Cameroon: Bishop attacks officials for embezzling Covid funds

Bishop Bibi with Bishop Egan

Bishop Michael Bibi has criticised Cameroon authorities for the alleged misuse of $382 million provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to fight Covid-19. The Bishop of Buea slammed the "audacity" of government officials who have been accused of stealing Covid funds. He called their actions "evil" and "inhuman."

The bishop's comments follow an uncharacteristically blunt reaction from the IMF. The international financial institution told authorities in the capital Yaounde that it was "not satisfied" with the findings of an internal inquiry into the fate of the loan.

President Paul Biya has ordered an investigation following the leak of a 23-page report by Cameroon's Supreme Court Audit Bench. Fifteen of his government's ministers have been called to testify before the Supreme Court. There have been allegations that ghost companies connected to government members were given contracts; that there was no public bidding for Covid contracts; that PPE was billed at ten times its value; and that government officials have stolen the funds.

Human Rights Watch, which first highlighted the theft, says Biya's sudden support for the inquiry coincides with ongoing negotiations with the IMF to secure more funds for the Central African nation as part of its External Credit Facility.

Lord Alton has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, asking for the UK to use its IMF membership to demand that benchmarks are met ensuring accountability and transparency before more money is given to Cameroon. His letter reminds the UK government that Cameroon ranks toward the bottom of Transparency International's league table of corrupt countries, and that the World Bank considers it one of the most challenging places to conduct business because of widespread corruption.

Bishop Bibi's archdiocese of Bamenda in South West Cameroon is twinned with Portsmouth, and he has been a regular visitor to the UK. He has called for a full and proper investigation of the fate of the IMF Covid mitigation funds.

In common with many African countries, there are no reliable figures for Covid infections or deaths in Cameroon. Out of a population of 20 million, officials believe there have been 1,275 deaths and 79,000 cases. Cameroon is enduring its second wave of Covid, with 24 deaths a day at the moment. Meanwhile, 2,000 people are being vaccinated daily. However, 700,000 people in the Anglophone regions have been displaced by violence, with many of them forced to survive in the bush. They are unlikely to feature in any statistics or to be able to access medical help. In addition, civil society groups in the English-speaking regions complain that they have been marginalised for decades, with health resources prioritising the French-speaking population. Anecdotal evidence from church-run medical centres in the Anglophone region suggest that the true number of Covid deaths have been greatly underestimated.

Last year, a group of Catholic bishops appealed to the Cameroon government to observe a ceasefire to allow Covid mitigation. However, President Biya continues to pursue a military response against rebels pushing for an independent Anglophone country known as Ambazonia. Most militias have also vowed to fight on, irrespective of the pandemic and the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians.