Coalition Of Civil Society Organization

IMPACT OF THE 2019 FINANCE LAW OF CAMEROON ON ELECTRICITY BILLS.

The 2019 Finance law has exonerated value added tax (VAT) from households that consume less than 220 KWH of electricity per Month.

Previously, the exoneration was only on households that consumed less than 110 KWH of electricity per Month and VAT calculated on the excess. However, the new law has doubled the minimum KWH for which exoneration is applicable but VAT will be applicable to the total consumption of a household, if her consumption exceeds 220 KWH per Month, as opposed to the previous that imputed VAT only on the excess consumed.

Logically the new law wouldn't favor high household consumers as well as those jointly connected to a single meter.

To benefit from the above requires that; each household acquires her meter from the service provider and avoid joint usage of a common meter in order not to exceed the KWH eligible ceiling for which VAT shall be exonerated.

We think this is one of the law reforms which benefits the commoners. Kudos to the legislators that made this possible. We of this platform endorse.

Following the alleged arrest of the "Ambazonian President and co. There have been many speculative submissions on probable extradition of the said leaders to the requester sovereign (The Republic of Cameroon) having read the lengthy publication of the publication shared here below, permit me illuminate the bulbs on the position of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) of the Republic of Cameroon.

Section 635 of the CPC is to the effect that: Extradition shall be an act whereby a requested state hands over a foreigner found in its territory to a requesting State in order that he be prosecuted for one or more specified offenses of ordinary law or to subject him to a term of imprisonment passed against him after a criminal trial for an offense of ordinary law.

For the purpose of interpreting the CPC as to the above subject in contention, I would pick out relevant sections that may render extradition of the said leaders difficult if not vitiated. Section 643 of the CPC in (1) (a) affirms that: Felonies and misdemeanors directed against the Constitution, the sovereignty of the State and Public Authorities shall be considered as political offences, for which extradition shall not be granted. The latter provision might twist the arm of the requesting state as to the grounds of purported offence for which extradition is intended.

Another problematic section to the actionability of extradition in this case, is affirmed in (c) of the latter section which is to the effect that: Where the offences is in itself political, religious or racial or based on citizenship, it shall be left to the requesting State to prove the contrary.

Further more, section 643 (2) (b) of the CPC provides basis for which extradition may not be granted to include offences that are related to political, religious and racial offences, or based on citizenship. Here the latter statement "based on citizenship" for which the Ambazonian leaders are advocating for the restoration of their statehood that one's existed may vitiate extradition if the CPC was to be applied judiciously.

Another controversy to the feasibility of extradition possibility of the matter in issue, is sanctioned by section 644 of the CPC which is to the effect that: Except where otherwise provided by law, no Cameroonian citizen may be extradited.

Also, section 645 (d)is to the effect that: Extradition shall not be applicable where there are reasons for the Country requested to believe that the person concerned shall be subjected to torture and other punishment or treatment which is cruel, inhuman and humiliating in the requesting country. Thus if the Nigerian government were to consider this provision, though of the CPC corroborating from the bonker publications of similar activist of same course at the Yaoundé prisons, then extradition of the concerned may be very difficult.

I rest my case at this level without dueling on the procedure for extradition as provided in the CPC.

Awah Cletus Fobuzi.

Legist offering voluntary counseling.

Recently government primary school Atuakom was burnt in the name of a ghost. This time around was equally the women's empowerment center on fourth fifth and sixth picture.
We can not be decrying our underdevelopment, marginalization etc and same time destroying the few available infrastructures serving common good. In fact this is uncalled for. While the Anglophone problems are genuine and requires favourable remedy, destruction of individual or public properties only add more wounds on our own injuries.

There is also the possibility of this perpetrated by non Anglophones making capital from the present crisis.

Meanwhile we call on the powers that be to carryout swift investigations and hold perpetrators to account, we condemn the above acts by whosoever.

It is a fundermental live principle to do onto others what you will like them do on to you. Imaging what will be the out come if aggrieved institutions or individuals go do same to properties of suspected institutions or individuals carrying out such acts. What a calamity will it be for everybody????

Honorable Wirba Joseph now function squarely as would have expected of every member of Parliament. This innovation renders account of the member of parliament's office to electorate. We hope other parliamentarians should copy this example. Hope the occupational divisional officer as once described doesn't attempt to band this event.

We shall be there life to witness the "Wirbalization Theory" first hand.

THE MODERATOR OF PCC, Rt. Rev. Fonki, SPEAKS OUT.

LETTER FROM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN
CAMEROON
Dear Presbyterians,
Dear brothers and Sisters in the Lord.
Pastoral Letter: Our God is a God of History
We bring you fraternal greetings in the name of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Prince of
Peace and the Lord of Lords. We join you to
thank God for the blessings and graces of 2016,
the year of our Lord. The year 2016 was a
challenging one for us as a church and as a
nation amidst collective and personal successes
on the field of evangelization and our drive
towards transformation on the one hand; And on
the other hand, we all were affected by the
Esseka train accident and towards the end of the
year, there were upheavals in the major towns of
the Northwest and Southwest Regions of our
country – mainly the English-speaking part of our
country. In all these challenges, the God whom we
serve showed himself as our refuge, stronghold
and comfort in times of trouble. When such
calamities happen, we should not lose faith
because Jesus Christ himself warns us that, “In
this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I
have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Increasingly, we cannot trust the systems of this
world for peace, that is why Christ said, “Peace I
leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not
give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
heart be troubled and do not be afraid” (John
14:27).
We look forward to the year 2017 with great
expectations for what we want to achieve as a
church. We are also looking up to our hope in the
Lord Jesus Christ as a people and as a faith
community. Yet our anxieties and uncertainties on
some of the things happening around us continue
to be of great concern. We hear news of civil
strife, we are not certain how the school year will
commence, and we do not know how a
breakthrough will come in a deadlock pitting the
government of Cameroon and the Teachers’ Trade
Union and the Common-Law Lawyers. We are not
sure whether many Cameroonians may be able to
afford food, medicines and basic utilities. This is
the reason why as a church we must pray and
lend ourselves to the service of God and our
nation, to pray for peace but also to take our
responsibilities in peace building.
Let me share our thoughts on the common issue
plaguing our country today. We are referring to
what has been called the marginalization of
Anglophone.
In the last few months our country has witnessed
upheavals in some towns and cities in the
English-speaking parts of Cameroon creating a
situation of mutual suspicion between the leaders
of Teachers’ Trade Unions and the government of
Cameroon, each side portraying their own version
that further deepen wounds and heighten the
elements of suspicion and mistrust. This kind of
situation may lead our leaders into the temptation
of the insistence of an uneasy co-existence,
secession, federalism and the much talked about
decentralization. One thing is clear, the God we
serve is the God of our history. None of us can
explain how they came to be born in Cameroon,
none of us know why God permitted the Germans
to be defeated during the 1st World War. None of
us know why God permitted the French and the
English mandate to dominate Cameroon after the
Versailles treaty. None of us know why God
permitted a small section of our country to be
called Southern Cameroons. Only God knows why
the things that are, came into being.
Therefore, in times like this, we should repent
from relying on our human wisdom on issues that
have a bearing in God’s genuine plan for
Cameroonians and for mankind as a whole. One
thing which is clear is that God remains the Lord
of our history and calls us to repentance so that
our country can experience the reason why He
made us Cameroonians. Those who insist on the
uneasy coexistence should be able to answer how
can there be co-existence without mutuality and
trust? Those who call for federalism must also be
reminded that even in the new fragments of the
federation, there would be minority problems.
Those who call for secession must be reminded
historically that there cannot be any secession
without bloodshed like the cases of Yugoslavia,
South Sudan, and Eritea to mention a few. Those
who call for decentralization must answer why for
all this while the so-called devolution of
competences to local councils have draged on or
why should institutions in one council pay their
taxes to another council area. So, you see, the
problem of Cameroon has been one of peace
without justice and Justice without truth. This is
the time for truth.
Our today just like our tomorrow remain in God’s
hands. We cannot craft out a future outside of
God’s plan for our lives, we cannot build
tomorrow by our own might and neither can we
redeem our history by our own strength. So the
question is what is God’s plan for Cameroon at
this juncture? In times like this when our history
challenges us and our people cry out for justice,
no weapon or might can stop the restlessness of
a people who cry out to God in distress seeking
rescue. Rather, we all must come together like a
family to pray together and seek God’s face so
that our country should not degenerate into
despair. So we call on all Cameroonians to turn
to God – Cameroon, keep God at the center of
your politics, keep God at the center of your
thinking, keep God at the center of your actions
and it will surprise you what the Lord God
Almighty will do for you.
The cultural heritage of English speaking
Cameroon and its bearing on their professional
and socio-economic life is a fact of history that
no amount of political gymnastics can erase or
hide. Nonetheless, we also recognize the strength
of our unity and no parochial political interests
should be allowed to destroy a people with a long
geographical, political and cultural ancestry. We
should seek God’s favour as we look forward to
2017, we should attempt great things for God and
we must be determined to cultivate peace so that
the children of God can rise up and claim their
inheritance in true brotherly love.
Some people are confused on our stance on this
issue. But as you all know, the church is not the
Moderator, the PCC is her Christians and the
specialized committees that have been formed to
govern the church. We can only say what the
respective bodies of the church ask us to say.
Therefore, do not confuse the prophetic
expressions of some pastors on the field. It
represents their individual emotions and
understandings of the things that are happening,
some of those expressions genuine or not genuine
does not represent the official opinions of the
church. The role of the Presbyterian Education
Teachers Trade Union (PEATTU) is independent,
as a trade union they reserve the right to join
other trade unions to militate on issues affecting
their sector.
The Synod of Unfailing Love meeting in Bamenda
from the 20th – 21st of November 2016
addressed a message to the Head of State of the
Republic of Cameroon, amongst other things
calling for urgent dialogue between the
government of Cameroon, Teachers’ Trade Unions
and Common Law Lawyers. After the sad incident
of violence that happened in Bamenda on the 8th
of December 2016 will reiterate emphatically our
stance as a church.
We recognize the efforts of the Prime Minister of
the Republic of Cameroon in creating adhoc
committees to see into the issues tabled by
Teachers Trade Union and Common Law Lawyers.
While this is a starting point, may all the
preliminary objections be cleared comprehensively
in order for these committees to function fully.
Those who are called to these committees must
show a high sense of patriotism, truth and
humaneness. We call for dialogue, peace and
understanding so that we can identify the points
of weaknesses, the areas of our common strength
and how we can rekindle a spirit of trust, a spirit
of tolerance and a spirit of love.
We condemn acts of violence perpetuated by
forces of law and order and some civil authorities.
Such acts should be investigated and those
officers brought to book. In the same light,
anyone who is in detention should be proven
guilty of violence before detention, otherwise it is
unlawful to keep people behind bars for an
indeterminate period of time.
All proposals for reconciliation should have both
short and long term considerations.
The government of Cameroon, the Teachers’
Trade Unions and Common Law Lawyers should
do everything possible to see into the
commencement of schools and private practice of
the Common-Law Lawyers.
We volunteer our services and our facilities as a
church that will lead to genuine reconciliation and
long lasting peace; hoping that this will contribute
to the healing of our Land.
Our times are not in our hands but in God’s
hands for He is the Lord of our history, He is the
author of our lives, He is the beginning and the
end, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. We call
on Cameroon and Cameroonians to pray fervently
and to call upon God to direct our minds to be
our Light as we grapple with the dark edges of
our political history.
Finally, we anticipate that 2017 shall be hopeful
and more rewarding. We look forward to ensure
sustainability of our Mission fields and business
operations, we anticipate commitment of our staff
especially those in the health and educational
departments so that they as co-creators in God’s
vineyard will be able to touch lives in a positive
way and further the kingdom of God here on
earth. We trust that the spiritual lives of our
Christians will experience a surge in 2017 and
that we would be able to win more souls for
Christ Jesus. We enjoin Christians to remain
peaceful and hopeful in the expression of their
faith so that together we may be able to do great
things for God in 2017.
May God in His infinite mercy redeem our land
and accompany each and every one of us safely
on to the shores of 2017.
Yours for the Sake of the Faith
Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba
Moderator, PCC