Anglophone crisis, GCE leakages, back-to-school, pre-occupy Bamenda Catholic bishops episcopal conference

The bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province of the Roman Catholic Church have ended a one-week conference that was held at the Bishop’s house in Kumba Diocese, found in the South West region of Cameroon.

The meeting that was held from August 17 to 22, 2023, was attended by the Archbishop of Bamenda, and the bishops of Kumbo, Kumba, Mamfe, and Buea.

For the 75th time under the aegis of the Bamenda Provincial Episcopal Conference (BAPEC), several stakes and challenges in society, politics, intertribal conflicts, killings, education, and the church were discussed.

Killings and destruction

The Bishops paid keen attention to the killings and destruction that have become a currency in the Ecclesiastical Province, made up of the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, where an armed conflict has been raging for over six years.

Referring to the scriptures, the prelates said, “The Bishops noted with deep regret the continuing and unfortunate situation of wanton killing, destruction of property, and the attempt to manipulate and weaponise ethnic differences for the disruption of social cohesion.”

“No one should be misled; killing is a grave sin against the commandment of God,” they reminded perpetrators.

2023 GCE malpractices

The June session of the 2023 examinations organised by the GCE board was marred by fraud. The publication of results saw heavy sanctions meted out to candidates and institutions found guilty of exam malpractice.

The bishops frowned at such practices, calling on the GCE board to ensure a better organisation of the exercise.

“The alarming increase in the number and types of examination malpractices registered during the 2023 session of the GCE Examination is a subject of major concern to the bishops,” said the bishops, who added, “To adequately address this problem, we need the collective efforts of teachers, parents, religious denominations, and the Ministries in charge of education for the reinforcement of education in integrity, the establishment of discipline, and a culture of hard work and merit.”

Back to school

With the resumption of the 2023–2024 school year in the offing, the Catholic shepherds said no child should be left behind.

“As we approach the beginning of the 2023-2024 Academic Year, the Bishops renewed their commitment to education as a basic human right that works to raise men and women out of ignorance, poverty, and levels of inequalities, and ensures sustainable development,” wrote the Bishops, calling on those preventing children from going to school to rethink as it amounts to irreparable damage.

The church

A closer look was taken at the life of the Church in the Ecclesiastical Province.

Noticing that all was not moving with respect to the tradition of the church, measures were taken to bring the church back to its feet.

At the close of the conference, key appointments were made to some of the institutions of the Church.

Rev. Fr. Giles Ngwa Forteh was appointed Vice Chancellor of the Catholic University of Bamenda, with Rev. Fr. Peter Tarkov as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities

Rev. Fr. John Bernyuy Tata was named registrar, among others. On the other hand, Rev. Fr. Paul Remjika, Rev. Fr. Daniel Takem, and Sr. Pia Chin Ngoinso Kong were appointed judges of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of First Instance

Rev. Fr. Derick Che Choh became a notary of the province, while Rev. Fr. Oliver Shey Ndi became the Judicial Vicar of the second tribunal with Mgr. Lucas Sanosi, Rev. Fr. Jean Baptiste Biake, Sr. Nguegang Djiomague, and Rev. Fr. Anthony Yilaka as Judges.

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