"The fact that Cameroon has appeared in Amnesty International Report twice or thrice as the world’s most corrupt country should encourage the leaders to treat this latest thievery as a matter of emergency to prove to the world that much is being done in Cameroon today to combat corruption." JWN
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| ByJackson W. Nanje |
For government leaders of the Republic of Cameroon to think that
Cameroonians would let go of the massive corruption that led to the
cancellation of their rights to host the African Cup of Nations, it is
mind-boggling. While we must continue to regret the lost opportunity of not
hosting the 2019 and maybe the 2021 African Cup of Nations due to gross
mismanagement by FECAFOOT authorities, to turn a blind eye and not examine what
went wrong to hold individuals found guilty of the gross mismanagement responsible,
it will be a risky undertaken. In a civilized society its leaders would
immediately summon a special commission to investigate what went wrong and fix
the problem(s) from ever reoccurring, again. Not in Cameroon, where its leaders
have sunken to an expected low. It should be noted too that, funds donated by
CAF and FIFA governing bodies to Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), have
a history of being mismanaged. And this will continue to manifest because of
the hands-free attitude of officials at the Justice Ministry, who have hardly
held the embezzling perpetrators responsible except for Cameroon’s FECAFOOT
Chief, Iya Mohammed. A slew of individuals must be responsible for these
thieveries inside FECAFOOT and the government should be very proactive at
investigating and bringing charges on those responsible for these criminal
acts.
We, at Nanje School of Creative Thinking believe that, there are
underlying layers of corruption that has caused CAF authorities to withdraw Cameroon’s
victorious bid of 2014. And even after several inspections and warnings to
Cameroon authorities to get their acts together, a lot was still to be desired of
them. Conversely, to not investigate what went wrong and hold each person found
directly guilty for this abject rejection by CAF, responsible, it will be
undermining the Cameroonian people who have invested mightily thus far in
anticipation of potential economic earnings. It will also be a mark of an
irresponsible government which does not seek to be accountable to the governed.
CAF is watching over Cameroon to see if the only reform they will institute for
the aborted 2019 hosting is removal of old corrupt individuals by way of
election absent of investigation and punishment of leaders of this corrupt
institution.
Incompetence, arrogant and unconscionable tribesmen
in control of power and money, who are equally lacking in character, defiant and shameless
in their corrupt ways and practices, apologetic to none, are just a
few kind words to describe Cameroon leaders in reference to the decision of the
recent cancellation of the hosting rights of the coveted African Nations’ Cup
tournament. We should not be ashamed to call the so-called leaders shameless
because that’s what they are. The Cameroon nation would have been just one of
the few African countries that have been opportune to host this tournament more
than ones. But seven months before the tournament Cameroon boasts not of any completed
infrastructure to merit the hosting of the tournament. Cameroon leaders did not
see the importance and the privilege bestowed unto the country by CAF until when
it withdrew its bid. They messed up like they have done with many other hosting
privileges due to their corrupt and criminal minds and deeds. And for any
Cameroonian who does not express outright outrage for the corrupt practices of
some, it will be criminal as well.
Knowing fully well that President Paul Biya had recently assured
CAF officials of Cameroon’s levels of preparedness following a meeting facilitated
by Samuel Eto’o, who promised that come
2019, Cameroon must have addressed all of CAF’s immediate and major concerns.
The assurances were still not enough to sway the minds of CAF’s officials.
However, the biggest concern to CAF officials was the frightening levels of
insecurity in the country primarily caused by President Paul Biya for his failure and inability to address the Anglophone crisis in the North West and South West Regions, Boko Haram in the North Regions and post-elections insecurities through out the country. The documented insecurities throughout the country and President Biya's inability to resolve these uncertainties was somehow more of a problem to CAF officials than the embezzlement of funds. It is a fact that CAF provided more than
3billion FCFA to the hosting nation. But after four years,
all what Cameroon ought to have done are still yawning and yearning for help while there are frightening levels of embezzlement of funds noted .
It is true that while President Biya who regrettably won another
seven years mandate much to the chagrin of most Cameroonians has hardly claimed
ownership of any of Cameroon’s problems. If he did, he should have notified CAF
much earlier that the job will not be completed in time for the tournament. He
spared himself that embarrassment because he was desperate for CAF money and to
cover up the massive looting that was taking place at FECAFOOT.
History of thievery at FECAFOOT
Many in Cameroon undoubtedly believe that FECAFOOT is the most
corrupt agency in Cameroon. Read this report published in 2006 detailing
corruption of the agency then as it is today. Nothing, indeed, has changed
about the agency. https://www.postnewsline.com/2006/03/fecafoot_is_the.html Others say the Cameroon Customs are the
most corrupt. While some have picked the Police Department as the leading
corrupt agency. But there are others who believe sincerely that, Cameroonians
are born corrupt. The spectacle of which agency in Cameroon is more corrupt
than the other is not something Cameroonians should take lightly because it
does not project a positive image to the rest of the world. These
inter-agencies competition to determine which agency is the most corrupt one has
held back progress of the country.
The construction of the stadiums to host the African Nations Cup
(2019) is the latest annoying incidence of corrupt practice by FECAFOOT, which compelled
CAF to withdraw the bid from Cameroon We
are aware that FECAFOOT is blessed with a pool of talented footballers
who ply their trade outside of the country; however, many of them have
unprecedentedly rejected to play for Cameroon because FECAFOOT officials’
demand that they bribe their way to the national team. How frightening! Kylian
Mbappe, the prodigy who now plays for France was offered to Cameroon by his
father, Wilfred Mbappe, but he was told by this same FECAFOOT officials to
bribe his way into the team. We lost a prodigy because of these corrupt
individuals who seek personal good rather than country good.
Let us look at this investigative report done by some very good
reporters: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/oct/24/football-corruption-cameroon-nigeria-ivory-coast
The Cameroon
parliament appropriated $24m for a stadium renovation project. No work took
place. Photograph: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty
Images
Three African countries have
representatives on the FIFA Executive Committee. Here are some of the findings
of the Forum for African Investigative Reporters' report into the state of football
in those countries
CAMEROON
Some of the world's biggest companies like
to be associated with Cameroon, who have played in
more World Cups than any other African nation. Players such as Roger Milla and
Samuel Eto'o are good for marketing. The sponsorship money appears to have done
little good for football, though. Chief Bisong Etahoben and Franklin
Sone Bayen report that:
■ The most powerful man in Cameroon
football is Issa Hayatou, a FIFA executive member. Two of his brothers are
ministers, and there has been a Hayatou in every Cameroonian government for 50
years. A reporter who tried to investigate Hayatou's wealth earlier this year
is in hiding after being beaten and threatened.
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■ Mobile phone company MTN pumped in
$600,000 of an $800,000 project to renovate several stadiums. The other
$200,000 was to come from FECAFOOT, the Cameroonian FA, but instead, $146,000
ended up in the pockets of the then sports minister, Thierry Augustin Edzoa, so
that he could "breathe easier", he said after the payment. The work
never happened. The $600,000 is unaccounted for.
■ Parliament appropriated more than $24m
for another stadium renovation project. No work took place, the country's two
main stadiums are more dilapidated than ever and there is nothing to show for
the money.
■ FECAFOOT office staff threatened to go on
strike after being unpaid for 44 months. FIFA sent money for the wages to be
paid: officials stumped up 16 months' back pay and pocketed the rest.
■ A FECAFOOT official took $16,000 expenses
for an air ticket after saying his original ticket had been lost. He
boarded the plane using the first ticket and kept the $16,000
In addition to the afore-mentioned reasons,
Cameroon Football Federation has suffered from the wrath of FIFA for its interference
in FECAFOOT elections in 2006 despite FIFA’S warning not to do so. In 2013
again, FIFA warned Cameroon to have a hands-off in the FECAFOOT elections to
avoid any corrupt practice Click and read the rest of this report detailing more
of Cameroon’s interference. https://choforche.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/bad-governance-and-corruption-in-the-cameroon-football-federation-fecafoot-leads-to-suspension-by-the-worlds-football-federation-fifa-chofor-che/
How Unprepared was Cameroon?
The officers running the African Cup of Nations had a cause to
refuse Cameroon the hosting rights to the 2019 tournament. CAF saved Cameroon
the embarrassment by not exposing her to her lack of preparedness. Nothing
would have been ready in time for the athletes and world to converge in
Cameroon. A country hosting the biggest African soccer tournament is yet to
address the problem of lack of infrastructure.
The last African Women Cup of Nations that was organized in
Cameroon was a disaster and it demonstrated how unprepared Cameroon was and
still is in hosting any tournament of this size, scope and magnitude. The roads
leading to and out of the stadia are narrow and cannot handle the volume of
traffic expected during the tournaments. Cameroon officials must ensure that
the roads are wide enough and have multiple entry ways and outlets, to ease
traffic congestion and road rage.
Cameroon authorities must establish the American equivalence of
AAA, an agency that inspects hotels and give their ratings. For example, they
determine which hotel is one star, two stars, three stars, four stars and five
stars. This gives the hotel owners the opportunity to continuous strive towards
good standards to reward them with customer satisfaction. Conversely, the AAA
ratings give consumers the opportunity to select hotels that meet their
standards. Sadly, there’s no neutral and competent agency to conduct this service without the bias or expectation of receiving a kickback for an undeserved rating.
And, as if the above cited reasons are not apprehensive enough
and gravely ignored, the issue of internal security is major
cause of concern. For a country that’s about to host a major football
tournament, the least of her concerns ought not to be security. But this is a
huge concern not only for non-Cameroonians but for Cameroonians as well. In the
South West and North West Regions of Cameroon, where the tournament should have
equally been hosted, more than 500,000 people have been brutally killed by
government soldiers. Kidnapping for ransom is on the rise and many have left
their homes into neighboring Nigeria. Schools have been closed for more than
two years and child birth have increased exponentially in these regions. With
all these numerous problems which are not been solved, Cameroon still have the
temerity to tell CAF that her house is in order. No, it is not! The Separatist
fighters have scored a major victory by depriving Cameroon government a huge
economic and financial reward after the tournament. In the Northern Region of Cameroon where the tournament shall be played also, Cameroon is still fighting Bok Haram. Furthermore, the country is still dealing with post-elections insecurities as the opposition parties still believe that President Biya stole victory from the opposition candidate. It is therefore alright for Cameroonians to side with CAF that the time for Cameroon to host the tournament despite its fragile preparations, is not now but in the future when all these fragilities must have been resolved.
How did Cameroon suffer an Economic Blow?
It is unquestionable that Cameroon businesses have suffered a
major economic blow due to CAF’s decision to withdraw Cameroon’s right to host
the tournament. The 2019 Cup of Nations is the first edition with twenty-four
(24) nations, eight (8) more nations than the previous years. Meaning, more
people were expected in an unprepared country than we’ve ever had. It is not
shocking to hear from CAF officials that the country could not have been ready
to host even a four nations tournament let alone an enlarged twenty-four
nations tournament at the start of the competition. With Cameroon’s history of
corruption Cameroonians knew all along that corrupt men were going to collapse
the CAF project in Cameroon simply because of their dishonesty. Cameroon
leaders are finding out how morally decayed they are and how they have exposed themselves
to the rest of the world about how corrupt they are. But in Cameroon, where
breaking they law can go unpunished, thievery is rampant. While we cannot
undermine the significant amount of resources that the government has devoted
thus far in the organization of the tournament, it however did not make much of
a difference when the realities of the tournament failing were obvious.
In anticipation of the tournament, private individuals in nearby
and hosting cities had diverted significant amount of their resources so they could
get a return in their investments but will now suffer a great loss for their
sacrifices. Individuals took loans from banks to build homes, restaurants and
other accommodations for visitors. All that have failed, and somehow, they must
pay these loans back to the banks.
Conclusion
I am in a state of shock to read of the selfishness and the
corrupt mentality that most Cameroonians portray even in things that will bring
great utility to their people. I am even more shocked to learn that many of the individuals engaged in this thievery at FECAFOOT shall go Scott-free. The government is too slow at
apprehending criminals engaged in activities of embezzlement for they are more reactive )inspect the project only after a whistle blower has citied irregularities) rather that proactive (inspect the project at every stage of the construction to minimize wrongdoings). To encourage
Cameroonians to have the level of consciousness present in many emerging African democracies investigations and arrests must be done; and, judgement and imprisonment must be swift as well. The fact that
Cameroon has appeared in Amnesty International twice or thrice as the world’s
most corrupt country should encourage the leaders to treat this latest thievery as a matter
of emergencyto prove to the world that much is being done in Cameroon today to combat corruption.
