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COMAGEND CSPs & Population Dialogue Session: Youth Debate Whether Gov't Should Increase Condom Availability

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  Dialogue Session Unfolding  By Raymond Dingana  In a heated debate initiated by Community Spokespersons (CSPs) of Mtambag popularly known as Old Town in Bamenda II, empowered by Community Action for Gender Development (COMAGEND), participants discussed whether the government should provide more condoms to young people as a way to role back sexually transmitted diseases.  Some voices argued that making condoms widely available could promote promiscuity among youth. "Providing condoms might encourage us to engage in casual sex. That's why I don't think it's necessary," one participant stated. However, others believed that increasing access to condoms could help reduce sexually related issues, such as sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. "There are many diseases out there, and using condoms is one of the best ways to protect ourselves. Making condoms available would help us prevent these diseases,"  said another speaker. Adding to this ...

Mayor Peter Chenwi Identifies, Recognizes Rare Gem In Toronto CanadaMayor

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Mayor Peter Chenwi And Friends In Toronto, Canada  By Raymond Dingana  After his working visit to Canada last August 2024, at which visit he signed a Partnership Agreement with the City Council of Brampton in Ontario, Mayor Peter CHENWI embarked on a follow-up mission this November 2024. This time around, the focus was on a planning meeting for the establishment of an African Business Center (ABC), the first African Mall to be established in Toronto, Canada. Mayor Peter CHENWI and Bamenda II Council have been invited to play a key role in the creation of the ABC, whereby Bamenda II Council will showcase some agricultural and other products that the Region is blessed with, and at the same time promote the Made in Cameroon Label.  On the sidelines of the ABC Conference, Mayor Peter CHENWI decorated Mr. Emmanuel Ntoko, a patriotic Cameroonian who has been accomplishing much for the Fatherland, in various forms. It should be recalled that Mr. Ntoko organized a warm reception...

NDZAH CHIEFTAINCY CRISIS: Talks End In Fiasco As King Makers Reject New Fon Presented To Administration

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    At The Consultative Talks With Bamenda III DO By Raymond Dingana  King Makers of NDZAH village in Nkwen, Bamenda III council have rejected Mr. Fobolingong Akotohm Nsoh, whose name was presented to the administration as the new fon of NDZAH village, also known as Banja village in the Bamenda III council area of the North West Region of Cameroon. This decision was made during a consultative meeting to designate a new fon, chaired by the Divisional Officer (DO) of Bamenda III, Austin Ayuni Sakah, on Thursday, November 21, 2024. According to the kingmakers, and many attendees, the meeting ended in a fiasco because the administration attempted to impose a fon on them, which they rejected saying they already have a Fon, HRH Fon Marius Mbomchom Akotohm III. During the talks that held in NDZAH , the DO for Bamenda III, Austin Ayuni Sakah reminded the population that if their palace is still sealed today, it is because of the chieftaincy crisis that has affected the village. S...

Bamenda: Gunmen Rob Person With Disability Of Sole Livelihood

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Taxis On Fire At Che Street Bamenda By Mokum Thomas Levi, a physically challenged taxi driver in the city of Bamenda, has seen his only source of livelihood taken away from him in a twinkle of an eye. On November 20, 2024, armed men set his taxi, alongside another at the Ntarinkon neighborhood in Bamenda II, North West Region Of Cameroon. Speaking to drayinfos.com Levi recounted his ordeal:  “An owner of an ice cream machine hired me to transport his machine from Bambili to Ntarinkon. I accepted his offer, but he informed me that he didn’t have enough money to pay for the fare. Instead, he suggested that I carry a passenger to help cover the costs." Levi futhers that: "When we arrived at his shop and parked the motorcycle in front to unload the ice cream machine, I suddenly heard gunshots from behind. The bullets penetrated the rear window and came out through the front. I told the girl sitting in front of me to lie down so I could attempt to escape. Unfortunately, as I drove...

NDZAH Chieftaincy Crisis: Administrative Involvement Or A People's Tradition In Peril?

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Fon Akotohm III The ongoing chieftaincy crisis in Ndzah, Bamenda III Subdivision, has raised questions about the role of the administration and the future of traditional governance in the North West Region. Following the disappearance of His Royal Highness Fon Victor Ngwa Akotohm II on October 30, 2019, and the subsequent enthronement of Marius Mbomchom Akotohm as Fon Akotohm III on November 6, 2019, the community initially celebrated a seamless succession. However, discord soon erupted, plunging the village into a protracted conflict that persists to this day. This Thursday, November 21, 2024, the Divisional Officer (DO) for Bamenda III plans to hold consultative talks in Ndzah (Banja), ostensibly to address the chieftaincy dispute. Yet, questions linger: Is this an attempt to resolve the conflict, or is the administration exploiting the chaos to erode indigenous rights and install a politically favorable leader?    Five Years of Talks, No Resolution Over the past five years,...

NW Public Independent Conciliator Urges Journalists To Join Him In Championing Good Governance

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Family Photo With Journalists By Raymond Dingana During a one-day Information and Education Seminar organized by the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator (PIC) for the North West, held on Wednesday, November 13th, Tamfu Simon Fai made a solemn appeal to media practitioners to join him in advocating for good governance, which has largely eluded many municipal councils in the region. He informed the more than 70 journalists from the seven divisions that make up the North West Region that: "The media should continue to accompany us because promoting good governance in councils is a permanent activity. We want to ensure that our people enjoy the amenities provided by the government, and they may not benefit from them if they are not informed about them." According to Bakah Derrick, an administrator at HiltopVoices.com, it is reassuring to know that there is an institution focused on the development of the people. "It reaffirms my confidence that at least I have an in...

VTIRUWED Trains, Graduates Vulnerable Female Youths In Bamenda

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Cross section of VTIRUWED Graduates in family picture. Story by Laarry Uchenna The Vocational Training Institute of Rural Women for Education and Development, abbreviated as VTIRUWED, has successfully graduated its pioneer batch of trainees from the institution in Bamenda in the North West Region. This was during a graduation ceremony that took place at MINEPAT Hall Upstation, Bamenda, on Saturday, October 29, 2024.  A total of 33 highly vulnerable female Cameroonians aged 15 to 30 were trained and impacted respectively in five different fields in their Bamenda branch during an intensive 1-year, five-month course. With head office in Ndop, Ngoketunjia Division, the Bamenda branch, which is an institute under the Rural Women Center For Education and Development, RuWCED has been in existence for about 2 years now, and this is the first set trainees it is graduating. Though it is the first batch in Bamenda, VTIRUWED Ndop has graduated 6 batches and Bamenda pioneer graduation makes it ...