Biya’s Promise to Corruption

Ngufack Ntemgwa

January 23, 2023

President Paul Biya’s promise to fight corruption has not yet resulted in any beneficial changes. He has repeatedly committed to fight corruption, which continues to hinder socioeconomic growth with little success. Those who brazenly display their illegitimate money with impunity and provocation run the risk of unintentionally escalating the already oppressive expense of life.

In his end-of-year speech to the nation on December 31, 2022, Biya said: “Last year, in similar circumstances, I talked about the need to strengthen governance in the management of public affairs and to control government spending. Rest assured that this concern is constant and unwavering. I also want to reiterate that those who are illicitly amassing wealth by plundering the State, at whatever level, will be brought to book”.

The construction of the Olembe Sports Complex is one of his regime’s most remarkable corruption scandals, having global implications. There was a media circus at every single step of building.

Members of Parliament raise concerns

Disgruntled members of the parliament urge the president to call to book those who have alleged embezzled.

Hon Jean- Michel Nintcheu has raised up other issues of mismanagement of funds with the finalisation of sports facilities. There isn’t anyone/people taking accountability for the mismanagement of funds.

Hon. Nintcheu asserted that one of the involved ministers disseminated “false information” on the progress of construction at the Olembe Sports Complex. He emphatically demanded that the Head of State fire all ministers in charge of handling the money for the AFCON.

The outspoken MP claimed that the President of the Republic’s lapse in judgment about the incident will instead create the appearance that he is better knowledgeable about the project.

Hon. Cabra Libii took to his official Facebook page, urging the head of state to detain anybody suspected of diverting public monies to personal accounts. The MP called the events surrounding the sports complex the “most spectacular financial scandal” to have shaken the nation in the previous ten years.

“My God! What have we done to deserve this?” the opposition politician exclaimed while announcing a special live outing to denounce the scandal. “Let’s demand their arrest and register massively on the electoral lists. I will go into detail about the key moments that led to the wreckage we see today around the Olembe Sports Complex,” he told his followers. “The President of the Republic must crack down and we must clear out these prevaricators with our ballot. It is time…,” he added.

Figures In The Scandal

The construction of Olembe Sports Complex has been infested with scandals. First, the contract of 163 billion FCFA was awarded without an international tender to an Italian firm. The Italians were later sacked and replaced by the Canadians. While there was criticism that the amount was too high, compared to identical jobs that have been carried out in some African countries like Ivory Coast, for instance, Unity Palace asked for additional funding to complete the facility.

Despite criticism from some opposition leaders who said there was lack of transparency in the contract, two other loans were granted to complete the contract. Documents published by the National Sinking Fund CAA and available in the social media indicate that the first loan for 55.17 billion FCFA was from Standard Chartered Bank following an agreement signed on June 17, 2021.

The second loan of 6.3 billion FCFA was granted by CCA Bank on March 23, 2021, and disbursed the same month to complete the construction of the sports complex.

According to Business in Cameroon, the loans brought the total cost to a whopping 187 billion FCFA, which exceeded the project’s initial cost. In all, the complex is still not complete.