CONAC says recorded over 7,500 denunciations in 2023.

According to Massi Gams, CONAC in the year 2023, received some 7,548 denunciations. This figure, he regretted, surpassed the 7,061 cases documented in 2022. Massi Gams, in his speech, did not mince words when outlining the severity of the issue. 

“Corruption continues to wreak havoc on our society,” he stated, while regretting that “despite ongoing efforts to combat the problem, it remains widespread and entrenched in various key sectors”. 

The CONAC Chairman equally underscored the urgent need for enhanced measures and greater accountability to curb this threat, which is not only impeding the country’s development but also eroding public trust in institutions.

To Massi Gams, the battle against corruption in Cameroon is far from over. “The numbers are disturbing, but they also represent an opportunity for change,” he noted, adding that for the country to overcome the challenge, it will require sustained efforts from all levels and sectors for it is only together that they can kick out corruption from the system.

The same report revealed that the government has lost some 114 billion FCFA to corruption with the education sector most affected. This, he regretted, has increased in 2023 as compared to less than 5 billion FCFA lost in 2022.

According to Massi Gams, top among the complaints was the misappropriation of Parent Teachers Association, PTA, levies, bribes for admissions of learners and the illegal increase in registration fee for official exams.

He equally commended the efforts of institutions and the population for their collaboration while calling on other institutions to join the fight against corruption in the country.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3248 of Thursday October 03, 2024