“We Must Never Forget That Cameroon Is One And Indivisible”

Speech by the Prime Minister, Head of Government Philemon YANG, on the occasion of the rally of the CPDM under the Chairmanship of the Secretary General of the Central Committee of the CPDM in Bamenda on 8 December 2016.

“Your Excellency,
The Secretary General of the Central Committee of the CPDM;
Members of the Political Bureau;
Members of the Central Committee;
Members of Government;
His Excellency the Governor of the North West Region;
Members of the Permanent Regional and Divisional Delegations of the Central Committee of the CPDM;
Senators and Members of the National Assembly;
My Dear Sisters and Brothers of the South West and North West Regions;
Government Delegate of Bamenda;
Lord Mayors;
Their Royal Highnesses, the Fons of the North West Region;
Traditional and Religious Authorities;
Dear Militants of the CPDM;
Ladies and gentlemen, My Dear friends,

We are exceedingly glad to be in Bamenda. Bamenda is a city of peace. Bamenda should always be a city of peace.
We thank all of you for attending this rally, which is presided over by His Excellency the Secretary General of the Central Committee. The CPDM is a Party of Peace, Social dialogue, education and development. We must Never forget that Cameroon is one and indivisible. We need peace in every town, every region and in the whole Cameroon. Violence is not good for any city, region or country.

Why are we here today?

We bring special greetings to all school children, all parents and all school teachers.
Our message is short and simple.
Firstly, dear mothers and fathers, it is important that all our children go back to school to continue to study and prepare themselves for the future of Cameroon. Our country believes in peace education and development.
Secondly, our children have been out of school for three weeks. That is not a good thing. We must stop that.
Thirdly, the ongoing teachers’ strike is jeopardising the future of all our children. If the teachers’ strike continues, it will make it very difficult for the children of the South-West and North-West Regions to pass brilliantly the examinations at the end of the year. A teachers’ strike is never a good thing for school children. Our children have the God-given right to go to school and learn every day. Let us show love for all our children by letting them go back to school. Our children are the only future we have. We must have our children properly educated.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What has happened in the recent past?
Recently, some lawyers and teachers made complaints and expressed serious grievances.
President Paul BIYA has listened carefully to the complaints and grievances expressed by some lawyers and teachers.
The President of the Republic has adequately addressed some of the grievances of the teachers and lawyers. Constructive dialogue is the only path to peace and social justice. All over the world, human beings dialogue and speak to each other, in order to find solutions to social problems.
Firstly, many complaints made by lawyers are complex and need careful analysis. There is, therefore, a need for serious discussion with the lawyers. The Head of State has directed that all those complex issues will soon be addressed properly at a Forum for stakeholders of the Justice Sector. That Forum is the proper place for the examination of the lawyers’ complex grievances.
Secondly, the English version of the OHADA Uniform Act is now available. The absence of that English version was one of the grievances of the lawyers. Our Head of State keeps his promises all the time.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Constructive dialogue is needed when serious complaints have been expressed.
We are proud to say that constructive dialogue has been established between the government, the teachers and the lawyers. The teachers’ grievances have been taken seriously.
Firstly, the complaints and grievances of the teachers will be addressed properly by an Inter- Ministerial Ad Hoc Committee, which is already created. This Committee will carefully examine all the grievances of the teachers.
Secondly, President Paul BIYA has already allocated a special subsidy of 2,000,000,000 (two billion) francs for lay private and denominational schools. Proprietors of private and denominational schools continue to be the faithful partners of our government.
Thirdly, President Paul BIYA has also ordered the special recruitment of 1,000 (one thousand) bilingual technical school teachers to address the shortage of teachers in Anglophone Technical Schools and Colleges. This special recruitment is absolutely good...