Is the bank for Small and Medium-size Enterprises, off-limits for Anglophones?

This reporter has gathered from a myriad of sources that, since the Cameroonian bank for small and medium-size enterprises, SME bank, known in French as Banque Camerounaise des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (BC-PME), went operational on Monday July 20, 2015, very few or no Cameroonian of the English Speaking expression is yet to benefit from the governments initiative. 

The bank whose creation was announced by the Prime Minister, head of government, Philemon Yang, on November 28, 2013 at the National Assembly with aim to assist farmers and support agricultural projects throughout the national territory has been reported to be biased in its selection and processing of files.

Not only is the bank situated only in the French speaking regions, it is almost an impossibility for any Cameroonian of the English speaking benefit from the special scheme put forth by the head of state, President Paul Biya.

Biya's promise to to Cameroonians or Francophones?

The bank with headquarters in Nlongkak-Yaounde, it should be emphasized, went operational with a capital of 10 Billion FCFA. However, reports hold that for over its two year of existence not even a single project form an Anglophone has been financed, despite the hundreds of documents that some destitute businessmen and women continue to table daily at their offices.

One of the applicants who visited the bank recently hinted this reporter that “from all indications, that bank was created to finance project only from Francophones. It really sad because to the best of my knowledge, the bank is supposed to serve us all but what they do is that once they detect you are from the North West or South West Regions, you are told your file is incomplete or that you are not eligible to obtain the loan. But they will never tell you which document is lacking neither will they inform you of what you need to benefit from what governments aid.”

Our source who came along with another victim of the sad tale all pleaded for anonymity for fear of been targeted. One of the victims revealed that what they do at the bank for Small and Medium-size enterprises is to provide assistance only to their friends, family members and in-laws with assurances that they too will get a percentage of the money.

The duo equally while pleading on the government to create regional branches in all ten regions of the national territory so as to ensure equal opportunity for all, picked on the banks general manager, Agnes Ndoumbe Mandeng, accusing her for doing little or nothing to remedy the situation no matter the hundreds of complaints filed at her desk daily. 

The bank it should be noted was created as one of President Paul Biya’s promises made in Ebolowa at the 2011 agro -pastoral show. The bank which aims at boosting the activities of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises by making available capital through loans to managers of small enterprises upon its creation, was saluted by Cameroonians who breathe a sigh of relief that the bank shall help cushion the problem of finances which poses as a crude problem to businesses in Cameroon.