Government Of Cameroon Research Articles

Factors associated with household willingness to pay for Universal Health Coverage in Cameroon: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundSustained financing for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been a concern for the Cameroon government. Household contributions have been considered as a financing mechanism, but this raises concerns on the willingness of households to pay for UHC. The current study assessed factors associated with the willingness to pay (WTP) for UHC in Cameroon.MethodsCommunity based, cross-sectional analysis of data from households (selected via multi-stage, randomized, cluster sampling) across all ten regions of Cameroon, during July 2020. Factors associated with WTP for UHC were determined using a multinominal logistic regression model, tested at varying significance levels (1%, 5%, and 10%) to enhance its ability to detect meaningful and practical value associations.ResultsOverall, 5,014 households were surveyed, 64.3% and 35.6% from rural and urban areas respectively. Household heads were 40.2 ± 10.1 years old and mostly male (60.6%). Most surveyed households (72%) were willing to contribute for UHC. Amongst these willing households, WTP varied with the sex (females opted for lower payments) and educational level (those with ≥ high school education opted for contributions ≥ US$ 165.6 annually, p < 0.01) of the household head. WTP also varied proportionally with household income and was influenced by the sector of activity (formal secondary/tertiary and informal sector workers opted for contributions > US$ 165.6 annually, p < 0.01) of the household head. Other factors affecting WTP included household size (households with ≥ 13 persons opted for contributions ≥ US$ 165.6, p < 0.01) and the age of the household head (those ≥ 55 years opted for higher contributions; US$ 33.1–82.6, p < 0.01). WTP varied positively with knowledge on UHC and affiliation to a health insurance scheme. Household who did not resort to self-medication/prayers when in need of healthcare services opted for higher contributions (US$ 82.6– 165.6, p < 0.01).ConclusionUHC implementation in Cameroon will require that factors shown here-in to influence WTP be carefully considered. Modifiable factors such as self-medication/prayers and poor knowledge on UHC, underlines the need for greater sensitization on UHC. Given the high WTP from the informal sector, characterization of the sector could go a long way to increase the financial envelope allocated for UHC.

A Legal Examination of Stabilization Clauses in Petroleum Contracts in Cameroon

This study aims to explore the legal examination of stabilization clauses in petroleum contracts in Cameroon. Stabilization clauses forms one of the pillars in protecting the interest of foreign investors in petroleum contractual arrangements. These clauses act as a shield to investors as they protect oil companies from the modification attempts in the agreement by host countries by subsequent legislative changes. Their legal validity in the Cameroonian petroleum industry has been guaranteed by the Petroleum Law of the country. However, the findings of this research reveals that the applicability of these clauses remains questionable as the Cameroonian government can implement nationalization and expropriation based on public utility, security or national interest, with suitable compensation. Furthermore, the Cameroonian government can introduce new legislative or regulatory changes in the petroleum contracts, the terms of which must be agreed by both sides and if an agreement is not reached, the matter can be resolved through arbitration.

Digital Warfare: Exploring Cyber Criminality Amidst Armed Conflict in Southwest Region of Cameroon

This research investigates the alarming rise of cyber criminality in the Southwest region of Cameroon, a trend significantly influenced by the ongoing armed conflict that has engulfed the area. Employing a doctrinal research methodology, the study conducts a rigorous content analysis of both primary sources such as case law, treaties, legislative texts, direct observations, and policy documents and secondary sources, including scholarly textbooks, journal articles, comprehensive reports, and various online materials. The analysis utilizes diverse legal reasoning methods, including deductive, inductive, and analogical reasoning. Findings reveal a troubling surge in cyber-criminal activities since the onset of the armed conflict in English-speaking Cameroon, driven by interrelated factors such as rampant unemployment, pervasive economic hardship, widespread illiteracy, and the displacement of individuals. In light of these findings, it is crucial for the Cameroonian government to devise and implement effective strategies that not only combat cyber-crime but also address the socio-economic challenges exacerbated by the conflict. Such comprehensive measures are vital for restoring stability and security in the Southwest region and for fostering a resilient society capable of overcoming the dual impacts of cybercrime and armed conflict.

Assessing the performance of a monocrystalline solar panel under different tropical climatic conditions in Cameroon using artificial neural network

To implement the European Union (EU)-Africa Green Energy Initiative in Cameroon to boost the renewable energy sector, we model the performance of a 500 W monocrystalline solar panel in major cities of Cameroon located in different climatic zones to select the best location for the installation of a solar farm. We also evaluate the contribution of seasonal and weather variability to the amount and stability of power generated by the panel using the artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN model was used to train and test the ERA5 hourly data for Bamenda. The model was then used to estimate Photovoltaic (PV) output in Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, Garoua, and Maroua with a mean absolute error of 4.109 × 10−5, 4.699 × 10−5, 3.563 × 10−5, 3.106 × 10−5, and 3.083 × 10−5 kW, respectively. The results show that the ANN can capture the influence of weather variability on the generated output power. Cloud cover and rainfall are found to negatively affect the amount and stability of generated power in the lower latitude cities of Douala and Yaounde compared to the northern cities, with these effects being stronger in the rainy season than in the dry season. Garoua followed by Maroua are proving to be the best locations for installing a solar park in terms of the amount and stability of electricity generated throughout the year. The Cameroonian government, its EU partners, and other stakeholders involved in the development of solar energy in the country will be able to use the results of this study for better decision-making.

Foreign or Domestic Public Debt for Cameroon’s Development? An Externality Approach

Public debt plays a major role in financing projects that support economic growth and sustainable development. As governments may choose between domestic and external borrowing, a comprehensive assessment of their effects would support this choice. Our study provides an integrative view of economic and social outcomes and compares, through externalities, the impacts of external and domestic public debt as methods of financing development, with a focus on the Cameroonian economy. Utilizing a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and a microsimulation analysis, we find that domestic debt has more advantages for Cameroon compared to external debt, as it increases the large-scale economic impact by improving household welfare, boosting GDP growth, and progressively reducing poverty and inequality. It is therefore recommended that the Cameroonian government focus on increasing the use of domestic debt as a method of financing development by implementing policies that support domestic saving and promote the development of domestic debt markets.

The Green Tree Agreement over Bakassi: The Perception of the Bakassi Inhabitants towards its Implementation

The Bakassi ruckus between Cameroon and Nigeria was primarily caused by colonialism and the discovery of natural resources in the area. This conflict was solved by the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling of October 10, 2002. To agree that they have stopped hostilities, Cameroon and Nigeria signed the Green Tree Agreement (GTA). The main thrust of this paper is to showcase the Bakassi inhabitants’ perception and views of Cameroon’s implementation of GTA. We obtained data from secondary interviews and observations. Interviews were conducted in the Bamusso, and Idabato subdivisions in Bakassi using snowball and purposive sample techniques. To analyse the data obtained, content and thematic analyses were used, as well as liaising them with the concepts of peace agreement and perception. From the paper's findings, it reveals that the level of development, security, interaction with official, and environmental problems are the inhabitants’ main views. It also reveals that, according to the people, the Cameroon government needs to do a lot on development and tackling environmental issues. The issue of security and interaction with Cameroon officials has positive thumbs up. This paper suggests that the Cameroon government should prioritize infrastructure development and address environmental issues in the Bakassi region. This will go a long way to ensure and preserve peace in the area.

Structural barriers to maternity care in Cameroon: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe maternal mortality and perinatal mortality rate in Cameroon are among the highest worldwide. To improve these outcomes, we conducted a formative qualitative assessment to inform the adaptation of a mobile provider-to-provider intervention in Cameroon. We explored the complex interplay of structural barriers on maternity care in this low-resourced nation. The study aimed to identify structural barriers to maternal care during the early adaptation of the mobile Medical Information Service via Telephone (mMIST) program in Cameroon.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups with 56 key stakeholders including previously and currently pregnant women, primary healthcare providers, administrators, and representatives of the Ministry of Health, recruited by purposive sampling. Thematic coding and analysis via modified grounded theory approach were conducted using NVivo12 software.ResultsThree main structural barriers emerged: (1) civil unrest (conflict between Ambazonian militant groups and the Cameroonian government in the Northwest), (2) limitations of the healthcare system, (3) inadequate physical infrastructure. Civil unrest impacted personal security, transportation safety, and disrupted medical transport system. Limitations of healthcare system involved critical shortages of skilled personnel and medical equipment, low commitment to evidence-based care, poor reputation, ineffective health system communication, incentives affecting care, and inadequate data collection. Inadequate physical infrastructure included frequent power outages and geographic distribution of healthcare facilities leading to logistical challenges.ConclusionDynamic inter-relations among structural level factors create barriers to maternity care in Cameroon. Implementation of policies and intervention programs addressing structural barriers are necessary to facilitate timely access and utilization of high-quality maternity care.

Illicit Financial Flows and the Petroleum Sector in Cameroon: Hitches and Policy Considerations

Cameroon depends to a large extent on the extraction of petroleum resources for their exports and tax revenue. However, this sector has been prone to generate illicit financial outflows over the years, causing the State to lose billions of dollars to this activity. In 2019, it was estimated that Cameroon lost over 7 billion US dollars which was approximately 4,200 billion XAF to IFFs. The loss was attributed to multinational companies operating in the oil, mining and gas sector in Cameroon. This study therefore aims at examining how the regulatory frameworks in the petroleum sector have been able to curtail the rise of IFFs in this sector. The paper also sheds light on the role of transparency in curtailing illicit financial flows, the catalysts of IFFs, the effects of and the hitches faced in curtailing IFFs in petroleum sector in Cameroon. The study underscores the fact that though the Cameroonian government has made laudable efforts through enactment of laws and putting in place regulatory structures to curtail this activity, lack of transparency, limited State participation in petroleum contractual arrangements, corruption, weak regulatory frameworks, tax evasion, trade mispricing and tax heavens remained the principal hitches to IFFs. Based on these findings, this study recommends strengthening of transparency mechanisms for oil licenses and contract awards, increased in State participation in oil contractual arrangements, citizen’s inclusivity during the negotiation processes and signing of oil contracts, regular publication of oil data and revenue to the public amongst others.

The Special Bilingual Education Programme in Cameroon: The Scientific and Technical Components in Question

Any teaching programme intends to train a specific type of citizens who able to answer a specific need of a country. It is for that purpose that the Special Bilingual Education Programme (SBEP) was launched in some Cameroonian secondary schools. That programme aims to train perfect bilingual students, and this goes in line with the promotion of bilingualism established by the Cameroonian government. This paper questions the marginalization/ ignorance of scientific and technical education within that programme which normally is supposed to consider all the components of education. The data was collected through questionnaires administered to 100 science students and 20 teachers of five bilingual secondary schools that host the Special Bilingual Education Programme. Another questionnaire was administered to 100 technical students and 10 teachers of three technical schools, making a total of 230 informants. The results revealed that the marginalization/ ignorance of scientific and technical components in the Special Bilingual Education Programme is a serious problem. Students who enrol in that programme and who ambition to continue with scientific studies are forced to leave it after the BEPC (Brevet d’Etudes du Premier Cycle) and the GCE- Ordinary Level examinations. Technical education students who want to be bilingual cannot enrol in that programme. This paper recommends that the government include the scientific and technical components into the Special Bilingual Education Programme to enable science and technical students to benefit from it.

Gender-based violence and its health risks on women in Yaoundé, Cameroon

IntroductionGender-based violence (GBV) is a major public health problem that disproportionately affects women. In Cameroon, as well as other countries worldwide, GBV has immediate effects on women’s health, with one in three women experiencing physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner, affecting their physical and reproductive health. The objective of this study was to determine the health risks associated with GBV among women in Yaoundé.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Yaoundé (Cameroon), from August to October 2022. Adverse health outcome included mental disorders, physical trauma, gynaecological trauma, behavioral disorders, and any other disorder. Tests of associations were used to establish relationships between qualitative variables. Associations were further quantified using crude odds ratio (OR) for univariate analysis and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for multivariate analysis with 95% confidence interval (CI). Independent variables included: Physical violence, Sexual violence, Economic violence, Emotional violence, Age, Number of children, and Marital status. Variables with p-value˂0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 404 women aged 17 to 67 years were interviewed. Emotional violence was the most commonly reported violence (78.8%), followed by economic violence (56.9%), physical violence (45.8%) and sexual violence (33.7%). The main reasons for violence were jealousy (25.7%), insolence (19.3%) and the refusal to have sexual intercourse (16.3%). The prevalences of adverse health outcomes were physical trauma (90.9%), followed by mental disorders (70,5%), gynaecological trauma (38.4%), behavioral disorders (29.7%), and other (5.5%). Most victims reported at least one of the above-mentioned conditions (80.2%). Women who were victims of any kind of violence had a higher likelihood of experiencing adverse health outcomes: physical violence [OR = 34.9, CI(10.8-112.9), p < 0.001]; sexual violence [OR = 1.5, CI(0.9–2.7), p = 0.11]; economic violence [OR = 2.4, CI(1.4–3.9), p = 0.001]; and emotional violence [OR = 2.9, CI(1.7–4.9), p < 0.001]. Using multiple binary logistic regression, only physical violence [aOR = 15.4, CI(6.7–22.5), p = 0.001] remained highly associated with an increased likelihood of having adverse health outcomes.ConclusionThis study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to address GBV, including improved reporting and documentation of cases, increased awareness among healthcare providers, the establishment of support networks for victims, primary and secondary prevention of GBV. It is essential that the Government of Cameroon, through the Ministries in charge of Health and Women’s Empowerment, minimizes the health effects of GBV through early identification, monitoring, and treatment of GBV survivors by providing them with high-quality health care services.

Mining Law in Cameroon: A Blueprint for Investors in the Sector

Cameroon is currently at an important crossroads as far as the development of the mining sector is concerned. In recent times, the mining sector has undergone series of legislative reforms with the aim to spur the interest of investors in this sector of the economy. These legislative reforms have also been in line with the country’s vision to become emergent by 2035, with the mining sector been one of those sectors to spur the realization of this vision. This paper therefore aims at examining the extent to which the Cameroonian mining law has become a tool to attract investors in this sector of the economy which in the past decades has witnessed a downturn of investors. The paper makes use of the qualitative research methods. Despite significant strides that the Cameroonian government has made to make to lure the interest of investors, inadequacies of the mining law, lack of transparency and accountability, discrimination in terms of obtaining certain mining licences and political instability are the major setbacks that has hindered the continuous growth of the sector. It is in this light that the research recommends both nationals and non-nationals should be involved in artisanal mining, tax and customs incentives should not only be limited to holders of semi mechanized and industrial mining permits or licences, transparency and accountability should be strengthened through continuous publication of mining data and declaration of revenue obtained from this sector, and rehabilitation of the mining sites should be effectively supervised by the concerned body.

Integration of Internally Displaced Children in the Labour Market During a Period of Crisis Related to Cultural Depravity in the Mayo Tsanaga Division - Far North Region of Cameroon

Objective: This article takes a holistic look at the integration of internally displaced children, who have graduated or are in the final stages of a general education course, into the labour market in a crisis situation in the Department of Mayo Tsanaga. Method: This anthropological research is based on empirical data collected from students, MINEDUB/MINAS officials, NGOs and members of the host community. Before going into the field, an information note indicating the purpose of the study, the period of the study and the profile of the interviewer was sent to the administrative authorities. As in all qualitative research, the saturation point was reached after ten interviews, i.e. until it seemed that no new information could be obtained. The interviews were conducted individually in the locations requested by the respondents, and then recorded using a Dictaphone, and sometimes by Android telephone. Results: This article takes a holistic look at the integration of internally displaced children who have completed their schooling into the labour market. The analysis shows that no specific measures are being taken by the Cameroon government and its implementing partners in charge of education to recruit this vulnerable group who, despite the difficulties they face as a result of forced displacement, have nonetheless managed to complete their schooling. Discussion: The particularity of this article is that, in addition to being situated between forced displacement, terrorism and formal education, as UNESCO states, "in a crisis situation you have to save education". With cultural connectivity as its Ariadne's thread, this article mobilises the measures taken by stakeholders to encourage or compel parents to contribute to their children's education despite the hostilities, insecurity and armed conflicts that have arisen. Conclusion: The IDPs who are the subject of this study come from villages and communities in the Mayo Tsanaga department, with different cultures and d

Vermicomposting of Sludge from the Camp SIC Cité-Verte Wastewater Treatment Plant (Yaounde-Cameroon)

In Yaounde, as in most sub-Sahara African cities, wastewater management is a major concern. Through its national sanitation strategy, Cameroonian government takes many initiatives to improve the urban sanitation situation by constructing social housing, where wastewater treatment plants are integrated. However, their purification performance is often low and the by-products represent great risk factors. This paper focuses on preserving the health of the population, reducing environmental pollution, and improving soil fertility by vermicomposting sludge from the Yaounde Camp SIC Cité-Verte wastewater treatment plant. The methodological approach consisted of the characterisation of sludge, followed by the vermicomposting test. At the end of the 35-day process, the produced vermicompost was characterized, and its agronomic efficiency was tested on waterleaf (Talinum triangulare) cultivation. The Yaounde Camp SIC Cité-Verte wastewater treatment plant consistently produces an average of 239 Kg of sludge per day. The sludge is primarily composed of high carbonaceous material (53%) and contains essential nutrients for plant growth (NPK: 13%), along with pathogenic microorganisms and heavy metals in low concentrations. The characterisation of the vermicomposts obtained after 35 days showed a conservation of nutrients (NPK) concentration and a decrease in carbonaceous matter and heavy metals. Moreover, there was a complete absence of fecal pathogens in the vermicompost of the two setups. The agronomic efficiency of the vermicomposts on waterleaf was shown by a high germination rate (100 % for vermicomposts), a high number of leaves (28 ± 15), a deep green coloration of plants, a great plant length (17.3 ± 4.6 cm), and a large stem diameter (2.1 ± 0.4 cm). The NPK content (˃7%) indicates that the vermicompost produced can be used as an agricultural organic fertilizer.

Use of ICT and the Application of E-Governance Strategies in Service Delivery by Local Councils in Cameroon: The Case of Local Councils in the Bamenda Municipality

The increasing use of information and communication technology (ICT) by Cameroonians has brought changes in citizen's needs and demands and has raised expectations on how services should be provided. Citizens need to carry out transactions (transactional services) conveniently and obtain accessible, reliable, and sustainable information (information services) from their local government. Unfortunately, this is still far from the reality in some selected local councils in Cameroon, given that they use ICT mainly for administrative and not service delivery purposes. Therefore, this paper's main objective is to establish a link between ICT usage and the empowerment of local councils in the application of e-governance strategies for information and transaction services delivery. The theoretical framework used in the paper included Technology Acceptance, Wider Dissemination, and e-governance Models. The stratified purposive and systematic random sampling techniques were employed to obtain needed data from the Bamenda I, II, and III municipalities in the North West Region. The findings of this paper revealed that a significant number of local councils are already using their ICTs to provide information services. However, none of them so far are using ICT for transactional service delivery purposes. Also, we observed a gap between citizen expectations and local council provision of information and transactional services. This paper found that the use of ICT to apply e-governance strategies would improve local council service delivery in terms of accessibility to information by citizens and sustainability of council information services, also promote transparency in transactions between the council and the citizens, and ease transactions between citizens and local councils in terms of time and cost. Thus, this paper recommends that local councils digitalize manual service delivery processes through their operational IT units. Also, for the Cameroon government to achieve the goals stated in the NDS30 Plan for a Digital Cameroon, it must consider effectively involving local councils in the national digitalization initiatives. This can be done by encouraging them to adapt their information and transactional service delivery procedures to more ICT-based strategies despite the challenges involved.

The Dynamics of Cameroon’s Major National Dialogue and Attempts at Resolving the Anglophone Crisis since 2016: Understanding National and International Responses

The Dynamics of Cameroon’s Major National Dialogue and Attempts at Resolving the Anglophone Crisis since 2016: Understanding National and International Responses

Assessment of the health care offer of free malaria treatment among under five children in the Dschang health district

Introduction: Malaria is the most widespread endemic disease in Cameroon and is a major public health problem, placing a heavy burden on the well-being of children under the age of 5, who are a vulnerable target. In order to combat this burden, the Cameroonian government has provided free malaria treatment for children under 5 since February 2011 for simple, uncomplicated malaria and since May 2014 for severe malaria. The aim of this study was to describe the provision of free malaria treatment for children under five in the Dschang health district. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in the Dschang health district from November 2022 to July 2023 in public and private health facilities providing malaria treatment for children under five. Data were collected using a semi structured questionnaire administered face-to-face to health facility personnel. The data were analysed using SPSS 20 software for proportions, and ArcGIS 10.3.1 for a map of the provision of free malaria treatment in the Dschang health district. Results: Of the 88 health facilities visited in the Dschang Health District, most personnel that participated were state nurse and where in the rural area, belonging to the 6th category of health facilities and being in the private sector. Only 21 (23.6%) health facilities offering free malaria treatment for children under five in the Dschang Health District. Most health facilities were in need of materials and drug subventions. Most health personnel 74 (84.1%) had a good knowledge on free malaria treatment policy, and the main barrier face by these health facilities was the lack of subvention 71 (80.7%). Conclusion: Most health facilities do not offer free malaria treatment even if, most of them are well informed about the free malaria treatment policy in Cameroon.

Fiscal Decentralization, Good Governance and Local Economic Development in councils in Ngoketunjia Division, Cameroon

Abstract Dissatisfaction about the form of the state in Cameroon led to the putting in place of law No. 2019/024 of December 2019 instituting the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, envisioned to improve local governance and impact local economic development. This, it was hoped will limit the interference of the central government in the management of regional and local affairs. Contrary to this theoretical supposition, there is still apparent strong centralization of financial powers by the central government in Cameroon. The rapport between the central government and the lower levels of government is rather that of command and obey relationship. Consequently, fiscal decentralization that is likely to promote good governance and engender local economic development at both regional and local levels appears to be rather an instrument of control for the central government, raising a concern as to the link existing between fiscal decentralization, good governance and local economic development in councils in Ngoketunjia Division. Employing largely a quantitative approach and within the prism of survey research design, guided by the efficiency theory of local government, findings revealed that fiscal decentralization, good governance and the transfer of revenue assignments and expenditure responsibilities following the enactment of the decentralization code on local economic development in councils in Ngoketunjia division has achieved little local economic development, established statistically by a calculated chi square value which stood at 152.14 as opposed to table value 26.217, leading to the rejection of the alternative hypothesis while the null hypothesis was accepted. It was discovered again that, there is no significant link between fiscal decentralization, good governance and local economic development in Councils in Ngoketunjia Division, shown in the computation of chi square test that stood at 130.8, disparate to table value of 26.217. The outcome was the rejection of the alternative hypotheses and acceptance of the null hypothesis. The paper concludes that, in Cameroon and particularly in the councils in Ngoketunjia division, there is tight de-concentration power rather than fiscal decentralization and good governance, suggesting that, the impact of fiscal decentralization and good governance on local economic development in councils in Ngoketunjia division is simply an ideological construct yearning for effective implementation. Keywords: Fiscal Decentralisation, Good Governance, Local Economic Development, Decentralisation, Local Government

2Committee on Freedom of Association (cfa) of the International Labor Organization (ilo): Complaint against the Government of Cameroon presented by the Confederation of Public Service Unions (cps), Case No 3428, June 2023

2Committee on Freedom of Association (cfa) of the International Labor Organization (ilo): Complaint against the Government of Cameroon presented by the Confederation of Public Service Unions (cps), Case No 3428, June 2023

Perceptions around COVID-19 among patients and community members in urban areas in Cameroon: A qualitative perspective.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cameroonian government, to abide by international regulations, prescribed preventive measures, which affected many aspects of social, political, economic, and cultural life. However, there needs to be more in-depth exploration of how communities in Cameroon perceived and were impacted by COVID-19. We explored perceptions and misconceptions concerning COVID-19's impact on urban communities' daily lives in Cameroon. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with a heterogeneous sample of 25 participants from five different social categories (health personnel, patients with a confirmed COVID-19 infection, close contacts of patients, community members, and community leaders) to assess their perceptions of the disease. Interviews and FGDs were recorded, fully transcribed, coded manually, and analyzed using a thematic analysis iterative coding process. Three main themes were identified: 1) Knowledge of COVID-19: antagonism between disease and invention, 2) Barrier measures imposed by the "dominant culture," and 3) Impact of COVID-19 on daily lives. Our study revealed perceptions around general knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting acceptance and observation of government-imposed protective measures while highlighting the significant changes endured in participants' daily lives. These findings draw attention to the need to develop flexible and appropriate response strategies for different communities. Although Cameroonian populations were not as intensely affected by the burden of the disease of COVID-19 as other regions, they were still compelled to follow static "cookie-cutter" measures that were internationally imposed, affecting their daily lives in ways that seemed disproportionate to their own experiences of the crisis. These findings have potential implications for the legitimacy of public health institutions and responses.

Resource abundance: Blessing or curse? Comparative analyses of point and diffuse resources

The objective of this study is to assess the short and long run effects of renewable and non-renewable resource rents on economic growth in Cameroon. Taking crude oil rents and forest resource rents as proxies for non-renewable and renewable resources respectively for the period 1977–2018, we employed the autoregressive and dynamic autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL/DynARDL) modelling frameworks to achieve the stated objective. Results from the ARDL model indicate that, in the short run, both the renewable and non-renewable resources have a positive and significant effect on economic growth but the point resource is more significant than the diffused. A clear disparity in results is however noticed in the long run. While the point resources show that natural resources are a curse to long run growth, the diffuse resources reveal that natural resources are a blessing to long run growth. From the DynARDL simulation, a negative shock of the point resources leads to a fall in economic growth whereas diffuse resource indicates an increase. This shows that point resources are more prone to the resource-curse thesis and diffuse resources to resource-bless thesis. Contingent on these findings, the Cameroon government should ensure a proper allocation of natural resource revenues especially point resource rents to growth-inducing investment or social overhead capital such as open new markets, transport infrastructures, and power sectors, so as to enhance growth and development.