NBTS Calls for Government Support to Boost Blood Supply

By Brian Mboh

The National Blood Transfusion Service, NBTS, has called on the government to provide support and to introduce innovative financing mechanisms to boost the national blood bank, amid rising demand. The call was made by the President of the NBTS Management Committee, Prof. Tetanye Ekoe, during the 10th Ordinary Session of the Management Committee held on June 19 in Yaoundé.

**NBTS members at the 10th Ordinary Session**

The Session reviewed the institution’s 2025 financial statements and assessed the mid-year implementation of the 2026 budget, which stands at FCFA 1.48 billion. Prof. Tetanye Ekoe said the National Transfusion Service continues to face major challenges linked to governance, financing, and public awareness—particularly the low rate of voluntary donations.

He warned that existing resources remain insufficient to ensure safe blood supplies across the national territory. Based on figures presented during the meeting, the NBTS collected 184,224 units of blood in 2025, raising national coverage of blood needs to 47 percent, up from 41 percent in 2024.

He regretted that the country still falls short of the estimated annual requirement of 400,000 blood bags. Prof. Tetanye Ekoe explained that the cost of collecting, testing, and securing blood supplies requires substantial financial resources. He said research conducted by medical experts shows that producing a single unit of blood costs about FCFA 60,000.

The health expert noted that meeting the country’s annual demand of 400,000 blood bags would require approximately FCFA 24 billion—far above the level of funding currently available to the institution.

“Mobilising the population, convincing people in both rural and urban areas to donate blood, and ensuring that the collected blood is safe all require funding. The resources currently available are not sufficient to cover these needs,” Prof. Ekoe said.

He also pointed out that the funding gap partly explains periodic shortages recorded in some hospital blood banks and the continued reliance on replacement donations from families instead of voluntary blood donations.

**Prof Tetanye Ekoe speaking during 10th Ordinary Session**

NBTS Raises Alarm on Need for More Funding

Prof. Tetanye Ekoe said the NBTS must intensify advocacy efforts with technical and financial authorities and seek new funding mechanisms capable of supporting its mission.

He said traditional financing methods are no longer sufficient to sustain blood collection campaigns, biological qualification of blood products, and staff training programmes.

“The mission assigned to us is to protect the population by providing safe blood in sufficient quantities. The financial mechanisms currently in place do not allow us to effectively carry out all our collection, qualification, and training responsibilities. We need stronger and more innovative sources of financing,” he said.

**NBTS Management Committee in a family picture**

The NBTS reported that only 26.7 percent of blood donations currently come from voluntary, unpaid donors—a figure management said remains too low to guarantee stable national blood reserves.

Despite financial constraints, the NBTS said it has continued to strengthen coordination with hospital blood banks, expand technical supervision activities, and develop accreditation procedures for pilot blood banks involved in biological qualification.

Striking Eagles Honor Joseph Love’s Family In Final Mission Tribute

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

The Striking Eagles FC of the U.S. Embassy in Yaounde have honored the family of diplomat Joseph Love as their mission in Cameroon draws to a close. The tribute took place on June 20 during a fiercely contested friendly match at the American International School of Yaounde (AISOY).

**Joseph Love and his son kick off the match** (Photo: Mainimo Etienne)

The game, dedicated to Love and his family, served as a farewell celebration for the diplomat, whose tenure has been marked by a spirit of camaraderie and community engagement.

The match itself was a tale of halves, with TASSA Restaurant Team striking first to take an early lead. However, the Striking Eagles mounted a swift comeback, overturning the deficit to secure a decisive victory by the final whistle. The friendly contest was played in high spirits, with both sides demonstrating competitive fairness throughout the 90 minutes.

**Teams battling for victory** *(Photo: Mainimo Etienne)*

Following the match, Striking Eagles President, Isa Adamu praised Love’s leadership and unwavering work ethic, noting that his mentorship had left a lasting impact on the US Embassy Yaounde colleagues.

“Thank you for your love,” Isa Adamu said. “As you leave, you have become part of the Striking Eagles family. We will always pray for your success as you take another step in your diplomatic career.”

**Joseph Love speaking after the match** (Photo: Mainimo Etienne)

As a gesture of gratitude, Isa Adamu presented Love’s family with a set of new team jerseys on behalf of the club. He described the gift as a symbol of the enduring bond between the diplomat and the team, adding that it would serve as a constant reminder of the prayers and support the Striking Eagles will continue to offer.

In his remarks, Joseph Love expressed deep appreciation to both teams, friends, and well-wishers who turned out for the farewell match. He said the Striking Eagles would forever hold a special place in his family’s heart, citing the sense of unity, fun, and solidarity the team had fostered during his time in Cameroon.

**President Isa Adamu hands gifts on behalf of the club to Joseph Love during the farewell match** (Photo: Mainimo Etienne)

“I am so overwhelmed by you guys, and you will always be in our hearts,” Joseph Love said. “The Striking Eagles will forever be in our family’s hearts because, through this team, we experienced a sense of solidarity and fun that made our time here truly special.”

**Joseph Love’s Family** (Photo: Mainimo Etienne)

Minister Abena Ondoa Raises Alarm Over 1,599 GBV Cases in Early 2026, Appealed For A Society-Wide Response

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

More than 1,599 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) have been recorded across Cameroon between January and April 2026, according to data presented before the National Assembly.

**President of the National Assembly greet MPs as he steps in to begin a plenary session** (Photo: National Assembly)

The Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, Marie Therese Abena Ondoa revealed the figures on June 19 during an oral question session in the Lower House of Parliament. She was responding to a query from Hon. Angèle Toukam Tela Epse Sandio, who asked what measures the Ministry is taking to eradicate or reduce femicide in Cameroon.

In responding, Minister Abena Ondoa provided an overview of gender-based violence in the country, noting that recent years have seen numerous cases of murder, abduction, torture, rape and other violations against physical, emotional and sexual integrity.

“In addition to this data from major national surveys, MINPROFF recorded 1,599 cases of violence across the national territory between January and April 2026,” Minister Abena Ondoa said. “This total includes 166 cases of rape, 50 femicide, 13 infanticide, three kidnappings and three cases of physical abuse on children.”

Regarding femicide, the Minister said the phenomenon, though insufficiently documented, is rising and represents an extreme form of gender-based violence.

“Indeed, 56 cases were recorded in 2023, 67 in 2024, approximately 77 in 2025, and, as mentioned above, 50 cases between January and April 2026,” she said. “These are the cases officially recorded and documented by our services. It is obvious that the number at this moment has increased.”

**Cross Section of MPs during the Plenary Session** (Photo: National Assembly)

Faced with the worrying situation, Minister Abena Ondoa said the government has taken initiatives to address gender-based violence and femicide, including ratification of international and regional legal instruments for the promotion and protection of women’s and girls’ rights, prevention efforts, law enforcement, support services and institutional framework strengthening.

But she acknowledged persistent obstacles, among them limited access to free and confidential integrated services, weak intersectoral coordination, ongoing security crises in the Far North and Southwest regions, impunity for offenders and lax enforcement of existing rules.

The Minister assured lawmakers that corrective actions are underway, including shepherding a draft gender-based violence law through parliament, reinforcing the coordination body for prevention and response, and upgrading data collection systems.

Acknowledging that the problem has proven resistant to government and partner interventions, Abena Ondoa appealed for a society-wide response.

“Let us denounce the violence, protect the victims, and educate our families and communities about respect for life and equality,” she said.

Abena Ondoa was among five cabinet Ministers who fielded questions from lawmakers that day. The others oversee Transport, Posts and Telecommunications, Public Service and Administrative Reforms, and Public Health.

Health Minister Clarifies Kidney Treatment Costs

During the session, Public Health Minister Dr. Manaouda Malachie response to specific grievances raised by Hons. Daniel Etongo Ngalle, Njume Peter Ambang and Rolande Ngo Issi regarding healthcare mismanagement and kidney disease costs in Cameroon.

“I must formally clarify that the regulatory amount due per year from a patient suffering from chronic kidney disease is not 16,000 FCFA, but rather exactly 15,000 FCFA,” Manaouda said.

**Dr. Manaouda Malachie, Public Health Minister answering to questions from MPs** (Photo: National Assembly)

He issued an uncompromising warning to hospital administrators, emphasizing that no internal directive authorizes the collection of funds outside official regulatory public revenue protocols and that every transaction must be recorded in official accounting ledgers and yield a certified state receipt.

Addressing widely reported sums of 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA demanded from kidney patients, Manaouda explained that these fees do not represent an illicit deposit, administrative markup or hospital scam

Instead, they constitute the baseline clinical cost for placement of an arteriovenous fistula — a complex, mandatory preliminary surgical procedure required when a patient reaches Stage 4 kidney failure before formal dialysis treatment can begin. Cost disparities across the country are tied to whether the surgery is performed in a first-, second- or third-category state referral hospital.

“Because this specific preliminary procedure, alongside critical companion therapies like erythropoietin injections, are not yet fully subsidized by our current health coverage system, we have initiated an immediate structural review of this funding framework,” Manaouda announced.

He noted that toll-free numbers and quarterly evaluations are being used to identify and sanction rogue hospital personnel misusing social safety nets enacted by the head of state.

Health Minister also placed these systemic challenges within Cameroon’s broader epidemiological transition. He highlighted concurrent outbreaks of Mpox and Ebola alongside an exponential domestic rise in chronic, non-communicable conditions like cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory ailments, advanced diabetes, cancers, and hemoglobinopathies.

However, Dr. Manaouda blamed the shift on rapid lifestyle changes, citing poor diets and sedentary habits as the main preventable causes of chronic organ failure. He called on the National Assembly to push for community-led early screenings and state-funded wellness programs.

Minister Joseph Le of Public Service Details Civil Service Payroll Reform

Minister Joseph Le also fielded questions about “AIGLES,” the state’s new workforce and payroll management software. He described the platform as a major structural reform championed by President Paul Biya to modernize Cameroon’s civil service. Built to replace the outdated SIGIPES and ANTILOPE systems, he stated that AIGLES unifies career and payroll tracking into a single registry.

**Minister Joseph Le g during the session** (Photo: National Assembly)

According to the Minister, the system’s real-time data is already highly accurate: “As of the morning of June 19, 2026, the AIGLES platform precisely displayed 306,159 active public servants and 160,285 pensioners.”

Promote 2026: CAMTEL Pavilion Buzzes As Guests Explore “Blue” Plans, Cutting-Edge Data Centre Innovations

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

The air inside the Yaounde Conference Center hums with electric current of possibilities. At the heart of the 10^th edition of the International Exhibition for Enterprise, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, and Partnership (PROMOTE) 2026 trade fair, one pavilion stands out not for its glamour, but for its gravity.

**CAMTEL Pavilion at PROMOTE 2026** *(Photo: CAMTEL)*

It is the Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) stand, and this week, it has become the epicenter of a national conversation about data, sovereignty, and what it means to build a truly connected Cameroon.

The state-owned telecom has transformed its space into a bustling hub, drawing a steady stream of visitors, industry stakeholders, and government officials eager to glimpse the nation’s digital engine.

The crowd’s gripped attention is fixed on a singular vision: the “Blue” transformation strategy and the formidable capabilities of the Zamengoe Data Center, a facility that is quietly redefining the country’s technological landscape.

**Visitor at CAMTEL Pavilion** (Photo: CAMTEL)

This surge in interest is no coincidence. As Cameroon accelerates its push toward a fully integrated, data-driven economy, the demand for localized, secure digital infrastructure has moved from a technical consideration to a national imperative .

At the centre of this push is CAMTEL, aggressively modernizing its network and expanding cloud services to anchor the nation’s digital ambitions.

Benedict Ndinwa, Head of Institutional Communication at CAMTEL, took to a television broadcast from the fairgrounds to articulate the company’s commitment to national development.

He announced a major milestone for the state-owned operator’s mobile network, noting that “Blue, CAMTEL’s entirely Cameroonian mobile network, launched three years ago, has now surpassed 2 million active subscribers.”

**Visitors on the way out after visiting the CAMTEL Pavilion at PROMOTE** *(Photo: CAMTEL)*

To celebrate its presence at PROMOTE, he said, CAMTEL is offering aggressive promotions, including Blue SIM cards for FCFA 500—a package that comes with 2GB of data, 2000 call units, and a 48-hour validity window.

Ndinwa emphasized that these efforts are paired with ongoing work to enhance service quality and extend coverage to underserved areas, underscoring a dedication to digital inclusion.

However, the true stopper of CAMTEL’s presentation is the story of the Zamengoe Data Centre. Located approximately 30 kilometers from downtown Yaounde, this facility is not just a building; it is a statement of intent.

Ndinwa detailed the “robust facility” and its coveted Tier 3 certification, a benchmark that guarantees high reliability with a maximum annual downtime of just 1.5 hours . He stressed the site’s energy autonomy, noting that its backup systems can provide up to one month of power independence—a critical advantage in a region where energy stability is a common concern.

**A CAMTEL agent (right) speaking with a visitor** (Photo: CAMTEL)

For the business community, the Zamengoe Data Center represents a strategic asset. It champions the principle of data sovereignty, encouraging Cameroonian enterprises to store their information local.

Ndinwa explained that local hosting offers superior control, security, and reduced latency compared to overseas alternatives. By keeping data within national borders, the facility helps prevent misuse and ensures businesses retain complete oversight of their digital assets.

“Local storage ensures data remains within national borders, preventing potential misuse or lack of control often associated with foreign hosting,” Ndinwa said, adding that the center provides “more competitive costs for users” compared to international options.

To him, this aligns with the government’s broader National Artificial Intelligence Strategy which identifies sovereign data infrastructure as foundational to economic growth.

CAMTEL’s presence at PROMOTE is expansive, featuring a main stand at the Palais des Congrès, a dedicated digital pavilion, and more than 500 brand ambassadors. These representatives are actively engaging with visitors, presenting CAMTEL’s portfolio of enterprise-grade solutions and gathering feedback to better meet customer needs.

As Cameroon positions itself to become a digital leader in Central Africa, the conversations happening this week at PROMOTE suggest that the journey begins not in the cloud, but on the ground—in a state-of-the-art facility on the outskirts of Yaounde.

LOYOC Amplifies Cameroon’s Voice At Global Youth Acceleration Summit

By Brian Mboh

Local Youth Corner Cameroon, LOYOC, through its Project Manager, Mansuru Usuman, carried the country’s voice at the 2026 edition of the Acceleration Week for the Global Youth Development Program, with a presentation on LOYOC’s major flagship sports for peace project, dubbed “NA WE WE”, as an effective model to promote peace, social cohesion, and healthy living between displaced persons and host communities in Cameroon.

**Dr Mansuru Usuman , Project Manager, Speaking in Shanghai**

The one-week youth conclave, which kicked off on June 11 to 17, 2026, in Shanghai and Wuhan, China, brought together about 200 youth-led program leaders across the globe. Mentors include heads of UN agencies, accelerators, investment institutions, foundations, NGOs, and established enterprises.

Coordinators include professional experts from UN agencies and international organizations.

The Acceleration Week is composed of pre-meetings, a launching ceremony, workshops, partnership meetings, networking activities, and study visits. Youth leaders will be grouped into eight thematic clusters, with each cluster comprising approximately 25 programs. Throughout the week, the youth leaders will have access to professional guidance on business models, market connections, partnership strategies, financial sustainability, social impact, and so on. They will also be connected with Chinese enterprises, investment institutions, and accelerators to build partnerships. Each of the programs could be publicized globally through “Voice of Youth” videos and a wide range of media coverage.

Speaking in China, LOYOC Project Manager, said the event serves as an opportunity for exchanges and partnership building. As well as seek new support, to assistant the Non-Governmental Organisation in running its activities in Cameroon.

“I am here in China, representing Cameroon, at the Global Week Acceleration Program as one of the delegates from over 120 countries globally. This platform is a very important means, for me as a young person because it gives me the opportunity to network and share with my peers. The event is very important for LOYOC, in that it gives an opportunity to build new partnerships, seek for support, and to share our locally-led initiatives.”

“Local Youth Corner Cameroon is an organisation created in 2002, with the aim of supporting youth people across the ten regions of the country to address the social, political, and economic challenges that they are facing. LOYOC has been one of the locally youth-led organisations that has been spearheading the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda in Cameroon. Working in close collaboration with UN agencies, international organisations, and Civil Society Groups.

**Participants at Global Youth Conclave in China**

Within our different programs, we have been able to support different youth-led organisations and young people in the country by building their capacities and supporting them in implementing different projects in their communities through sub-grants. These opportunities give an insight and shape our programming back home to see how to better support young people, to participate actively and inclusively addressing challenges that actually concerns them,” Mansuru explained.

About NA-WE-WE Sports Jamboree
Five years ago, Local Youth Corner Cameroon, LOYOC, had a simple but powerful conviction: that sports and recreational activities have the ability to build social cohesion, moral, civic, and entrepreneurial rearmament between and among diverse groups of people.

It could bring people together across lines of fear, displacement, and difference. It could create space for young people who had been forced from their homes to stand on a pitch alongside the people who had received them, and find, in the shared language of play, something worth protecting together.

That conviction became the Na We We Sports Jamboree. Na We We, meaning “We are one”, is now one of LOYOC’s most visible and impactful peacebuilding programmes. It has grown from a local youth-led initiative in Yaounde into an annual Jamboree that moves across Cameroon’s regions, taking its message of social cohesion to the communities that need it most.

This year, it arrives in Tiko, Fako Division, South West Region, from July 4 to 30 August 2026 for its 5th Edition, under the theme: Stronger Together in Times of Crisis Through Sports.

strained resources, heightened tensions, and the slow erosion of trust that comes when fear goes unaddressed. Young people on both sides of that divide risked becoming isolated, radicalised, or simply lost.

LOYOC’s response was to build something joyful. A sports and recreational activity where every team is deliberately composed of both IDPs and host community members. Where team names like Peace, Solidarity, Tolerance, and Love are not decorative but instructional. Where, before each match, a player takes five minutes to speak to the crowd about what their team name means, and what it demands of all of us.

Giving Kids the Gift of Sight: Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute Offers Free Eye Screenings for Children

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

Ten-year-old Amadou stares intensely at the chalkboard, his eyes watering from the strain. The letters written by his teacher blur into charcoal smudges. As his classmates scribbled down the lesson that would appear on their upcoming primary school exams, Amadou could only guess at the words, feeling the familiar, sinking anxiety of a child falling behind through no fault of his own.

Amadou is not alone. He is just one face among millions of children across Cameroon who quietly battle poor vision in classrooms every day. In a region where specialized pediatric eye care is a luxury few families can afford, a simple, treatable vision impairment frequently forces vulnerable children to fail their exams, derailing their education and trapping them in a cycle of limited opportunities.

To fight against this, the Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute, (MICEI), has launched a mass free eye consultation campaign targeting children aged 0-18. The initiative, running from June 16 to 18, aims to dismantle the visual barriers that prevent Cameroon’s youth from succeeding academically.

Dr. Henry Nkumbe, the CEO of the institution, unveiled the campaign on June 15 in Yaounde. The announcement was made on the heels of the ongoing 10th edition of the Yaoundé International Business, SME and Partnership Exhibition, or PROMOTE 2026.

**Children undergoing eye screening** (Photo: MICEI)

Speaking to the press, Dr. Nkumbe said the free eye screening is in honour of the 2026 International Day of the African Child, observed annually on June 16. While the official continental theme focuses on clean water, hygiene, and sanitation as critical human rights, Nkumbe emphasized that a child’s right to a future relies heavily on their ability to see the world around them.

“There’s a very strong link between education, quality education, and visual health because a child who can’t see well can’t perform well in school,” Dr. Nkumbe said. The hospital’s intervention highlights the critical role vision plays in a child’s development.

“We are aware of a very important ingredient in quality education, which is quality visual health and this consultation reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that sight, essential for learning and everyday life, is never a barrier to quality education,” Dr. Nkumbe said. “Whatever we do today, whether positive or negative, will have an impact on the world they are going to live in tomorrow.”

For the millions of Cameroonian children struggling to read their textbooks, the intervention by the specialized institute represents a turning point.

The Children of the Forest, a youth group dedicated to climate and environmental advocacy, performed graced the stand of the MICEI. “There is no better way than to have them involved in sharing the message on the importance of protecting the environment,” Dr. Nkumbe added.

Based just outside the capital, MICEI operates as the first eye care hospital with subspecialties in the Francophone Central African sub-region. The facility is a project of the Africa Eye Foundation, a foreign association registered in Switzerland.

By offering world-class pediatric ophthalmological services, the hospital is committed to providing high quality and accessible eye health services to all who need it in order to improve the well-being and productivity of the population in Cameroon in particular and Africa in general.

**Magrabi ICO Cameroon Eye Institute stand at PROMOTE 2026** (Photo: MICEI)

By offering world-class pediatric ophthalmological services and breaking down the financial barriers to care, the hospital aims to boost both the well-being and the future economic productivity of the population.

The three-day clinic at the PROMOTE exhibition grounds has transformed a major business venue into a hub of hope for families. For children who have spent years squinting at blackboards and fearing exam days, the chance to finally see clearly means they can finally look forward to a fair chance at a bright future.

Sandrine Nnanga Presents New Album “AWAKE”

By Brian Mboh

Cameroonian singer Sandrine Nnanga opens a new chapter in her career with the release of her second album, “Awake”, available since June 5, 2026. Presented to the press a few days before its official release in Douala, this 13-track is intended to be an intimate, luminous and deeply human work, carried by the themes of love, hope, resilience and prayer.

**Sandrine Nnanga speaking to the press**

The artist describes ‘’Awake’’ as an invitation to “open your eyes to your own light”. Born from silence, introspection and personal reconstruction, the album presents itself as a musical journey where each song constitutes a step towards self-acceptance and renewal.

Lasting approximately 50 minutes, Awake brings together 13 tracks performed in French, English, Douala and Fang-Béti. The album navigates between several musical universes: Bikutsi, Makossa, Rumba, RnB, Dancehall, Afro swing, Zouk and World music.

This sound diversity testifies to the artist’s desire to combine modernity and Cameroonian cultural heritage. The work opens with “Bipolar”, a Bikutsi title which explores the twists and turns of love and trust.

It continues with “Nsili”, a duet with Florent Awono, a song which dramatizes married life for Sandrine Nnanga, “women must also reassure their husbands by letting them ask them questions”. Then “Ndolo”, a song dedicated to timeless love. Other titles like “Let”, “Pardonne-moi”, “Béni de Dieu” or “Tété” respectively address courage, forgiveness, faith and resilience.

To enrich this album, Sandrine Nnanga surrounded herself with several recognized figures from the Cameroonian music scene. We find in figures like : Florent Awono, Salatiel, Ben Decca and Adah Akenji, who each bring their artistic color to this plural work. These collaborations reinforce the collective and universal dimension of the project.

**Sandrine Nnanga exchange with media professionals**

More than just an album, Awake appears as a testimony of life. Prayer is present as a common thread, not in an institutional dimension, but as an inner force which accompanies human beings in their trials. The texts also evoke love in all its forms: romantic love, self-love, forgiveness and gratitude.

The final title, “Outro: Ngok”, takes the listener back to the cultural roots of the artist, those of the Fongs de Zoétélé in Dja and Lobo. A true return to the sources, this musical conclusion completes an artistic journey marked by authenticity and the quest for oneself.

After the success of the album Introduction and the EP Essence, Sandrine Nnanga confirms with Awake her status as a major voice in contemporary Cameroonian music. The artist will continue to promote this opus through several events, including a live concert scheduled for June 28, 2026 in Paris at the Alhambara Theater, where she will present the album to the African diaspora.

With Awake, Sandrine Nnanga does not seek to impress with noise or excess. Rather, she offers a sincere work, driven by gentleness, emotion and depth. An album that invites everyone to reconnect with their inner light and which undoubtedly marks one of the most accomplished stages of their artistic career.

Chief Njie Mbonde Albert Bags Best TV Journalist Award

By Brian Mboh

Renowned journalist working with the State broadcaster ,CRTV, His Royal Majesty , Chief Njie Mbonde Albert, has been recognised as the Best Television Journalist in the Country. The multi award-winning media personality bagged the award during the maiden ceremony of the ” Nuit International de Presse”.

**Chief Njie Mbonde Albert poses with his award following the official presentation ceremony**

The ceremony held last Saturday, June 13,2026, in Contonou, capital city of Benin. The event was attended by several media personalities

Political desk editor and ace sports commentator with the Cameroon Radio and Television ,CRTV, Njie Mbonde Albert, is the crowned Chief of Bokwaongo-Membea village in the Buea Municipality, South West Region.

The jury saluted the track record, devotion and professionalism, editorialist and political desk editor as well as his contribution in the promotion of the press in Cameroon and Africa.

The jury members made their choice as watch several professional works of journalists across Africa and congratulated Njie Mbonde Albert, for his flexibility with his reports in conflicts zones in Cameroon and anchor of the CRTV Morning Talkshow “Hello” shifting the balance to his favour.

Speaking after receiving the award, Njie Mbonde said he was overwhelmed, to see his works put into competition with that of other colleagues, doing some remarkable work on the continent.

“I am particularly pleased with this distinction because the jury is an all presse jury who understand, the challenges and intricacies of our job. I am also delighted because works from colleagues on the continent, were put to compete which shows that we are doing something remarkable. I seize the opportunity to thank my colleagues with whom, I have embraced this journey in the past 26 years, because my recognition is fruit of my consistency,” Njie Mbonde said.

**CRTV’s Political Desk Editor, Chief Njie Mbonde Albert, receives the Award for Best TV Journalist**

It should be recalled that in 2018, Njie Mbonde lifted the Best Radio Journalist of The Year Award during an award ceremony organised by ASCOM.

In 2019, he also won the Best Radio News Presenter Award by the same award committee. He has won over a dozen other awards and recognitions in his journalism career that spans over two decades uninterruptedly.

Njie Mbonde rose to prominence during his time as presenter of the wake-up show, Hello, on the state television.

He was also famous for anchoring programmes like Cameroon This Morning, and Cameroon Calling on CRTV Radio.

His dynamism and creativity to move from sports reporting to political reporting has also attracted praises from his fans and colleagues.

Njie Mbonde has also been Press Officer for junior nation football selection.

His dynamısm and creativity to move from sports reporting to political reporting has also attracted praises from his fans and colleagues.

Njie Mbonde has also been Team Press Officer for junior national football selection.

Besides his works in the media landscape, Njie Mbonde, who is in his forties, is a sports and education promoter both in his native Bokwaongo village and beyond. He also supports the ideas of living together, hospitality, national integration and cultural diversity.

Gov’t Transfers Management Of Parcours Vita Fitness Centers To City Councils

By Brian Mboh

The Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, in an order signed by his Secretary General, Fouda Séraphin Magloire, addressed to the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, has instructed the formal transfer of management of Cameroon’s fitness and sports complexes “Parcours Vita” to the local municipal councils.

**Yde denizens during sports session at Yde Parcours Vita**

In the correspondence dated June 10, 2026, the Star Building Scribe urged Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi to immediately engage the mayors of the five councils hosting these different sports infrastructures in the management of the facilities.

The move is part of the government’s effort to ensure the decentralization of sports and physical education facilities. The Head of Government’s order is relative to the framework established by Ministerial Order number 001/A/MINSEP of April 9, 2012, which outlines the technical conditions and responsibilities for transferring state powers to local councils.

The Minister of Sports and Physical Education is expected to play the role of supervisory organ, with the overseeing, monitoring, and evaluating of how the city councils exercise their new responsibilities.

The Sports and Physical Education boss will submit a report on the final transition of the facilities to the councils.

Drawing over thousands of citizens on ordinary days and weekends for exercise, the multisports facilities serve as a venue for recreation, community wellbeing, and a place for business.

For Shofola Brice, Football Began Not With A Goal, But With A Diagnosis

By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo

For most of his early childhood, the boy who would one day dream of European pitches saw himself in a white coat, not a jersey. Medicine was the plan. Soccer was merely a pastime.

**Shofola Brice in action** (Photo: Mainimo Etienne)

“To be honest, in the early days of my life I never thought of becoming a footballer,” Brice said. “I always dreamt of becoming a doctor. By that time I played football just for fun and entertainment.”

That all changed at age 8. Brice happened to watch the final of a neighborhood competition, and something clicked. The intensity of the match, the roar of the small crowd, the visible stakes for players his own age—it landed differently than any childhood kickabout ever had.

“It was quite interesting,” he recalled. “This alone motivated me a lot, and I took a bold step by registering in a football training center.”

It was the first real decision of his young athletic life, and it set in motion a journey that now has him aiming for Europe’s top flights.

Since joining a training center, Brice has attended numerous competitions. But one moment remains his favorite—not because it was a victory, but because of how he carried himself in defeat.

That moment came during the under-9 final of the “Tournoi Foot a la Base,” a youth tournament that tests the mettle of the region’s most promising young players. Brice admitted he felt immense pressure as kickoff approached.

The stands were fuller than usual. The other team looked confident. Any 9-year-old might have crumbled. Instead, Brice stayed composed.

“Though feeling a lot of pressure, I managed to stay composed,” he said. His team ultimately lost the final, but Brice was named man of the match—a small piece of silverware that felt, to him, heavier than a winner’s medal. “Was so proud of myself.”

That pride has carried him through the inevitable collisions between school and sport.

Like many young athletes with professional ambitions, Brice lives a double life. By day, he is a student with assignments and attendance records. By afternoon, he is a midfielder in training, working on the precise skills that he believes will separate him from the pack.

The two worlds do not always align.

“My school program sometimes coincides with my sporting activity,” Brice said. To manage the conflict, he has learned to negotiate. On regular training days, he leaves school earlier than usual with permission. For important games, he approaches his discipline master directly.

“He lets me go,” Brice said. But there is a line he is willing to cross. “If the game is an important game and the coach needs me most, I would not attend lessons on that day.”

It is a calculated risk—one that many aspiring professional footballers take long before they ever sign a contract.

When asked who shapes his game, Brice does not hesitate. He names Enzo Fernandez, the Argentine midfielder who rose from River Plate to Benfica and then to Chelsea, collecting a World Cup winner’s medal along the way.

“He’s got quality leadership and excellent reading of the game,” Brice said, “which greatly inspires me.”

Fernandez is known for his range of passing and his ability to control matches from central midfield—traits Brice actively tries to mirror. On the training ground, he has identified one skill as his focus: the long pass.

“I work hard on training my ability to send long passes or transversals,” Brice said. “I think that acquiring this skill will actually make me a complete midfielder.”

The road to any professional career is lined with difficult afternoons—matches that go wrong, training sessions that feel pointless, moments of doubt. Brice does not pretend otherwise.

“Football games could sometimes be challenging and warrant you to abandon, but I never relent my efforts,” he said.

When a tough game leaf him questioning himself, he turns inward with a simple, direct mantra. “I tell myself: ‘You can do this, Shofi. You know where you are coming from.’”

That phrase; “you know where you are coming from”—is not just motivation. It is a reminder of the 8-year-old who once watched a neighborhood final and decided to change his future.

Brice’s vision for his career is specific and unflashy. He does not talk about signing for a global superclub on day one. He talks about getting a foot in the door.

“In the next five years, I see myself playing in a football club in Europe, either in the top division or lower division,” Brice said.

His preferred route is a familiar one for young African prospects: enrollment in a European football academy. From there, he hopes to be scouted, signed to a first team, and launched into the professional ranks.

“I would like to be enrolled in a football academy to start my professional career so that I could be scouted and signed to the first team,” he said.

For a boy who once dreamed of healing others, Shofola Brice is now learning to master a different craft entirely—one built on long passes, composure under pressure, and the quiet daily work of balancing schoolbooks with soccer boots. Whether he lands in a top division or a lower one, he has already proven he will not relent.

“You can do this, Shofi,” he tells himself. And so far, he has been right.

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