Cameroon 's Reunification Controversy: Open Door To Violence

By AYAH Paul ABINE*
Cameroon Radio Television – CRTV – in its programme “Cameroon Calling” of February 23, 2014, interviewed a number of persons about the high-sounding nothing christened “50th Anniversary of Reunification”. Among them was Dr Simon Munzu. Munzu, inter alia, dismissed as unworkable Mola Njoh Litumbe’s contention that there is no legal “reunification” between la Republique du Cameroun and Southern Cameroons; and that there is need for dialogue, leading to the signing of an instrument of joining. The ground of Dr Munzu’s stance is that the United Nations did endorse the plebiscite and that it cannot come back on what it has done. He was categorical that the United Nations will not even entertain the issue.

    With much respect, one would opine that Munzu made a political pronouncement akin to a layman’s assertion rather than a statement of law. Even as law is essentially argumentative, it would be unfair not to suppose that Munzu, for incomprehensible reasons, overlooked basic notions of the law. With his leave, we propose to draw the learned man of law’s attention to some basic facts and law. 

    We all know that relevancy is the cardinal canon in every legal disputation. And so do we talk about the fact in issue; facts relevant to the fact in issue; and facts relevant to facts relevant to the fact in issue. In sum, it is elementary law that relevancy does not stretch with infinite elasticity. Munzu may therefore wish to agree with us that the conduct of the plebiscite has never been an issue relevant to the fact in issue that the joining of la Republique to Cameroun by Southern Cameroun is not evidenced in writing. Panels of eminent scholars have so found over the years, thereby endorsing our stance, among us Mola Njoh Litumbe, that there is no legal instrument (document) showing that the two countries have ever been one. The President of la Republique du Cameroun does not hold to the contrary.

  Intellectual honesty demands then that Munzu who holds himself out as being more knowledgeable than all of us, including the members of the various panels, (perhaps more president than the President of la Republique du Cameroun), and who consequently holds a contrary view, should name the relevant document, or even just refer us to it. That, in all honesty, is the legal means of proof or disproof. No-one needs to be a fellow in law to din this into Dr Munzu’s head. 

    If the learned doctor’s trump card is the worthless document called “Cameroon Federal Constitution”, Munzu knows, or at least is presumed to know, that the said document was enacted by the National Assembly of la Republique du Cameroun in April, 1961 – some six months prior to the purported reunification on October 1, 1961. Neither in the context of time nor space did the National Assembly of la Republique du Cameroun have jurisdiction over Southern Cameroons. It is elementary law that, as long as that foreign instrument, namely, “Cameroon Federal Constitution”, was not ratified by the Southern Cameroons House of Assembly, (and perhaps the House of chiefs), prior to the date of the so-called reunification, the said document does not have any binding effect on Southern Cameroons.    Even if any legal instrument there ever was that evidenced the joining, that did not dispense with the legal duty imposed by Article 102 of the United Nations Charter on the member state that la Republique to Cameroun had been since September 1960 to deposit the instrument with the United Nations as evidence of variation in the international boundaries of that member state as of its date of independence. It may not be insulting to say that there is nothing inscrutable about that contention; at least not for a person of Munzu’s erudition.

    Granted by the widest and wildest stretch of imagination that there was joining as per the process laid down by the United Nations, on what ground does Munzu base his categorical assertion that the United Nations can never undo what it has done? Munzu knows, or ought to know, that Kosovo was part of Yugoslavia that was a member state of the United Nations. Similarly were East Timor, Eritrea, and South Sudan yesterday parts of member states of the United Nations. Yet did the same United Nations carve out those new states. If Southern Cameroons is a case sui generis, intellectual honesty here again burdens Munzu with proof of the fact that Southern Cameroons is a special case. Millions of Southern Cameroonians expect Munzu to unburden himself so as to dissipate rightful suspicion. That seems important and imperative because not too many ordinary Southern Cameroonians may understand what appears to be a subtle message from him. 

    Indeed, Southern Cameroonians of a reasonable station in life do find Munzu’s subtlety bare of ambiguity. They know that for his learning and relations with the United Nations, Munzu is possessed of all the facts. He surely is not wrong in his assertions relative to the conduct of international business by that world body. It is common knowledge that only violence compelled the United Nations to create the new nations out of its member states. Munzu therefore advises that our slogan of “the force of argument…” can never set the United Nations in motion. To explain in superfluity, Munzu is categorical that the only language the United Nations understands is violence. And that, after all, is enshrined in the charter of the world body!

* Ayah Paul is a career magistrate of exceptional class and Secretary-General of People's Action Party(PAP),an opposition political party in Cameroon..He is a two-term former Member of Parliament 

Cameroon : President Paul Biya's 50th Anniversary of Reunification Speech

The Mayor of Buea  Ekema Patrick shakes hands with President Biya,after  presenting  his welcome speech / photo credit:PRC

Following is President Paul Biya's speech on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Cameroon's reunification ,which he presided  at ,February 20, in Buea. The speech is a mixture of English and French .Cameroon is a bilingual country,with French and English as official languages.NB:Subtitles indicating language separation is the editor's addition. The Speech:

"•The President of the Senate,

 •The President of the National Assembly,

•Prime Minister Head of Government,

•The President of the Supreme Court,

•Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Representatives of International Organisations,

•My dear compatriots,  

•Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank the Mayor of Buea for the warm words of welcome addressed to my wife and me.

I wish to extend my warm greetings to the dynamic people of the South-West region who have come out in such great numbers, from Fako, from Kupe Manenguba, from Lebialem, from Manyu, from Meme and from Ndian to welcome my wife and me on this great occasion. As you all know, the South-West region has always been very close to my heart.

I also thank you all who have come from the other regions of the country, from the Adamawa, from the Centre, from the East, from the Far-North, from the Littoral, from the North, from the North-West, from the South and from the West. Your massive presence here today is testimony not only of our unity in diversity, but also of the importance you attach to the Reunification of our country.

I have not forgotten our friends, the members of the diplomatic corps and the representatives of International Organisations, who have come to attend this important ceremony. I thank them immensely for their participation and support.

At the beginning of this commemorative ceremony, I would like to express our great appreciation to the United Nations and to friendly countries who have worked with us for the independence and reunification of Cameroon.

I also want to thank all our external partners whose support to our development efforts, over the past fifty years, remained constant. We know we can continue to rely on their friendship, for the future.

•Fellow compatriots,  

•Ladies and gentlemen,

At long last, here we are in Buea ! Here we are in Buea to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Reunification. As the English people say, BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. In fact, after a long period of preparation, we are finally glad to be here in this historic town of Buea, the town of LEGENDARY HOSPITALITY. I am glad to be in Buea, the bedrock of our Reunification. History has not forgotten that Buea was the headquarters of West Cameroon. History has not forgotten that Buea was the capital of Southern Cameroons. And history has not forgotten that Buea was once the capital of German Cameroon. That is why I say that Buea is a historic town.

I am proud, very proud to be in Buea, proud to walk on the same soil like our heroes who fought for Reunification.

I have been to Buea several times. Today I can see that Buea has changed a great deal. I hope that you are also of the same opinion. I hope that you too see the same things I see. There is no doubt that Buea is now a befitting capital for the South-West region. A lot of work has been carried out here. It is my wish that other regional headquarters look as beautiful as Buea.

 [ In French]

•Mes chers compatriotes,  

•Mesdames et Messieurs,

Pendant le cycle des festivités des Cinquantenaires, nous avons revisité notre histoire ; nous l’avons fait  découvrir aux jeunes générations. 

Notre jeunesse a pu ainsi faire la connaissance des hommes et des femmes qui ont écrit les pages glorieuses du Cameroun. Elle a pu constater ô combien il est difficile de fonder une nation, de rassembler un peuple et de faire son unité. 

Car, en ce 1er octobre 1961, après plus de quarante ans de séparation, les Camerounais des deux rives du Moungo se sont retrouvés. 

La marche vers la réunification fut une odyssée qui n’était pas sans risques. Ce fut un chemin parsemé d’épreuves, de délicates négociations pour notre jeune diplomatie, et quelque fois d’oppositions internes qu’il fallait prendre en compte. Notre unité nationale n’a vu le jour que grâce au courage, à la volonté, à l’audace et à la sagesse de Camerounaises et de Camerounais de conviction, qui avaient foi en leur peuple et en leur capacité à prendre en main son destin.

Nous tenons aujourd’hui à rendre un vibrant hommage à ces dignes fils et filles du Cameroun dont le nationalisme a conduit à l’indépendance et à la réunification de notre Patrie.

Nous pensons à ces compatriotes qui, en signant le traité de protectorat, ont refusé d’aliéner l’essentiel, c’est-à-dire la terre de nos ancêtres. Cette volonté de défendre le patrimoine du Cameroun continue de nous habiter de nos jours notamment à travers nos vaillantes forces armées. Elles n’hésitent pas à sacrifier leurs vies pour la sécurité de nos frontières.

Nous pensons également à nos représentants qui ont plaidé avec acharnement le dossier de notre réunification auprès de la Société des Nations d’abord, de l’Organisation des Nations Unies ensuite.  Nous sommes restés fidèles à cette tradition de recours aux organisations internationales pour faire triompher nos revendications légitimes. Cette attitude résolue mais pacifique, nous l’avons adoptée lorsqu’il s’est agi de rétablir la souveraineté camerounaise  sur la presqu’île de Bakassi.

Les étudiants de l’Ecole Normale de Foulassi, auteurs de ce chant de ralliement devenu notre hymne national dont nous sommes si fiers aujourd’hui, méritent d’être cités en exemple. Il en est de même de ces étudiants de la diaspora qui, en leur temps, ont apporté une contribution majeure dans la restauration de notre unité d’antan.

Nous célébrons aujourd’hui la mémoire, dans le recueillement et avec reconnaissance, de nos héros nationaux. Nous associons à cet hommage les participants à la Conférence Constitutionnelle de Foumban  qui se déroula du 16 au 21 juillet 1961.

Nous les remercions tous au nom de la Nation tout entière pour leur vaillance, pour leurs sacrifices, pour leur abnégation. Ils nous ont légué un Cameroun devenu Un et Indivisible. En ce jour exceptionnel, nous nous devons d’avoir, à leur égard, une pensée émue, mêlée d’un sentiment de profonde gratitude. 

Aujourd’hui plus qu’hier, nous leur disons que nous tenons indéfectiblement à l’unité nationale qu’ils nous ont léguée, que nous préserverons notre souveraineté qu’ils ont conquise et notre indépendance qu’ils ont payée quelque fois au prix de leur sang. Nous exhortons notre jeunesse à être fière de l’histoire de notre pays. Nous lui demandons de perpétuer, avec ferveur, la mémoire de nos héros nationaux et de célébrer les évènements fondateurs de notre pays. Il n’y a pas de grand peuple sans mémoire du passé.

•Camerounaises, Camerounais,

 Le 1er octobre 1961 est un jour historique. Un jour de grand bonheur pour tous les Camerounais. Après 42 ans d’incertitudes et de vicissitudes, des frères, longtemps séparés, qui n’ont jamais cessé de se rechercher, se trouvent enfin réunis… et réunis pour toujours.

Le 1er octobre 1961, jour de la Renaissance du grand Cameroun, est un jour de gloire immense pour notre pays.

•Mes chers compatriotes, 

•Mesdames et Messieurs,

Qu’avons-nous fait durant ces cinquante dernières années ? Nous nous sommes attelés à construire peu à peu dans l’unité cette nation camerounaise tant désirée. Mais il faut se souvenir qu’au lendemain de notre indépendance et de notre réunification, des oiseaux de mauvais augure prédisaient notre échec. Certains allaient jusqu’à dire que le Cameroun sombrerait dans le chaos.

Et de fait, durant les cinquante premières années, nous n’avons pas eu la vie facile. A une douloureuse guerre civile a succédé une sévère crise économique. Tout au long de ces épreuves, le peuple camerounais a fait montre d’un courage exceptionnel et a déjoué tous les pronostics pessimistes. Il a travaillé pour construire patiemment, dans l’unité et la paix, cette nation camerounaise dont nous sommes si fiers. Il s’est efforcé de rattraper les retards et de réparer les injustices accumulées pendant la colonisation.

S’il va de soi que nous avons un devoir de mémoire,  nous avons aussi une obligation de vérité. Le devoir de mémoire ne saurait avoir de valeur ni exister, sans l’obligation de vérité.

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était permettre à chacun de recevoir une éducation assurant l’égalité des chances. Au moment de l’indépendance et de la réunification, c’est-à-dire, après soixante dix ans d’occupation étrangère, 3% des Camerounais étaient scolarisés ; il n’y avait     pas      une      seule       université. 

Aujourd’hui, notre taux de scolarisation, selon l’UNICEF, est de 90%. Nous avons  construit 15123 écoles primaires, 2413 collèges et lycées.  Et aujourd’hui nous avons bâti huit universités d’Etat réparties à travers le territoire national.

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était donner à tous l’accès aux services de santé. Au moment de l’indépendance et de la réunification, on comptait au total 555 formations sanitaires. A ce jour, nous disposons de 2260 formations sanitaires publiques dont 4 hôpitaux généraux, 3 hôpitaux centraux, 14 hôpitaux régionaux, 164 hôpitaux de district, 155 centres médicaux d’arrondissement et 1920 centres de santé intégrés. Je note en passant que l’espérance de vie qui était de 40 ans en 1960 est passée à 52 ans actuellement.

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était désenclaver le pays et l’ouvrir vers l’extérieur. A l’indépendance et à la réunification, notre réseau routier comportait 621 km de voies bitumées. Aujourd’hui, le peuple camerounais dispose de 250 000 km de routes dont près de 5200 km bitumées, de 21 aéroports dont 4 internationaux, d’un  port fluvial et de trois ports maritimes. Le port de Douala est  le plus important de la CEMAC. 

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était créer des richesses et  de l’emploi. L’Etat camerounais est le plus important employeur de notre pays. Il a favorisé le développement d’un secteur privé dynamique. Des hommes et des femmes de talent ont créé des centaines d’entreprises, générant des emplois et produisant de la richesse. Le niveau de vie de nos concitoyens s’en est trouvé sensiblement amélioré. 

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était aussi industrialiser le pays. Nous sommes passés à la deuxième phase de notre industrialisation. Avec le développement de notre capacité énergétique en cours, nous allons pouvoir transformer nos matières premières d’origine agricole, minière et à partir de nos gisements d’hydrocarbures jeter les bases d’une industrie chimique. Parallèlement, nous continuerons à développer notre industrie de l’aluminium et à utiliser le gaz comme source d’énergie pour nos usines.

Nous avons prouvé ainsi, que nous sommes capables de sortir de l’économie de traite où nous avons été longtemps confinés.

Construire la nation camerounaise, c’était également créer un véritable Etat souverain. Nous avons fait d’un État embryonnaire un véritable État démocratique, avec des institutions modernes qui fonctionnent, une Assemblée, un Sénat, un Conseil Constitutionnel bientôt en place. Nous avons mis en place une justice et une administration sur toute l’étendue du territoire et bâti des forces de sécurité fortes capables de se déployer pour garantir notre intégrité territoriale. 

•Mes chers compatriotes, 

•Mesdames et Messieurs,

Notre Unité Nationale a été à la base de cette exceptionnelle réussite. Elle est l’ossature autour de laquelle s’articulent les organes de notre société. Elle se confond avec l’existence même de notre peuple. J’en appelle donc à tous nos concitoyens, tout particulièrement à nos jeunes,  à veiller jalousement sur elle,  pour que jamais elle ne s’altère. 

Je leur demande d’éviter  le piège tendu par certaines forces centrifuges régionales, tribales ou religieuses qui peuvent  compromettre la cohésion nationale. 

•Chers compatriotes, 

•Mesdames et Messieurs, 

Lorsque nous parlons d’Unité Nationale, nous ne négligeons pas pour autant notre pluralisme linguistique et culturel. Notre diversité fait partie de notre identité. C’est elle qui permet au Cameroun de s’adapter plus facilement aux changements induits par la mondialisation, en particulier grâce au bilinguisme.

[Back to English ]

•Ladies and Gentlemen,

Three years ago, we launched the jubilee period with celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of our Independence. With the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Reunification here in Buea where it took place, we will be closing this cycle which has helped us to revisit our history.

We have every reason to be proud of our Reunification and the best way of being worthy of it is to spare no effort to preserve our national unity. 

Long live Independence!

Long live Reunification!

Long live Cameroon! 

(I now invite you to join me in singing our National Anthem)

                                                                                           Buea, 20 February 2014 "

Cameroon:Government Refuses Rights Activist Njoh Litumbe Invitation to Attend Reunification Jubilee for Exposing “Bitter Truth”

By Christopher Ambe

   Rights activist  Mola  Njoh  Litumbe,87  who is widely advocating for  the right of self-determination of Anglophones in Cameroon  and has been subjected   at least  twice to “ house arrests” by the Government was ,surprisingly ,invited by the Biya Administration to be a speaker at a colloquium  ,which was part of activities marking Cameroon’s Reunification. The colloquium had as theme “From Reunification to Integration”

Mola Njoh  Litumbe speaking at Reunification Colloquium

   His formal invitation ,by Government, to  be  a speaker  at the conference, pundits  hold, was because Mola  Litumbe did not only witness  what he calls the so-called reunification on October 1,1961,but has written  a Book on Annexation of Southern Cameroons.
and engaged  extensive mass media campaigns to justify  that,  legally speaking there was no such thing as reunification between British Southern Cameroons and La  Republique du Cameroun.

   At the Government –organized colloquium at the University of Buea on February 17 chaired by Cameroon’s Prime Minister Philemon Yang, a courageous Mola Njoh Litumbe , tactfully defied the scheduled time for his presentation and fed the large audience that included cabinet ministers, leaders of religious organizations, university dons, traditional rulers, political party leaders  and students with what many have termed “Bitter Historical Facts”; in summary ,that there is no documentary evidence at the United Nations Organization(UNO) as required, that Southern Cameroons and La Republique du Cameroun legally  yoked together  to become one country. He likened the union between the two entities as mere cohabitation.

    Mola Litumbe’s revelation, no doubt, received the loudest applause at the conference, leaving some government officials who know the truth but apparently would not want it public, uncomfortable.

    As Mola Litumbe insisted on  delivering all what he had prepared for the audience despite time constraint, the microphone was disconnected, forcing him to retire to his seat amid cheers.

     Apparently angered by his presentation, the Government gave out formal invitations to dignitaries to be seated at the presidential tribune for the golden jubilee celebration but ignored Mola Litumbe, who is also chair man of Liberal Democratic Alliance (LDA), a Buea-based political party.

     Contacted, Mola Litumbe revealed to The RECORDER that he was not invited to the ceremonial Grounds at Bomgo Square, where President Paul Biya chaired the anniversary celebrations.

   “When I did not receive an invitation, I complained to the Minister Jacques Fame Ndongo, who had formally invited me to be a speaker at the Colloquium, but he said invitations were finished. I later also complained to Southwest Governor to no avail”, Mola Litumbe told this reporter on phone. I think If they wanted me to attend, they would have issued me a document to allow me access in to the grand stand, because these officials are of the organizing committee. But they did not for reasons best known to them”

Following is a summary of What Mola Litumbe said at the Reunification Colloquium:

“We are faced in this debate of "Re-unification" with the following startling facts:

1.  It is common knowledge that La Republique du Cameroun and Southern Cameroons were two distinct territories, otherwise there would have been no question of the UN conducting a plebiscite on 11 Feb. 1961 in Southern Cameroons to ask the People of Southern Cameroons if they wished to associate with either  Nigeria or La Republique du Cameroun.

2.  The governing constitutional/statutory law for states that are members of the UN is the UN Charter. This contains clear provisions in Art 102  on the prescribed procedure to be followed if a member state of the UN wishes to join another territory

3.La Republique du Cameroun was admitted  a member state of the UN on 20th Sept1960 and from that date it became bound by the provisions contained in the Constitution (Charter) of the United Nations.  Consequently, for any joining with another territory to be legal, LRC had to conform with the statutory provisions of the Charter, in Art. 102. Failure to comply with the provisions in Art 102(1) attracts the penalty in Art. 102(2) which renders such alleged joining unconstitutional..

4. To argue, as some misguided proponents say, that an association of a UN member state with another territory could be deemed valid, is to say that while the constitution of a country defines the prescriptions to establish a marriage, parties who cohabit without going through the statutory and legal STEPS toconstruct a legal marriage, could be deemed nevertheless to be "married." The statute would first have to be amended, to permit of such an interpretation.

5. The provision of Art.102 in the UN Charter has not altered over time, and it is therefore safe to say that if La Republique du Cameroun, which is a member state of the UN, desires to legally unite with Southern Cameroons, the appropriate statutory steps prescribed by statute must first be performed.

6.  The solution to the present impasse is for La Republique du Cameroun to engage the People of Southern Cameroons to agree on mutually acceptable terms of association, under the auspices of the African Union/United Nations, sign an Agreement to that effect and file it at the Secretariat of the United Nations.  If the parties have been living together in harmony, there should be no great difficulty in reaching an Agreement. If however they fail to reach agreement, they should revert peacefully to their respective positions. 

7. Until the parties go through this motion, a celebration of "Re-unification" is a contradiction in terms and, at best, a terminological in-exactitude”

Cameroon: President Biya Inaugurates Cameroon's Reunification Monument in Buea

By Christopher Ambe

Distant view of Monument/ photo credit: Mbole Collins

Cameroon's Head of State and President, Paul Biya,  on Wednesday,February 19, in Buea unveiled and inaugurated  the 50th Anniversaries Monument  to commemorate the Reunification of Cameroon and the Independence.

It should be noted that Southern Cameroons gained its independence on October 1,1961 by joining the La Republique du Cameroun,to form the country today known as Cameroon. 

But the golden jubilee was delayed  until it is  being celebrated this week in Buea,which had been former capital of  German Cameroon and British Southern Cameroons,as well as the Capital of the Government of West Cameroon. Today, Buea is the Capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon.

The monument,which is built with concrete and metal cylinders  near Buea Governor's office is the logo of the golden jubilee.The logo is supported by 10 metal cylinders,representing the country's ten regions. The logo shows Cameroon 's cultural richness and diversity.

 As President Biya, accompanied by wife Chantal Biya, was  unveiling the monument he was treated to  thunderous applause by the population that thronged the monument site. 

President Biya  reads  plaque on Reunification Monument (not totally seen here) /photo credit:PRC

President Paul BIYA said after the inauguration that the monument was in recognition of  efforts by Cameroonians to  live in peace and unity .

Cameroon:President Paul Biya in Buea for 50th Anniversary of Reunification

By Christopher Ambe 

    Cameroon President Paul Biya and  wife Chantal Biya ,Tuesday 18 February,landed at the  newly renovated Tiko airport  on their way to the historic town of Buea ,where  Mr. Biya will  on Thursday 20 February 2014 preside over activities marking  the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Cameroon. 

     The British Southern Cameroons gained its independence on October 1,1961 after a UN-supervised plebiscite, by joining La Republique of Cameroun that had earlier gained its independence on January 1, 1960,to form what is today known as Cameroon.. The 50th Anniversary event was initially programed to take place in 2011,but was delayed to ensure a hitch-free celebration this year.

President Biya and Wife,Chantal  being received at Tiko Airport/Photo Credit :PRC

     The  Presidential couple was accorded a hectic welcome at the Airport by  the population of the South West. Thousands of  people lined along the streets of  Tiko through Likomba to Mutengene  to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade drive   up to Buea. 

    The President last visited the town of Buea in 2000 , purposely to sympathize with victims of that year's Mt.Cameroon Eruption. 

     President Biya had promised while announcing the celebration of 50th Anniversary of Reunification,that it would  be done with all the solemnity 

     The President's coming to Buea was preceded  two days before by an ecumenical service at the Open-Air Am phi-theatre of the University of Buea  and one day before by a highly attended Colloquium still at the university on the theme:"From Reunification to Integration"

     Ahead of the celebrations proper,Buea has been given a facelift that it has never witnessed for decades: new roads,improved roads, street lights, renovated hotels etc.

SOWEDA Hails Government For Extra Money !

By Christopher Ambe

Dr. Eneme Andrew:SOWEDA  GM

The Board of Directors of the Southwest  Development Authority (SOWEDA) and  its  General  Manager,Dr. Eneme Andrew ,have  commended    the  Cameroon Government for  giving  the Authority  more  than the  expected funds  for this year.

The commendation was made after an extra -ordinary board meeting of SOWEDA that held last February 4, at the instititution’s conference hall.

The meeting was presided over by SOWEDA Board chairman, Noah Mbongo  Molongo and it was intended to review the already adopted 2014 budget of the Authority, which stood at 1.6 billion FCFA

“In December we met, examined and adopted the budget of 2014.From the Ministry of Finance, we had expected 400 million FCFA.But, instead of the 400 million FCFA we expected, the Ministry of Finance gave us 700 million FCFA, an increase of 300millionFCFA.That is why we are sitting today at an extra-ordinary board meeting to decide how to use the extra 300 Million Fcfa for the interest of the project”” Dr. Eneme told reporters 

The Board thus decided that the extra money would be used to settle debts SOWEDA owed some civil servants who were on secondement to the Authority to the tune of over 71 million FCFA and   debt owed contractors amounting to over 140 million FCFA.

“The balance of the extra money would be added to the budget lines which were already approved but which were inadequate”, the GM explained.

Opening the Board meeting ,Chairman Molongo expressed happiness that in 2013 government subvention to SOWEDA stood at 250million FCFA,but has moved up to  700million FCFA this year. He particularly thanked the Minister of Finance for the financial resources to enable SOWEDA better achieve its mission of poverty-alleviation in the Southwest Region. 

Mr.Molongo hailed the General manger of SOWEDA for efficiency despite some financial constraints but challenged him to redouble his efforts in that direction.

SOWEDA is Parastatal corporation, created by a Presidential decree in December 1987, “to serve as overseer in identifying and implementing government programmes aimed at improving on the economic and social development of the people of the Southwest [Region]”.