By Sah Terence Animbom
In a bid to instill the principles and core values of the Commonwealth in youths of the North West region, the Minister Delegate in the Ministry Of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth Minister Mbayu Felix organized a popularization campaign on July 27, 2018. He used the occasion to invite youths of the North West to imbibe the values of the Commonwealth so as to reap benefits from the system.
The event brought together close to 1000 youths involved in civil sector activities as well as businesses from all over the North West Region.
Also attended by the governor of the North West region and some top administrative officials, the campaign dwelled on the theme “Unity in Diversity: Inspiring Cameroonian youth through the Commonwealth Core Values and Principles of Respect for the Rule of Law, Tolerance, Mutual Respect and understanding”.
The minister in his address acknowledged the timely nature of the popularization campaign as it is coming at a time when the country is facing serious socio political challenges with the youths being at the forefront of events. Relating to the crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, Minister Mbayu Felix called on the youths present to be tolerant and cultivate the habit of Mutual understanding as the government seeks solutions to the mounting socio political challenges.
Chongwain Christelle Bay, a youth leader in an address on behalf of her peers pointed to the numerous socio-economic challenges plaguing the youths of today’s Cameroonian society especially those of the North West and South West regions of the country. She pointed to the increase rate in school drop outs, rising unemployment with more than 10,000 jobs lost as a result of the Anglophone crisis with the youths being the most affected as well as many health challenges facing the youths.
She therefore used the forum to appeal to government to include more youths in development activities and decision making and to create a more enabling environment for youths to emerge.
While acknowledging the contribution of the Commonwealth in the creation of work spaces between youths and governments in order to promote peaceful cohesion, she enjoined the youths who came from all over the North West region to be peace loving and embrace development through the principles and core values of The Commonwealth.
Activities during the day continued with a working session with youths during which they were schooled on core values 4 and 7 of the Commonwealth, that of Tolerance, mutual respect and understanding and of Respect for the rule of law.
Participants went home with certificates of participation and a rich reservoir of knowledge on the Commonwealth core values.