Some workers of the Bamenda City Council complained that the City Mayor, Paul Achombong, had planned to reduce salaries of workers by 50%.

Some workers who reached out to CNA and begged not to be named said they were informed that their salaries would be reduced and that those who did not want to receive the new scale, should resign.

After Cameroon News Agency posted the complaints, the Mayor organized a meeting with his staff on the Salary issues. He said the 2014 payment scale gave staff many opportunities but that it was later slashed because of the implementation of a 2023 reduction by the President.

‘In the looking of this harmonized scale, it was clear that most of these allowances and facilities which city council staff used to benefit were suppressed…some misguided and ill-informed Council staff took to the social media saying that the City Mayor has cut off their salaries…’ Paul told state media.

The Mayor said it is not the Council’s will to cut down the benefits. He also said those who attended
the meeting were happy.

But CNA got information that the staff were threatened and asked to write an apology letter and send it to the SDO of Mezam Division in the North West region.

‘He went ahead to ask our Staff Delegates to write a letter to the SDO on behalf of the staff to apologize that we are sorry is a mistake we made. It was horrible that the Mayor debunked it. He told us about laws and even said if the money is small we are free to resign.’ a worker anonymously revealed to CNA what happened during the meeting.

‘How will you our Mayor tell us that the salary scale that was signed some months ago by you, the SDO, and other administrators in a commission was a fake, and that is why you are cutting the salary.

We even thought he would tell us that it was because is the situation of the town but no, he turned us around with political words to give room for 3 questions and when the first person stood up he decided to make it difficult to ask questions so nobody could get up and ask, we are doomed. We
have nothing to do, we could not do anything, God alone will fight this battle for the staff.’

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The United Nations in Ethiopia and the African Leadership Excellence Academy (AFLEX) have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to collaborate in advancing academic and thought leadership and the production and exchange of ideas to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ethiopia and the wider African context.

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ramiz Alakbarov, and the African Leadership Excellence Academy President Zadig Abreha signed the Letter of intent (LOI) today.

The collaboration will focus on 6 transformative entry points with the potential for catalytic and multiplier effects on the SDGs, significantly contributing to their achievement.

These entry points encompass food systems, energy access and affordability, digital connectivity, education, jobs, social protection and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, it was learned.

A key aspect of the collaboration involves jointly enhancing the capacity and skills of civil servants and other stakeholder
s in social policies.

The ultimate aim is to nurture a new generation of transformative leaders who will champion the achievement of the SDGs in Ethiopia and Africa.

Speaking about the significance of the collaboration, Alakbarov said “the partnership will serve as a framework for identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders who must lead Ethiopia’s development narrative, particularly with a focus on young people and marginalized groups leadership grounded in the African context and for realizing the SDGs in Africa.”

African Leadership Excellence Academy President, Zadig Abreha said “AFLEX aspires to become a place where academic rigor meets worldliness.”

Also, “here in AFLEX we aspire to become bridge builders amongst the academia, civil society, the public and private sector, the leaders of African countries, generation of African leaders and Africa and the globe,” he added.

With this view in mind and together with institutions like the UN systems the academy will work towards generating
world-class leaders for both Ethiopia and the continent at large, the president elaborated.

Zadig finally expressed his deep gratitude for the invaluable support and unwavering dedication displayed by Alakbarov in the process of formalizing the ground-breaking letter of intent, “whichis more fittingly referred to as a memorandum of action.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency