By DOH JAMES SONKEY & NOELA EBOB BISONG
The series of pre-dialogue consultations initiated by the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute enters final gear this week in prelude to the Major National Dialogue announced for September 30 to October 4, 2019 at the Yaounde Conference Centre. The dialogue is aimed at seeking lasting solutions to the socio-political crisis turned into armed conflict between separatists and Cameroon Defence Forces in the North West and South West regions.
The pre-dialogue consultations kick-started with the PM receiving members of government from the two Anglophone regions last week, has so far enabled Dion Ngute to collect suggestions from people from all walks of life in a move to give shape to the announced Major National Dialogue.
The wish to see that the best is made out of this event to quell tempers in the country has cut across consultations with officials of political parties, President of the National Communication Council, Parliamentarians, diplomats, religious and traditional authorities, trade unionists, businessmen and women, associations leaders, the media etc who each handed proposals to the Prime Minister at the end of their consultation.
Speaking to reporters at the Prime Minister’s office last week, the Secretary General of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM, Barrister Christopher Ndong said they handed an ultimatum to the PM, calling for the immediate release of their National President, Prof Maurice Kamto and all their arrested militants without which, they will not participate in the Major National Dialogue.
In a 400 paged proposals handed to the PM by a delegation of religious leaders from the North West and South West regions composed of the moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the Right Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, the Imams of Buea and Bamenda and heads of other churches and led by Christian Cardinal Tumi, the men of God declared their readiness to assume any role as demanded by the government to make the Major National Dialogue sincere and a solution to the country’s problems.
-Gov’t leaving no stone unturned
The government of Cameroon is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the major National dialogue announced by President Biya, last September 10, 2019. While already working with specific personalities and persons to get enough material on the table, the government has equally created a website in a bid to reach the general public and get their preoccupations directly. The site’s address www.nationaldialogue.cm made known through a press release signed on Thursday September 19, 2019 is aimed at facilitating the reception of contributions from those willing to partake in the major national dialogue to begin in the days ahead.
The press release, signed by the Director of cabinet, Balungeli Confiance Ebune indicates various means through which contributions can be sent directly to the Prime Minister’s office. It reads in part that “Persons unable to have access to web site may submit their written contributions directly at the Prime Minister’s office, door number D1(main entrance), in a sealed envelope marked major national dialogue or at the governors’ offices in regions, senior divisional offices, divisional offices and Cameroon diplomatic mission representations abroad.” According to the Press Release, the contributions will be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office which will then be received and noted. The imminent dialogue announced by President Biya last September 10, 2019 is slated to hold from September 30 to October 4, 2019, to address the country’s problems with priority the Anglophone crisis and find lasting solutions for peace to return to the one time serene nation.