The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cameroon

  • Russia 2017: Semi-final hopes in jeopardy as Australia, Cameroon draw 1-1

    Russia 2017: Semi-final hopes in jeopardy as Australia, Cameroon draw 1-1

    Australia fought back to draw 1-1 with Cameroon in the FIFA Confederations Cup on Thursday, a result which further dented both teams’ hopes of progressing in the tournament in Russia.

    Andre Anguissa put Cameroon ahead with the last touch of the first half, but a Mark Milligan penalty kick on the hour mark ensured a first point for both in Group B.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Australia will play Chile in Moscow on Sunday and Cameroon will face Germany at the same time in Sochi in their final group games.

    Yet the chances of both the African and Asian champions finishing in the top two and progressing to the semi-finals at the eight-team tournament look slim.

    Germany and Chile, who faced each other later on Thursday, both have three points.

    Australia and Cameroon were meeting for the first time and traded free kicks in the opening 20 minutes but it took until the 37th minute for either to create an opening.

    Australia goalkeeper Matt Ryan was called into action after a smart one-two between Cameroon captain Benjamin Moukandjo and striker Vincent Aboubakar allowed the former to fire at goal.

    The African champions ended the first half with a succession of corner kicks and then opened the scoring with the last kick before the break.

    A long ball out of defence bounced over Aboubakar but Zambo Anguissa’s deft touch steered it past the on-rushing Ryan.

    The Olympique de Marseille midfielder, who spurned a call-up to play for Cameroon when they won the African Nations Cup in Gabon at the start of the year, missed out on a second in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

    Australia levelled on the hour mark when Ernest Mabouka brought down Alex Gersbach to concede a penalty kick, after Serbian referee Milorad Mazic consulted the Video Assistant.

    Stand-in skipper Milligan stepped up and converted from the penalty kick spot.

    Mabouka sought to make amends with a strong run down the right in the 65th minute before he teed up Aboubakar right in front of goal, but the burly striker lifted the ball over the crossbar.

    Aboubakar then headed over from a similar position with 12 minutes remaining.

    After the match, Cameroon coach Hugo Broos said it was unfortunate that striker Aboubakar had an off-day.

    “This is the life of a front player, sometimes you score with your eyes closed and sometimes you miss chances you can’t afford to miss,” the coach told reporters.

    “Today was a bit unlucky for him… that can happen. It’s a pity for us that it happened today.

    “The chances were there but we didn’t score, and then you don’t win the game

  • ECOWAS to set up solidarity fund to rebuild North East

    ECOWAS to set up solidarity fund to rebuild North East

     

    Mr. Edward Singhatey, the Vice President, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission says that plans are on-going to establish a solidarity Fund for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North-East.

    Singhatey made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during the celebration of the 2017 World Refugee Day with the theme “We stand together with refugees and IDPs”.

    He said the Solidarity Fund was in compliance with the decision of the Mediation and Security Council to support the Federal Government’s Plan for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of North-East Nigeria.

    He said that the humanitarian crises in the insurgency affected states of the North-East was enormous, adding that it was constantly being assessed by the ECOWAS Commission.

    Singhatey said that the dire situation in the North-East deserved special attention, adding that it had necessitated the international community and ECOWAS Commission to engage in several interventions.

    He said that the ECOWAS Commission, working with partners had donated one million dollars’ worth of food items to support the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 300,000 dollars for Nigerian refugees in Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

    The ECOWAS Commission vice president said that it also donated 400,000 dollars for the support of affected communities in the North-East.

    According to him, a recent statistics by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates over 65 million out of the eight billion worldwide population are refugees, asylum seekers and IDPs.

    Singhatey said that the African region represents about 30 per cent of the total number of refugees worldwide with a record of 180 million refugees as at 2016.

    He said that in West Africa, displacement and sufferings were caused by conflicts and other natural and human made causes.

    Singhatey said that failing to address the situation of refugees and other persons of concern amount to inviting adverse consequences for the environment.

    He said that the Commission’s Department of Social Affairs and Gender leads the humanitarian works with the goal of a borderless, prosperous and cohesive region with the capacity to effectively prevent and mitigate conflicts.

    He said the goal was also to limit the impact of conflicts and disasters on citizens and residents with a view to achieving human centered development.

    Singhatey said that the commission would continue to support the efforts of the Nigerian Government in assisting refugees, IDPs and other persons of concern.

    Also speaking, Mr. Jose-Antonio Canhandula, UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS tasked Nigeria to join the new approach, which he said was the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework.

    He said that the framework was already being piloted by other African countries, including development actors and private sector in Chad, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda.

    Canhandula, however, said that UNHCR was working with various partners to foster the protection of refugees and IDPs, to collectively seek ways to increase support to the government in assisting people.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the occasion was attended by Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.

    Others present were Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, humanitarian actors and the refugees and IDPs who displayed the wares they made from various skills acquisition programmes.

  • Confederations Cup: Late goals hand Chile 2-0 win over Cameroon

    Confederations Cup: Late goals hand Chile 2-0 win over Cameroon

    Alexis Sanchez came on as a second half substitute to inspire Chile to a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in their opening FIFA Confederations Cup outing on Sunday.

    But he had to share the spotlight with the video assistant referee as the game’s on-field officials had to get a helping hand from their off-field colleagues.

    Sanchez provided the cross for Arturo Vidal to head home their 81st minute opener and he inspired the second goal as well.

    He beat the offside trap, only to fail to score, but Eduardo Vargas was on hand to put the ball into the net in the dying seconds.

    The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) also made an impact as Chile were denied a legitimate looking goal on the stroke of halftime.

    Technology was used again at the end of the match to overturn a linesman’s offside call.

    Vargas had the ball in the net as the match moved into stoppage time at the end of the first half.

    He deftly lifted it over the onrushing Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa after being expertly fed by a defence-splitting pass from Vidal.

    Slovenian referee Damir Skomina initially awarded it but then, more than a minute later, he suddenly reversed the decision on the advice of the VAR, Clement Turpin of France.

    Vargas looked to be millimetres ahead of the last man in a tight call that was hotly contested by the angry Chileans as they headed down the tunnel for the interval.

    But Vargas was on the right side of technology for Chile’s second as Sanchez sprung the offside trap from just inside the Cameroon half.

    The Arsenal forward rounded the goalkeeper, only to have his own effort blocked, but Vargas followed up the rebound only to see the linesman’s flag shoot up.

    But a quick check with the VAR found both Chilean players had been onside and the decision was reversed to confirm a two-goal winning margin

    There was no dispute about Vidal’s goal as he rose above two defenders to power home the ball.

    Sanchez, who had been ruled out of the starting line-up through injury but came in early in the second half, provided the perfect assist.

    The African champions came closest when captain Benjamin Moukandjo hit narrowly wide with a shot from the edge of the penalty area midway through the second half.

  • Cameroonian soldiers block highway, demand salary payment

    No fewer than fifty armed Cameroonian soldiers demanding unpaid salaries briefly blocked off a major highway in the north of Cameroon on Sunday morning, an army source and the government said.

    The soldiers, who were at the end of a tour near the border with Chad in Cameroon’s Far North region, demanded two years’ worth of salaries and expenses that they said they were owed.

    “Soldiers from the air force…took up arms against the advice of their military hierarchy and blocked national route 1 after dismantling their posts at the frontier,” said an army source in the regional capital of Maroua.

    The source said soldiers returned to barracks later on Sunday after discussions took place with army generals, said the army source.

    It was not clear how much money the soldiers demanded.

    Soldiers in northern Cameroon operate in one of the region’s most dangerous areas.

    Suicide attacks carried out by Boko Haram have become less frequent this year due to military successes against the militants, the threat remains.

    Boko Haram killed nine soldiers in Chad last month.

    A government spokesman declined to comment on the amount of the salaries or if they will be paid. He said that negotiations with the soldiers will be led by the Defence Minister, who is currently out of the country.

    “The agitation has been quickly curbed and calm reigns,” he said. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Cameroonian Navy ship visits Calabar to strengthen maritime relations

    A Cameroonian Navy Ship, CNS Le Ntem, has visited the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy in Calabar  to strengthen maritime relationship between the two navies.

    The ship arrived the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory (NNS-Victory) jetty in Calabar on Thursday.

    Briefing newsmen in Calabar, Rear Adm. James Oluwole, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, said the ship was on a friendly visit to Calabar to strengthen maritime relations.

    According to him, the ship represented the Government of Cameroon in Nigeria, adding that both navies had enjoyed cordial working relationship along the maritime coast over the years.

    The FOC said that the Nigerian Navy, which was saddled with the responsibility of safe-guarding the maritime domain, would not relent in fostering cordial working relationship between both navies.

    “I want to specially salute the efforts of the Cameroonian navy for embarking on this journey with the aim of fostering cordial working relationship.

    “I am seeing this visit as a sign that we want to work together. Over the years, the naval interaction between both navies has improved greatly.

    “Looking at your vessel and the visit, I am very confident that the collaboration will checkmate maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.

    “I can assure you that the Nigerian and Cameroonian Navy will continue to work together to ensure that we deliver on our different roles’’, Oluwole  said.

    Responding, Commanding Officer of CNS Le Ntem, Capt. Mekinda Betrand, said that the friendly visit was to strengthen the maritime relationship between both navies.

    Betrand expressed satisfaction with the operational method of the Nigerian Navy, saying that the Cameroonian navy was happy to have a cordial maritime relationship with their Nigerian counterpart.

    The Cameroonian Counsel in Nigeria, Mr Michel Atamdana, thanked the FOC for the  warm reception of their vessel into Nigeria.

    NAN reports that both navies were thrilled to a cocktail party on Saturday night to celebrate the `National Day of Cameroon’  observed on May 20 every year.

  • CBL: Eko Kings thrash Yaounde Giants as competition heads to Cameroon

    CBL: Eko Kings thrash Yaounde Giants as competition heads to Cameroon

    The Eko Kings Basketball Club of Lagos on Sunday defeated Yaounde Giants of Cameroon 83-76 to remain unbeaten in four games in the ongoing Continental Basketball League tagged “The May Madness’’.

    The Lagos Warriors also in a spectacular performance, finally picked their first and all important win against Libreville Izobe Dragons of Garbon 77-64 out of the four games played.

    The competition began on May 12 with six teams (three from Lagos against three others from the West African region) in celebration of Lagos State at 50.

    Eko Kings led by veteran Coach, Ayo Bakare, who is a former Nigeria’s national men’s team, D’Tigers, mesmerized fans with astonishing skills and top-notch team work to prove their superiority over other teams.

    Bakare told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the match that hard work and good team coordination was the key to their success.

    “We have great team that work hard on the ball, they play for each other and play with so much strength of mind to win every match they play.

    “We look forward to the next challenge which comes up Yaounde, Cameroon, where the competition is expected to be heated up,’’ Bakare said.

    Tom Bush-Wamukota, a Kenya international with the Eko, said that it was a spirited performance from the team.

    “We played well as a team, there was good team chemistry on and off the court and most importantly, there was good leadership from the coaching crew.

    “We got it together and just went out there on the court to prove ourselves and dominate ball play with great defensive and offensive play,’’ Wamukota said.

    Souleyman Pepouna-Munyutu, the Head Coach of the Yaounde team, said that his players did well but the opposing team was superior.

    He added that the game would be different in Yaounde as the team would look to avenge their defeat in the hands of the Lagos team.

    “We came to Lagos with the belief that we can beat other contenders going by the caliber of players we have in our team.

    “We head back to Cameroon with our heads up high and hopefully get the best results to the delight of our fans that will be cheering us to victory.

    “The Lagos experience has been worthwhile, it has set us up for the level of ball play and seriousness to attach to each game we play in home soil,’’ Pepouna-Munyutu said.

  • Ndidi’s award excites Amiesimaka

    Ndidi’s award excites Amiesimaka

    Ex-Green Eagles Winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka, says recent young player award bestowed on Wilfred Ndidi by English Premiership Club, Leicester, is a big plus for Nigerian football.

    Ndidi, 20, a Super Eagles midfielder and former Nigerian youth international, joined the EPL side from Genk FC of Belgium.

    Amiesimaka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the award by the former league champions showed that Ndidi was a top quality player.

    “For him to be given such an award by Leicester who won the Premier League only last season is obviously a plus.

    “It means he is a top quality player and its impact on us here is good, by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the national team,’’ he said.

    Amiesimaka, former Chairman, Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, said the award was also an indication that Nigerian football had a quality player in one of the best organised leagues in the world.

    “Even more importantly is what we’ll do with that plus, how do we make the most of that in the national team and how will it benefit us?’’ he said.

    He said that the derivation of the award should be translated to his optimal use in the national team to achieve good results in major national and international matches.

    Amiesimaka said that the welfare of Ndidi and other members of the national team should be a priority to excel in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

    NAN reports that Ndidi started his career playing for the Lagos-based Nath Boys Academy in the Lagos Junior League (J-League) and won numerous accolades.

    He then played as a central defender for Nigeria’s youth team, the Golden Eaglets in 2013 for the African U-17 Championship.

    He later played for the Manu Garba U-20 youth team of Nigeria that played in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

    Ndidi was called up to the Senior Nigeria team, the Super Eagles, on Oct. 8, 2015, making his debut in the friendly game against DR Congo.

    He also played again a few days later in the 3-0 win against Cameroon, when he replaced Mikel Obi in the 63rd minutes.

    He was selected by Nigeria for their 35-man provisional squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

     

  • BAKU GAMES: Cameroon coach faints during Morocco Match

    Cameroon football head coach Richard Towa was taken to a Baku hospital after fainting on Thursday during the match against Morocco in the Islamic Solidarity Games, said team doctor Tamo Moktamo.

    The Indomitable Lions coach was seen celebrating Frantz Pangop Tchidjui’s 31st-minute goal before fainting and “being taken into the stadium’s infirmary where he had to be reanimated and was then taken to the hospital in Baku”, explained Dr Moktamo.

    “He was admitted around 6:00 PM local time and was treated at the cardiology department. He’s stabilised now and is doing fairly well,” he added.

    The fainting was “most likely” due to a “hypertensive crisis” which caused an violent headache as well as brain disruptions.

    “It’s difficult to say, at this moment, what happened exactly but the coach had an MRI scan, an electrocardiogram, an X-ray of his heart after he got worse in the stadium’s infirmary, he had to be reanimated for quite a while,” said Dr Moktamo.

    Cameroon drew 1-1 against Morocco, conceding a 95th-minute equaliser.

    With two points from two games in the Islamic Solidarity Games, the Lions have to beat Saudi Arabia in their final group match to have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals from Group A.

  • FIFA World Rankings: Nigeria remains 40th

    FIFA World Rankings: Nigeria remains 40th

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles have remained on the 40th spot with 726 points in the May FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday.

    According to the rankings table on the website of the world football governing body, Nigeria remained unmoved from the spot it occupied in the April rankings.

    The position has also left Nigeria on the 5th spot in the continent behind Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon and Burkina Faso respectively.

    The Super Eagles Media officer, Toyin Ibitoye, reacting to the rankings said it was a reflection of what happened in the month under review.

    “The ranking have come again and the Super Eagles were ranked 40th in the World and 5th in Africa, the same position we were as at the last ranking.

    “I think it is nothing to worry about. In the month reviewed, nothing happened and there were no friendly games and no official games.

    “The new FIFA ranking is a reflection of what happened during the month, but we will continue to do what we are doing to work and prepare the team.

    “We are ready for the challenges coming up. Next month will be very busy for us; we will be going to camp for training.

    Ibitoye said that the Eagles would concentrate more on the task ahead which were qualifiers for the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    “We will concentrate on preparing for the crucial game against Bafana Bafana of South Africa. This will be the qualifiers towards the 2018 Nations Cup.

    “But last month’s assessment by FIFA is justifiable because it has been a quiet month for the teams in international front,’’ he said.

    On the global scene, it was a quiet month on the international front with only seven games played.

    The top 20 places remained static following April, with a one-place drop for Slovakia (24) into accounting for the only movement inside the leading 73 nations.

    Bolivia (73, plus 1) brought about that small ripple of motion, but outside the top 100 there were some notable changes.

    A pair of wins for Madagascar (111, plus 9) over Malawi (114, minus 14) saw them claim the titles of the month’s biggest movers up and down the table respectively.

    Also, South Sudan (146, plus 8) is not far behind after similarly twice seeing off Somalia (206, unchanged).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on June 1, 2017. (

     

  • Cameroon doctors’ strike leaves patients without critical care

    Cameroon doctors’ strike leaves patients without critical care

    A doctors’ strike in Cameroon left patients without critical care in the capital Yaoude, the latest in a string of union actions that have crippled a country in the midst of political crisis.

    The doctors union,  known as SYMEC, demanded better working conditions and pay and left nurses to attend to sick

    Patients in some of Yaounde’s  major hospitals.

    The strike was not directly linked to other union action, but it adds to the turmoil in the central African

    country where protests have erupted since October in the Anglophone south, and northwest regions.

    Teachers and lawyers have been on strike for months to protest at what they say is their marginalisation by the French-speaking majority under President Paul Biya’s 35-year rule.

    In reaction, the government has shut down the internet in English-speaking areas.
    At Yaounde’s Central  Hospital, a witness said, patients angrily waited to be seen, clutching prescriptions and test results, but there were no doctors in sight.

    “My father had a motorcycle accident and must undergo surgery today.

    “`There are no surgeons, we are told that there is a strike, and the nurse told us that they only deal with the sick in-house or by appointment,” said Marianne Balla, who was waiting in the Central Hospital.

    The government said the strike was illegal as SYMEC is not a legally recognised union, a charge the union dismissed as untrue.

    It was not clear how well observed the strike was in other parts of the country.

    Some hospitals contacted by Reuters outside the capital said by telephone that they were operating normally.

    The strike comes at a critical time for Biya, who is under pressure to peacefully resolve a growing crisis.

    No fewer than six protesters have been shot dead and hundreds others arrested during the rare challenge to state authority ahead of a presidential election in 2018.

    In an apparent bid to stamp out online critics, the government has cut internet access in the two English-speaking regions for three months, hobbling business activity and prompting criticism from human rights groups and the UN.

    Still, with Biya looking to extend his long rule next year, some expect government crackdowns to continue.

    “With elections coming up in 2018, we can expect the situation to get much worse before it gets better,” said Jeffrey Smith from campaign group Vanguard Africa.