The Entrepreneur - Cameroon's Premier Economic & Business Journal

"Why Poor People Remain Poor": The need and relevance of an educational Network website in Cameroon

By Ajaga Nji

We answer the question "WHY POOR PEOPLE REMAIN POOR" by positing that the fundamental problem of poverty lies in illiteracy, ignorance, exclusion and insulation from science and technology. The basic premise of the paper is that limited access to education, denial of opportunity, low capacity levels in science, technology and engineering, the absence of political will and commitment are the main factors that contribute to keep poor people poor in Cameroon in particular and the CEMAC region in general. In spite of the rich endowments in natural resources, biodiversity, and culture, the North-West Province is not capturing its fare share of the national cake because of limited access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This is compounded by low participation of the private sector in the generation, development, dissemination and utilization of knowledge. The design and launch of an educational network will contribute to market the North-West Province and put the Province in an advantaged position to increase its scientific power and technological capacity in an era of rapid globalization and social change.

Cameroon, Gabon take steps to fight food cost shock

By Tansa Musa

Cameroon launched an emergency plan to raise food production on Friday, April 25, 2008 and neighbouring Gabon suspended import taxes on foodstuffs as West African states rushed to counter price surges that have triggered protests. The two oil producers were the latest countries in the world's poorest continent to introduce measures to offset soaring global prices for foodstuffs and fuel which aid experts say threaten to push 100 million people worldwide into hunger.

Cameroon Commemorates World Malaria Day

By Akere Maimo (Communication & Information Assistant,
Cameroon Coalition Against Malaria, CCAM)

Friday, 25 April 2008 all roads led to Nanga Eboko, the headquarters of the Upper Sanaga Division of the Centre Province. To preside over the ceremony was the Minister of Public Health, flanked by the WHO representative alongside government officials, dignitaries, notables, partner organisations and a host of onlookers. The centre of gravity was the official launch of the campaign to distribute insecticide treated mosquito nets to well over 500,000 households in the Centre and North West. The second lap of this exercise will extend to the West, the Littoral and the rest of the country.

NEPAD e-Schools praised as the key to bridging the digital divide in Africa

South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka receives a gift from Dr. Henry Chasia, Executive Deputy Chairperson of the NEPAD e-Africa Commission.

The NEPAD e-Schools Initiative is the key to bridging the digital divide and ensuring socio-economic development of African countries, said the Deputy President of South Africa, Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, when she opened the NEPAD e-Schools stakeholders conference, held in Johannesburg from 15-18 April 2008. The conference, which was aimed at discussing NEPAD e-Schools progress and the business plan, was attended by South Africa's Minister of Communication Dr. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, the Minister of Education Naledi Pandor, and the Minister of Education of Gabon, Michel Menge, as well as permanent secretaries and directors-general from 17 African countries, other government officials, private sector companies, teachers and learners.

African states move to fight food price shock

By Tansa Musa

Two West African states took action on Friday to counter food price surges that have triggered protests in the region and caused what U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called a "global crisis". Cameroon and Gabon were the latest countries in the world's poorest continent to introduce measures to offset soaring global prices for foodstuffs and fuel which aid experts say threaten to push 100 million people worldwide into hunger.

African Monetary Fund : Cameroon Signs Memorandum of Understanding

Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni yesterday held separate discussions with an African Union delegation and some Koreans. A three-member delegation from the Economic Commission of the African Union yesterday, 24 April had discussions with Cameroon’s Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni “to negotiate with the Cameroon authorities a Memorandum of Understanding on the setting up of the Technical Steering Committee that will oversee the establishment of the African Monetary Fund”. The leader of the delegation, the Economic Commissioner at the African Union, Dr Maxwell M. Mkwezalamba said after the discussions. He further told journalists that the Memorandum of Understanding had to be signed yesterday evening.

Salaires revalorisés de la fonction publique : parole tenue

Par Abui Mama
Annoncée mercredi dernier par le Ministre des Finances en personne, la bonne nouvelle est tout sauf anecdotique : depuis ce matin – et ce n’est pas trahir un grand secret que de le relever -, fonctionnaires et autres agents de l’Etat font sagement la queue pour passer à la caisse ; tous quelque peu frileux d’en savoir plus sur l’effectivité et la consistance des augmentations de salaire décidées par le chef de l’Etat.

La couleur d'Obama

Par Philippe Gélie

On avait cru que Bill Clinton avait dit une bêtise. Fin janvier, il s'était fait taper sur les doigts pour avoir ravalé la victoire de Barack Obama en Caroline du Sud à celle d'un Noir dans un Etat dominé par les Noirs. Les analystes s'inquiétaient : cela allait coûter à Hillary Clinton le soutien de cette population jusque-là acquise à l'ancien président, et qui avait encore des doutes sur l'éligibilité d'Obama. Certains leaders de la communauté se demandaient même s'il était «assez noir».

WHO Conference Attendees Wrongheaded In Their Support for Pharmaceutical Patent Busting

For Developing Countries without Healthcare Infrastructure, Free Drugs Are Largely Useless

Many of the delegates attending the World Health Organization’s public health conference in Geneva next week have expressed their support for compulsory licenses, which allow governments in the developing world to break pharmaceutical patents and produce generic knockoffs domestically. This support is misguided. Compulsory licenses won’t increase access to life-saving treatments, and, if widely used, will actually undermine pharmaceutical innovation.

Des pétroliers chez le Premier Ministre Ephraim Inoni

Par Isabelle Essono

Le Chef Du Gouvernement, Ephraim Inoni, a reçu le 22 avril 2008 Le Président du Conseil d’Administration de EUROIL Chief TABETANDO et de hauts responsables de la compagnie EUROIL LIMITED. C'est une entreprise engagée dans la recherche et l’exploitation du pétrole et du gaz naturel au Cameroun depuis quelques années.