By Boris Esono Nwenfor
The leader of the MRC Party Maurice Kamto has called for accountability to be given to the management of the COVID-19 fund by the government, who seem to be backpedalling in the release of the findings on the said matter.
The findings of the “covidgate” as it has been termed were expected to be delivered by the Minister of Finance in parliament for debate during a special plenary sitting but were “mysteriously” absent from the discussions.
The scandal has been top news in Cameroon in many private media houses, and the general public with many calling for those who are reported to have squandered funds meant to carter for COVID patients to be held accountable.
The Audit Bench of Cameroon's Supreme Court reports says postponed the presentation of the final report on the management of the Special National Solidarity Fund for the fight against the coronavirus. This decision not to present the findings has not gone down well with Maurice Kamto, leader of the opposition MRC Party.
In his statement below, the opponent suspects manoeuvre to hush up this affair which risks splashing out on a good part of the government.
“After the outbreak of what has now been called the "Scandal of the management of the Covid-19 Fund", following the publication a few weeks ago, of a partial report attributed to the Chamber of Accounts of the Supreme Court, national and international opinion remains to await the follow-up that would be given to this case, Maurice Kamto, leader of the MRC party said in a statement.
“Knowing the practices of the regime in place in Cameroon, which drags on the not reassuring reputation of opacity in the management of public funds, including when said funds are granted by bilateral or multilateral partners and of manoeuvres to cover up the indelicacies of certain senior officials public, many compatriots were convinced that the light will not be shed on this scandal with the hints of a crime against humanity.”
Maurice Kamto added: “For our part, we remained on the lookout, convinced that a scandal of this magnitude involving funds from international partners could not be hushed up. This suspicious backpedalling provides information on the regime's constant desire to evade the democratic duty to give an account and denotes its usual and indecipherable contempt for the Cameroonian people.”
“The Mouvement pour la Renaissance du Cameroun (MRC) expresses its deep concern at this back-pedalling, certainly in line with the autocratic and irresponsible behaviour of this arrogant regime, but which, given the consequences never given to other scandals, could be the beginning of the suffocation of this affair.”
Maurice Kamto has further indicated that “perpetrators of embezzlement if it is proven that there is any, be punished by the law.” He has also indicated that all light be shed on the management of this Covid-19 Fund by the Government; and that the responsibilities be established.
It is still uncertain if any punishment will be given or if at all the findings will be presented as many of the Members of Parliament are split on the presentation of the findings.