Facing Our Challenges

It is said, and even believed that a diseased well diagnosed is half treated. What a truth in this life of challenges and the need to always face them in the search for solutions.
In his message to fellow Cameroonians to mark the end of the 2023, and beginning new year, 2024, President Paul Biya after sizing up what we have lived through during the past year, did not leave out the stumbling blocks of the past year and what we should embrace if the negative trends must be redressed.
“Over the past year which is drawing to an end, our country has been faced with numerous challenges”, the President regretted.
Fortunately, the year has ended and instead of crying over spilt milk, we now face the tasks of altering the retrograde trends that cost us much in spite of the efforts that were made at individual and collective levels to weather the storms.
While some, if not most of these socio-economic problems faced during the year can be attributed to our shortcomings which range from inertia to destruction of lives and property, some of the misharps were caused by external forces that affected not only Cameroon, but also other nations of the world. The Russian – Ukrainian war for example, affected and still continues to disrupt the supply of consumer goods on the world market.
And as if that were not enough, the Israeli – Palestinian conflict attained a disturbing dimension resulting in the deaths of thousands, destruction of property and worsening of rifts within the international community. Those who have followed debates at the U.N concerning the apparently endless conflict and deadly effects know what a challenge, our global village faces in the search for peace.
But while seeking at international level what is needed to ensure, peace, cooperation and development, we must consider seriously what robs us of this peace and cooperation direly needed for development.
After appreciating the laudable efforts that were made to combat the covid-19 pandemic that almost stalled economic recoveries in many countries including ours, President Biya spelt out what must be done to ensure the resilience of our economy which though estimated at a growth rate of 3.9per cent, can rise, if Cameroonians fight hard to improve their well-being by seeing that the rate of, inflation which stood at 6.7per cent because of state consumption support drops. But for how long can consumption support continue?
If the subsidy on petroleum product takes away cfa 640billion, though through dropping from over cfa 1000billion the previous year, we can see for ourselves the rationale of rethinking this oil consumption subsidy with its great weight on public funds. There is need to render our human and material infrastructure viable assets of development.
This, however, will remain a wishful dream if we continue to spend more funds to get from the bushes compatriots who see nothing wrong in fighting for a course that is against unity, which is the force in nation-building.
After regretting that in spite of the reconstructions works for the North west and South west regions, compatriots with separatist trends are still fighting, destroying lives and property, President Biya called on these separatist to end their unpatriotic sta...