BE SERIOUS ABOUT CORRUPTION IN CAMEROON

The government of Cameroon appears recently, as it may have been before, to be taking the issue of wide spreading corruption seriously! Some high ranking officials alleged to have embezzled public funds continue to be arrested. But their numbers are reported insignificant. What they swindled is also far from being recovered. The public continues at a loss, especially with the knowledge that those under arrest may never be fairly tried and could one day join the many other alleged embezzlers reported free to swim with their associates in the apparent ill-gotten wealth.

To some, the government anti-corruption actions are simply designed to soothe apparent public anger, in view of the unrelenting poverty in the country, and in the process, evade serious continuing scrutiny. Others believe the government is responding to ‘mounting’ international community pressure to ‘do something’ about ‘curbing’ corruption in Cameroon.

Indeed, there is a committee in the capital city, Yaounde, made up of donor nations/organisations represented by their ambassadors or resident missionaries who press for such actions. But their influence on the government has been so-so in view of the government’s considerable income from oil and other revenues. Another international community category that could come under the government’s other revenue sources sector is international financial institutions including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Government relations with these sources have been rocky but profitable to both sides since Cameroon’s political economy crisis started in 1986/87. So many believe the government and financial institutions are at it again to reach another deal, now called ‘completion point’, to get the government more loans and/or debt cancellations.

In the end, it is widely held that corruption would not even be dented. And many in prominent positions at all state and society levels wonder how it should ever be! Why should they be prevented from rubbing the public as others do or have done and are out there, or soon will be, enjoying their harvests? So, notwithstanding government anti-corruption efforts, corruption in Cameroon seems to be business as usual, as many seem to be saying to whoever, “think and do what you may to combat corruption, but we will not co-operate with you to end the practice”!

Press statements of a former minister, Garga Haman, on ongoing corruption within government in Cameroon are telling. He was in charge of a Disciplinary Council for Budget and Accountability commission at State Control, where he identified but was unable to prosecute several (at least 42) public fund embezzlement cases involving one (1) billion or more CFA francs. He claims to have informed President Paul Biya about his findings, but got no go ahead with prosecutions from him even as, he says, the President didn’t refuse to have the people tried. Did he need the President’s endorsement to prosecute? Is the President the law in Cameroon?

Five issues, which government anti-corruption efforts are yet to deal adequately with, standout clearly: (1) The definition of corruption in Cameroon; (2) The scope and thoroughness of investigations of alleged corruption; (3) Free and fair trails for those accused of corruption; (4) Recovery of stolen public funds; and, (5) How the recovered funds are put to use.