illicit financial flows from Africa amount to at least 50 billion USD per month,

-Justice Rose Mbah Acha Fomundam, Cameroon’s Minister of Supreme State Audit

Illicit financial flows have been identified as the bane of African economies, accounting for losses equivalent to the total amount received by the continent in terms of public development assistance. It is in a bid to reverse this trend that an international conference on the fight against illicit financial flows using an African approach held in Yaounde from 24 to 26 May. At the end of the conference summoned by the African good financial governance network, it was recommended that an information sharing framework on best practices in the fight against the scourge be established for the benefit of African countries.

Stakeholders also advocated a harmonisation of the legal framework for the prosecution of criminal offences in the area of illicit financial flows.

The forest and wildlife sectors which have been identified as most vulnerable to the scourge, it was further resolved, should be given more attention.

The network called on African Union countries to continue educating citizens on public morals and fight against money laundering through the use of tools developed by ATAF and CRADEC.

In another resolution contained in the final communiqué issued on 28 May, African Union states were urged to designate a head of state who serves as a role-model to champion the fight against illicit financial flows. Ahead of the Yaounde Conference, Justice Rose Mbah Acha Fomundam, Cameroon’s Minister of Supreme State Audit (CONSUPE), spoke on its stakes and expectations. In an interview aired on CRTV’s Cameroon Calling on Sunday 28 May, she said Cameroon lost over 4200 billion FCFA between 2003 and 2012 in illicit financial flows. She began by explaining what illicit financial flows are all about.

 Excerpts:

Illicit financial flow refers to capital that is earned, transferred or used illegally. Illicit cash flows generally originate from three main sources and the sources are commercial activities in which people commit the offence of concealing wealth, evading taxes aggressively and evading custom duties and internal taxes. Offences in commercial activities are estimated at about 65% of the volume of illegal financial flows. There are also criminal activities evaluated at about 30%, that is, making all together, 95% and these criminal activities consist in concealing transactions from the police or tax authorities. Lastly, there is also corruption which is the crime of facilitating and hiding every aspect of illicit financial flows and this is estimated at about 5% making it all togethera 100%.

What is the raison d’etre of this international conference?

There was a publication of a report of a high-level panel on illicit financial flows and this high- level panel was presided over by former South African President, Thabo Mbeki , and this report was like the beginning point of the awareness of the negative effects of illicit financial flows on the continent. According to some surveys especially that of the American NGO called Global Financial Integrity, illicit financial flows from Africa amount to at least 50 billion USD per month, which is a huge amount of money. Through tax evasion, money laundering and other crimes, illicit financial flows is a major problem for the social, economic and political development of our African continent. I can give you statistics from this high-level panel report: Nigeria lost about 157 billion US Dollars between 2003 and 2012. Over the same period, South Africa lost about 122 billion US Dollars, Egypt – 37 billion and Cameroon for her part lost over 7 billion over the same period. In FCFA, this amounts to more than 4200 billion. Needless to emphasise what such a huge sum can achieve at this point in time when we are striving to achieve emergence by 2035. In general terms, several studies have established that the losses resulting from illicit financial flows on our continent are more or less the equivalent of the amount the continent receives as public development assistance, you can imagine that. This means that the fight against illegal financial flows appears to be a major objective of our respective States in the implementation of their development visions. It is therefore in consideration of the magnitude of this phenomenon and its consequences and the perspective of finding solutions to this problem that the network of good financial governance in Africa decided to organise this international conference hosted by my ministerial department CONSUPE in its capacity as the Secretary General of African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions. This brings together nearly 200 participants from all over the world. To let you know that the good financial governance network consists of the following organisations: the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committees, the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions, the African Tax Administration Forum, the Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative. In this good financial governance network, we have four partners and this conference is supported by the good financial governance implemented by the German International Cooperation.

A lot of money that you have indicated has been lost by African countries to these illegal financial flows. Madam Minister, what goals does this conference intend to achieve at the end of the day?

The aim of this conference is not only to enable all the participants to develop a common understanding of illicit financial flows but also to raise awareness on the actions undertaken by other stakeholders in tackling such flows. Because you realise that other stakeholders have been trying to tackle these flows. Most specifically, this will develop a shared and more nuanced understanding of the challenges of illegal financial flows including the various pillars and levels. It would reaffirm the commitment of participants to good financial governance, stressing the importance of cooperation and ensuring the sustainability of the network and describe the tools they use to tackle illicit financial flows.

Let’s look at the theme of the conference “Tackling Illicit Financial Flows: An African Approach to a Global Phenomenon”. What is this African approach all about?

When we talk of an African approach, it is because Africa is currently the continent most affected by this scourge. It is necessary for African countries to comprehend this theme and contextualise the measures that may be taken to eradicate this phenomenon. And so it is necessary to ensure that the legislative and regulatory mechanisms are sufficiently adopted to detect and curb the major vectors of these illicit financial flows such as tax fraud, smuggling, also corruption and all forms of economic crimes. It is also important to establish or empower institutions responsible for tackling illegal financial flows. Since implementation is not sufficient, it is also necessary that these entities should be endowed with the appropriate capacities because in many cases we realised that the financial flows occur in situations where there is asymmetric information. In this perspective, therefore, the mechanisms for sharing and coordinating information between the various institutions and administrations are of paramount importance. I would like to mention finally that it is necessary to know how to involve all the components of the society as widely as possible by encouraging especially the participation of citizens. These are the components of the African approach to be debated and enriched during the conference.

You are the Cameroonian Minister in charge of the Supreme State Audit Office and Cameroon itself is highly plagued by this illegal financial flows and those listening to you right now will be asking – What about Cameroon? What measures have been taken by the Government of this country to effectively curb the illegal financial flows?

The Government of Cameroon has taken several measures. This response provided by the State of Cameroon to curb this phenomenon should be assessed in terms of the types of illicit financial flows, which remember, I said come from three main sources. When we talk about illicit financial flows resulting from commercial activities, in particular with regard to direct taxation and basic taxation, the Ministry of Finance has a very well equipped unit to fight against abusive price transfers or smuggling. In addition, in the extractive sector, Cameroon has subscribed and fulfilled all her obligations to enhance transparency in the sector notably through the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. And the Ministry of Mines as well has also put in place concrete measures to stabilise the sector. When addressing another aspect of illicit financial flows related to corruption in the public sector, it goes without saying that in the fight against corruption, a host of administrations and structures have been set up such as the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court, the National Agency for Financial Investigation, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and of course the Supreme State Audit Office, that is, the Cameroon Supreme Audit Institutions which I head but also the Special Criminal Court whose effectiveness is well known. When dealing with financial crimes, there are bodies in charge of supervising banks at regional and national levels. At the level of the Ministry of Finance, we have for example, ANIF, which plays a central role and INTERPOL is also a leading player. There are some of the measures and actions taken by the Cameroon Government to combat this phenomenon. Obviously this is surely not enough especially when we know that the phenomenon is cross- border on the one hand and also that it requires the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform at the national level as well. Consequently, a State alone cannot fight this phenomenon. And with each State, it is indispensable to ensure cooperation and information sharing between the different entities involved in the fight against illicit financial flows. So once again, the relevance of the conference in Yaounde is for a synergy of actions aimed at effectively tackling this problem.

You have said and rightly so that the Government alone cannot tackle this problem. Now, what is the take-home message from that conference?

The participants have achieved a lot. They would realise that in order to resolve this problem, it is essential to engage a concerted action throughout Africa. And when we talk of an African concerted action, what do we mean? This presupposes that we agree on the measures to be taken. Our expectations for all the stakeholders is that we should have a common and shared understanding of the issues and impacts of illicit financial flows on the development of African countries. We adopt a concerted action plan on the activities to be carried out by the members of the network to fight illicit financial flows and everybody will be pleased to see the implementation of the action plan and the establishment of a monitoring mechanism. I am very optimistic, people showed a lot of interest and I said, it is a scourge, a phenomenon that has to be combated not only by the Government, even by the citizens. Everybody alike.

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Biya’s Regime only reacts and doesn’t anticipate problems

-Hon. Chief Paul Nji Tumasang

Hon Chief Paul Nji Tumasang is Member of Parliament at the National Assembly for Mezam South, Santa Special Constituency. Speaking during the National Executive Committee Meeting of the Social Democratic Front that took place in Bamenda on Saturday May 27, the outspoken MP said among other things the Biya Regime only reacts and doesn’t anticipate problems. Pointing at the problems presently plaguing Cameroon, he said for more than fifty years of Independence problems which have always starred at us in the face are suddenly resurfacing and taking the regime by surprise. He was interviewed by Francis Ekongang Nzante.

Excerpts  

The just ended National Executive Convention of the SDF is seen to be very strategic since it is considered by many as the end of an era. What were its highlights?

The journalist may say that it is the end of an era but it is just a continuation of what the Social Democratic Front stands for and what we have been working on for a long time. During the last Convention we postponed the Elective Convention just to better organise things on the ground. Talking about the crises that have been plaguing the country, we insist in our support of the legitimate demands of the teachers and lawyers. We are amazed by the non-challant attitude of the Government so far. Cameroonians in the Northwest and Southwest Regions have stuck to the requests of these Trade Unions and the SDF has simply continued to do what it has always done. There is nothing new in all of that. We are blaming the government for letting a situation that could have been easily handled in the first place to go out of hand. We are also preparing for the eventuality of any elections. You know with the Biya regime, things can be announced at anytime to surprise us. The Chairman as such called for us to go back into the field and get our structures organised at the level of the base in view of the elections. 

We understand that elective exercises were already carried out in seven Regions except in some three problem areas; the South, Centre and Adamawa. How did the National Executive Meeting seek to redress this?  

NEC approved the report of the South and Adamawa Regions and encouraged them to continue working in the right direction so as to complete their work by putting in place the Regional Executive. In the Center Region there was a problem of collaboration between the out-going Executive and the NEC team that was sent in to work with them in order to re-organise the structures. Our Constitution makes room for a solution of such a problem by what we call 18.8. which states that if a certain structure is being disturbed from functioning normally, the regional team will be suspended and a NEC team will be sent in to coordinate the activities until such a time that the problem is resolved. That is the resolution that was taken as far as the Centre Region was concerned. The outgoing executive was suspended according to the provisions of article 18.8. Before the Elective Convention in October, the NEC team would have finished its work.

How hopeful are you with regards to the mellifluous continuity of the party against a backdrop of general feelings that there is no preparation for transition?

 

We have always been grooming the younger ones within the party and encouraging them to work hard and take over. I am surprised that any one should think that there is no preparation for continuity. Look at the National Executive Committee and you will see that a cross Section of them is made up of young people. A good number of the Mayors and Parliamentarians are young people. The idea of not grooming young people is really not a problem in the Social Democratic Front. When you go into the field you will see that most of them are taking up positions in the party from the wards up to the level of the Regions. Our advice now is for people to go into the field and prepare for elections at the various levels; the National Executive, at the level of the Municipals and the Parliament.

As a person with a National image considering your presence in Parliament what message do you have for Cameroonians?  

  

I call on SDF Militants and Cameroonians in general to join us in this fight against a regime in place that has run short of ideas on how to run the country. They are bankrupt of ideas on the way forward for the solution to the problems of the country. To participate in the political life of the country SDF militants and Cameroonians in general simply have to register massively and vote when the time comes so that we can increase our representation and why not a majority in Parliament. Our orientation as Social Democrats is putting the people first. The problems of the people include the present Anglophone Crises, the lawyers and teachers problems, and infrastructural problems that we have all over the country, general poverty among many other problems plaguing the people. 

What was your political vision when you decided to step into politics?

What generally inspired me was the fact that Cameroonians were being misused by the regime. The basic necessities of life were not being given to the Cameroonian people. Problems like the lack of roads, no assistance to farmers, very epileptic water and electricity supply, very expensive telecommunication services, security of Cameroonians especially the young ones have been completely ignored. The people as such have been left without a sense of direction to the extent that the government has actually turned a blind eye to the barbaric activities of sects like Boko Haram. When I looked at the political landscape I felt that SDF was the best platform for these problems to be solved and in good time. After 21 years of decentralization in Cameroon nothing has happened. Biya’s regime reacts to and doesn’t anticipate problems. After more than 50 years of independence, problems are coming up despite the fact that these problems were staring at them in the face all the time. When we told them in Parliament that the law on terrorism could turn everybody into a terrorist they went ahead and passed it and now they are using it to stifle political discussions in the country. We have been so abused that radicalism is stepping in and we’ve got to step in and de-radicalise the situation. Let us focus on building the State in a way that everybody will belong. We should build a Cameroon in which everybody belongs. 

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Professor Peter Fonche:

 The seasoned lecturer and Educationist.

Professor Peter Fonche emerged with a Doctorate Degree in Education after a rich educational itinerary that took him through the Universities of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lagos in Nigeria. He began his teaching career as an Assistant Lecturer at   the Higher Teacher Training College ENS Yaounde from 1974 to 1975.

He later returned to the familiar environment at the University of Kinshasa where he had earlier studied and worked as an Assistant Lecturer from 1975 to 1978. After this, he returned to Higher ENS Yaounde where he worked from 1978 to 1983. His next stop was at ENS Ecole Normale Superieur Bambili Campus from 1983 to 2003. From 2000 to 2012 he worked as Head of Department of Education and functioned as Associate professor from 2003.

During the period from 2003 to 2013, he worked as the Lay Private Education Secretary for the Northwest Region and contributed enormously towards improving upon the organisation of the sector in the Region. It should be recalled that the Northwest Region has one of the greatest number of lay private institutions that are found in any Region in the country and contributes about 50% of the number of candidates who succeed at the Cameroon General Certificate of Education annually.

The next important thing he did to enrich humanity was the creation of FONAB Polytechnic and Colleges in 1997. The FONAB Educational Foundation which he founded is made up of FONAB Polytechnic, FONAB High School Bamenda, FONAB High School Kedjom Keku and FONAB Mechanical Engineering Workshop.

This nation builder in the domain of education has received National Honours thus acknowledging the fact that the Government of the Republic of Cameroon through the award of these awards recognised what he had been doing. He has received the Cameroon Knight of the Order of Merit as well as the Press Innovation Award to Sustainable Development in 2016.

Professor Peter is still a very active person participating in the running of his establishments and still imparting knowledge to Cameroonians and Africans at large. This widely traveled Cameroonian professor who is settled in Bamenda in the Northwest Region of Cameroon remains an educational gem to be sourced from.

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Nkwenti Ngwei Sylvia:

Seasoned arts and culture promoter now set to preserve and promote culture in Ngoketunjia.

Nkwenty Ngwei Sylvia seen here with Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi: Cameroon Minister of Arts and Cultur, Governor Adolfe Lele L'Afrique of the Northwest Region as well as the Senior Divisional Officer for Ngoketunjia Division

Madame Nkwenti Ngwei Sylvia; a seasoned arts and culture promoter has disclosed that she is now set to preserve and promote culture in Ngoketunjia Division. She made this declaration recently in her first contact with the media following her installation as the first ever Divisional Delegate of Arts and Culture in this Division. Sylvia is holder of a Masters Degree In Human Rights from the University of Dschang. She has equally had an opportunity to have a scholarship from the World Intellectual Property Organisation where she studied Authors Rights in France. She also had a scholarship with the Chinese Government to study the Economy and Culture of the Chinese People at the University of Nangchang.

Nkwenty Ngwei Sylvia

Back in Cameroon she made her debut with the Ministry of Arts and Culyure in 2009 as the Chargee d’etudes No. 2 of the follow up unit at the ministry in 2013 and later in 2014 she was appointed the Chargee D’etudes No. 1 of the Follow up unit.

Besides this Nkwenty Sylvia has been the Raporteur of CPMC a National Permanent Commission that takes care of the control of authors rights in Cameroon. She also occupied this position as raporteur for the Standardisation Commission to revive the Law on authors rights.

She eventually became the Representative of the Ministry of Arts and Culture in the Board of Directors of Heritage and Arts Foundation.

“Being the first Divisional Delegate of Arts and Culture in Ngoketunjia Division and the only Female Divisional Delegate in the Northwest Region, I really wish to do things differently with all the experience I have gathered. Ngoketunjia has a very rich culture and I don’t just want to get into work without getting to the people so my first plan of action is trying to meet the Fon of each village and talk to them about the importance of preserving and selling our culture. I equally intend to show them the need to collaborate with the Ministry in their efforts to preserve their Identity.”

Commenting on her first impressions on arrival in the Division which is found in the Upper Noun Valley, Nkwenty Ngwei Sylvia said the place was full of talented artists. When she made her first call for artists in the Division a good number of talented ones turned up she explained. “They came in their numbers for registration and in the different categories of authors rights. That aside, the people of Ngoketunjia are very welcoming and are ready to listen and collaborate and help me in any way that they can to realise my ambitions. My first impressions are very positive.”

The maiden Divisional Delegate said she was very optimistic because she has all the tools that she needed to realise her dreams in Ngoketunjia. She already had an a fore taste of the culture of the Division during her participation at the Bambalang Cultural Festival and the Nikai Cultural Festival of the Babungo Fondom during which she did not fail to notice the rich culture of the Division. “I saw how the people are so attached to their culture and as an opportunity to collaborate with them in the preservation of that culture and promoting it for international consumption and as a tool for social and National Integration.”

“I call on all the artists in the Division and all stakeholders to know that we now have an office in Ndop and that we are now open to work with them. They should come on board so that we create a united force to forge ahead in our quest to preserve and promote arts and culture in Ngoketunjia in particular and Cameroon in general.”  

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