Thursday, Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) charged Glencore’s former head of oil, Alex Beard, with two conspiracies to make corrupt payments to government officials and employees of state-owned oil companies in Nigeria and Cameroon. “SNH welcomes the progress of proceedings against the perpetrators and accomplices of the acts of corruption that have tarnished its image,” Moudiki stated, without specifying the number of SNH staff involved. Glencore’s UK subsidiary admitted to paying bribes amounting to 7 billion CFA francs ($11 million) to SNH officials and others to secure preferential access to oil between 2011 and 2016. Cameroonian lawyer and anti-corruption specialist Akere Muna urged SNH to disclose the identities of those involved and to suspend dealings with Glencore. “The culprits are within Cameroon, the transactions that gave rise to the corruption took place in Cameroon, yet they expect us to believe the solution will come from London,” Muna said. In July 2022, Cameroon’s state anti-corruption commission announced an investigation into the bribery offences but has not provided further details since then. SNH is responsible for selling the share of national crude oil production accruing to the state on the international market.

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