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2007 Assessment

Cameroon: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Cameroon: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Whistle-blowing Measures
Indicators		Score
45	Are employees protected from recrimination or other negative consequences when reporting corruption (i.e. whistle-blowing)?	0
46	In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?	0
47	In practice, is the internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption effective?	50

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Are employees protected from recrimination or other negative consequences when reporting corruption (i.e. whistle-blowing)?

45a: In law, civil servants who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: There is no legal provision concerning this aspect

Peer Review Comments: Lancien Bâtonnier de lordre des avocats du Cameroun, Me Akere Muna estime que «pour vaincre la corruption [...], il faut créer une loi contre la corruption, et protéger les magistrats. Car notre système judiciaire est mal outillé et les magistrats mal protégés matériellement dans leur métier. Tout cela les expose aussi à la corruption» (Cf. : [ LINK ])

45b: In practice, civil servants who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

100

Comments:

References: - Adolphe Minkoa She, Droit de l'homme et droit pénal au Cameroun, Economica, Paris, collection « la vie du droit en Afrique », 1999. -Pierre Titti Nwell, De la coruption au Cameroun, Yaoundé, Gerddes Cameroun et Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2001. - Dr Asafor Chi Cornelius, Le Rôle du comité adhoc de lutte contre la corruption, Rapport final de la première phase du PND, 12 mai 2000 (www.worlbank.org). - Aimé-Francis Amougou, Lutte contre la corruption : une affaire de tous, in Cameroon Tribune, 18/01/2006 (www.cameroon-tribune.net). - François BMG, Cameroun : huit policiers suspendus dans laffaire du trafic des passeports, Agora Vox, 28/02/2006 ([ LINK ]).

Peer Review Comments: That's the biggest risk you can take as a civil servant.

Peer Review Comments: They have no protection.

45c: In law, private sector employees who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

YES

Comments: In Cameroon, corruption affects public offices than the private sector.

References: There is no legal provision concerning this aspect.

45d: In practice, private sector employees who report cases of corruption, graft, abuse of power, or abuse of resources are protected from recrimination or other negative consequences.

Score:

100

Comments: In Cameroon, the corruption affects more the public office than the private sector.

References: - Valentin Simeon Zinga, Lutte contre la corruption : Le Cameroun tente de lutter... contre sa mauvaise réputation, MFI Hebdo, 24/05/2001 (www.rfi.fr).

-Cameroun : Biya crée une commission de lutte contre la corruption, AFP, 13 mars 2006 ([ LINK ]). -Aimé-Francis Amougou, Cameroun: Lutte contre la corruption, la Conac au travail, in Cameroon Tribune, 31 May 2007. - Adolphe Minkoa She, Droit de l'homme et droit pénal au Cameroun, Economica, Paris, collection « la vie du droit en Afrique », 1999. -Pierre Titti Nwell, De la coruption au Cameroun, Yaoundé, Gerddes Cameroun et Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2001. - Denis Nkwebo, Cameroun: Affaire Sydonia - La Conac enquête à la douane, in Mutations, 16 aout 2007(www.lequotidienmutations.net). - Dr Asafor Chi Cornelius, Le Rôle du comité adhoc de lutte contre la corruption, Rapport final de la première phase du PND, 12 mai 2000 (www.worlbank.org). - Aimé-Francis Amougou, Lutte contre la corruption : une affaire de tous, in Cameroon Tribune, 18/01/2006 (www.cameroon-tribune.net). - François BMG, Cameroun : huit policiers suspendus dans laffaire du trafic des passeports, Agora Vox, 28/02/2006 ([ LINK ]).

Peer Review Comments: They have no protection from anybody.

Peer Review Comments: We should distinguish petty corruption and grand corruption. The private sector is more concerned by the second (grand corruption) as are high-ranking officers in public sectors.

In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?

46: In law, is there an internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption?

Score:

YES

Comments: CONAC (in French) or NACC (in English) still remains very discrete in its actions. According to a presidential decree signed on March 11th 2006, a National Anti-Corruption Commission, code-named NACC, and placed under the direct authority of the Head of State, has been created to contribute to the fight against corruption.

References: There is no internal reporting mechanism, though CONAC could take on some of these responsibilities in the future.

In practice, is the internal mechanism (i.e. phone hotline, e-mail address, local office) through which civil servants can report corruption effective?

47a: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption has a professional, full-time staff.

Score:

100

Comments: The Commission is composed of a Coordination Committee, and a Permanent Secretariat. The former is an eleven-member body appointed by presidential decree, headed by a president and vice president. The Permanent Secretariat is composed of three divisions: investigation, prevention and communication, and research and cooperation; and of three services, mails and archives, general affairs, and translation. Commission members have taken the oath of office at the Supreme Court. However, Conac has only been in existence for a few months. Initially, its activities appear to have been very timid.

References: - François-Xavier Deutchoua, Gouvernance : "Du Conac après les ripailles," in Mutations, 12 March 2006 (www.lequotidienmutations.net). - Junior Binyam, "Conac : Paul Biya monte sa vieille garde," in Mutations, 18/03/2007 (www.lequotidienmutations.net). - Edmond Kanguia K., "Le chant du cygne," in La Nouvelle Expression, 20/03/2006 (www.lanouvelleexpression.net). - François Bimogo, "Une Commission de lutte contre la corruption", in Bonaberi.com (11/03/2006) ([ LINK ]). - Francis-Aimé Amougou, "Cameroun: Lutte contre la corruption, la Conac au travail", in Cameroon Tribune, 31 mai 2007(www.cameroon-tribune.net).

Peer Review Comments: This is still being put in place.

Peer Review Comments: Talking about civil servants specifically, an anticorruption committee has been created in each ministry. They also have suggestion boxes. But those committees are not effective. Heads are appointed by the minister, on subjective criteria, and they are not independent.

47b: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption receives regular funding.

Score:

100

Comments: Conac has been in existence only a few months.

Peer Review Comments: Il existe aussi des Cellules de lutte contre la corruption dans tous les ministères. Elles dotés dotées d'un budget de fonctionnement. Mais certains de leurs membres témoignent qu'ils ne se réunissent que pour percevoir les perdiems et que des dossiers sont souvent classés sans suite, notamment quand il s'agit des proches du ministre ou des personnalités du régime.

Peer Review Comments: I do not think that this concerns CONAC, but rather the mechanism put in place in the ministries for civil servants. Those committees in the ministries do not receive regular funding.

47c: In practice, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption acts on complaints within a reasonable time period.

Score:

100

Comments: Conac has only been in existence a few months. It has just made a significant mark concerning the corruption in the case of Sydonia.

References: - Edmond Kanguia K., Le chant du cygne, in La Nouvelle Expression, 20/03/2006 (www.lanouvelleexpression.net). - François Bimogo, Une Commission de lutte contre la corruption, in Bonaberi.com (11/03/2006) ([ LINK ]). - Francis-Aimé Amougou, Cameroun: Lutte contre la corruption, la Conac au travail, in Cameroon Tribune, 31 May 2007 (www.cameroon-tribune.net). - Denis Nkwebo, Cameroun: Affaire Sydonia - La Conac enquête à la douane, in Mutations, 16 aout 2007 (www.lequotidienmutations.net). - François-Xavier Deutchoua, Gouvernance : Du Conac après les ripailles, in Mutations, 12 March 2006 (www.lequotidienmutations.net).

Peer Review Comments: Asset disclosure is a provision of the constitution that has never been applied, so asset disclosure records do not exist and therefore cannot be assessed by citizens.

Peer Review Comments: The minister decides on when and what to do in the committees in the ministry.

47d: In practice, when necessary, the internal reporting mechanism for public sector corruption initiates investigations.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: When irregularities are discovered, the agency/entity is aggressive in investigating the government or in cooperating with other agencies\' investigations. <p>50 Score Criteria: The agency/entity starts investigations, but is limited in its effectiveness. The agency/entity may be slow to act, unwilling to take on politically powerful offenders, reluctant to cooperate with other investigative agencies, or occasionally unable to enforce its judgments. <p>0 Score Criteria: The agency/entity does not effectively investigate. The agency/entity may start investigations but not complete them, may refuse to cooperate with other investigative agencies, or may fail to detect offenders. The agency/entity may be partisan in its application of power.$

Comments: Conac has only a few months of existence. It has just made a significant descent on the ground concerning the corruption in the case of Sydonia.

References: - Edmond Kanguia K., Le chant du cygne, in La Nouvelle Expression, 20/03/2006 (www.lanouvelleexpression.net). - François Bimogo, Une Commission de lutte contre la corruption, in Bonaberi.com (11/03/2006) ([ LINK ]). - Francis-Aimé Amougou, Cameroun: Lutte contre la corruption, la Conac au travail, in Cameroon Tribune, 31 May 2007(www.cameroon-tribune.net). - Denis Nkwebo, Cameroun: Affaire Sydonia - La Conac enquête à la douane, in Mutations, 16 aout 2007(www.lequotidienmutations.net). - François-Xavier Deutchoua, Gouvernance : Du Conac après les ripailles, in Mutations, 12 March 2006 (www.lequotidienmutations.net).