Cameroon May be Doomed Forever as Paul Biya Lunches “New Deal Phase II”
CCDHR is concerned at the future of the youths in Cameroon and the direction of the country in general as President Biya prepares to embark on the second phase of his “shred the nation” New Deal policy. In his Youth Day media address to the nation’s youths, a rather confident Biya seemed to be engaged in a political campaign to rally youths for another 25 or more years in power. CCDHR believes that the President’s judgment is clouded with misconceptions and deceitful intent, influenced by his erroneous believes that the youths in Cameroon are ignorant and stupid. The President’s speech was both shocking and insulting to youths in general.

CCDHR is perplexed at the spite and arrogance this President holds against the youths. At a time when the President continues to implement policies that relegate youths out of the machinery of society, he mockingly stands and informs them that the future of the country is in their hands. How can you hold something with your hands when your whole arm has been amputated?  Throughout his 24 years in power, President Biya has systematically destroyed every aspect of the Cameroon society. He has turned this country that used to be full of hope into a dungeon of absolute poverty and lack of simple means of subsistence. The struggle for survival has reached its apex among Cameroonian youths and it is doubtful how they can be responsible for the future without appropriate policies, institutions, and strategies to get them involved in the decision making process, development initiatives, and economic revival of the country.

CCDHR is also concerned at the target audience of the President’s speech. It can fairly be inferred that the President was actually speaking to the international community rather than the Cameroonian youths. His constant reference to the availability of funding following the country’s completion point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative should be viewed with circumspection. Paul Biya’s record is enough prove of his poor managerial skills, not to mention his active institutionalization of corruption and shady financial machineries. It is consequently doubtful whether his enthusiasm for the availability of funds is influenced by a genuine aspiration to do better or the desire to embezzle these funds as has always been the case. CCDHR is therefore calling on the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the international community to make Paul Biya and his government accountable by attaching high accountability standards, the curbing of corruption, and the implementation of democratic reforms, as conditions to funds disbursement.

CCDHR is equally appalled at the President’s use of dubious statistics to gain the approbation of the international community. His youth unemployment statistics (13% by his account) is deceitful because it fails to indicate that it counts as fully employed the following categories of youths: graduates who are driving motto cycles (ben-skin) and taxis; graduates engaged in hard labor work such as “truck-pushing” in markets; graduates selling second hand books on road sides; graduates selling second hand clothing on street corners; graduates helping their parents with farm work due to lack of employment; graduates roasting fresh corn on street corners; graduates selling PMUC tickets in kiosks, etc. Or is the President's unemployment statistics based on youths of YCPDM and PRESBY? Such employment options are just not what the President should pride himself of, especially of university graduates.

The President is probably conscious of the fact that the prevalence of ravaging poverty across the country and among the youths in particular gives him no legitimacy in the eyes of any conscious minded Cameroonian. He acknowledged that some claims by university students have been legitimate and justified, but failed to state even a single action he has ever taken as President to resolve any such claims. He equally failed to show any regret for the brutal killing of university students during a recent peaceful student demonstration at the University of Buea against the fraudulent actions of the Minister of Higher Education. Needless to mention that his failure to sanction this corrupt minister of his cabinet indicates his endorsement of the Minister's fraudulent actions.

Paul Biya, one of Africa’s longest serving Presidents (25 years in power with no sign of leaving anytime soon), is responsible for the predicament of Cameroon and the condition of its youths. His reverence for his circle of old friends and contempt for the youths has led to a Cameroon where youths have no possibility of contributing to decision making and management of state affairs. His conscious decision to surround himself with the same circle of corrupt, old, and sometimes incapacitated friends explains why the country is today in a state of decay. Successive Biya governments cannot be distinguishing from a geriatric institution, members of which are fixed to archaic philosophies without room for innovative or fresh ideas.

Corruption, embezzlement of public funds, politics of nepotism and tribalism, dilapidation of public infrastructure, lack of investment incentives, dictatorship, violation of the rule of law, forestalling democratic reforms, and brutal repression of government critics have been the hallmarks of his 25 years rule, without any signs of abatement. His lunching of New Deal II is therefore a scary proposition for the country, its citizens, and the youths in particular. A scrutiny of the President’s track record leaves no doubt that this obsolete New Deal rhetoric is a signal of more doom for the country.