Le Ministre P. I. Bidoung Mpkatt J M Nkoussa
Sources claim, the current minister of Arts and Culture, Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mpkatt will in the days ahead, face the Special Criminal Court (SCC), related to the management of funds meant for projects of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2019
Minister Bidoung Mpkatt was heading the ministry of sports and physical education, when the Confederation of African Football(CAF), stripped off Cameroon’s hosting rights because the country wasn’t ready.
Since this sad incident, opposition parties have been putting pressure on government to explain how money meant for the construction and rehabilitation of some projects ahead of the competition, were budgeted and spent.
Amongst other burning issues that the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, CRM of Maurice Kampto rose against in January, was the CAF’s embarrassing decision on Cameroon’s hosting rights.
On Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the members of the CRM dressed in indomitable lions jerseys, carrying the words “CAN 2019”, as they appeared at the Yaoundé Court of Appeal to follow their case against the state of Cameroon.
Just like CRM, the Social Democratic Front(SDF), has also requests that government provides explanations as to how the money had been invested, yet the country wasn’t ready to host the prestigious football competition.
Sources also state that the Minister of Finance Louis Paul Motaze, Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh and the economic adviser at the Presidency of the Republic, Jean-Claude Mauger Ayem.
Pierre Ismaël Bidoung Mkpatt, had refuted speculations that Cameroon’s 2019 AFCON hosting rights will be stripped for lack of adequate infrastructures to host the tournament.
He reassured the public that Cameroon would be ready as revealed that out of the 32 stadia awaited by CAF, 11 are ready, 14 are undergoing rehabilitation and seven are still under construction.
CAF's decision to strip off the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON 2019, was announced on the Friday, 30th of November 2018. The then government spokesperson, Tchiroma Bakary said it was blatant injustice to Cameroon. Till date, most projects that should have been completed before AFCON 2019, have not been completed.
Many suspect that due to his failure to guarantee the country’s hosting rights, Bidoung Mpkatt was shifted to the Ministry of Arts and Culture on the 4th of April 2019 by a presidential decree,
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