By Christopher Ambe
His Royal Highness Molua EKANE, chief of Bokwango, one of
the largest villages in Buea subdivision has come under scathing criticism from
some of his subjects who think that the traditional ruler is doing little or
nothing to enhance development projects in the village with an estimated
population of about 4000 people.
 |
| Bokwaongo chief, Ekane Molua |
But the chief who on June 3 received this reporter in his
palace to respond to the allegations leveled against him, fired back at those
who are criticizing him and likened them
to empty vessels making the loudest noise.
The complaining villagers who approached The Recorder and spoke
bitterly against their chief on condition of anonymity for fear of their
security in the village, alleged that Chief Molua collected over 26 million FCFA
in anticipation of Government-CDC land surrender several years ago but the village has not yet been allocated the
100 hectares of land it applied for and the money not yet refunded to
contributors.
“About the land surrender, I initiated it myself. Nobody
asked me to do it; I did it for my village. I have even received recommendations on the land issue
from the SDO... The process was on but the government has, due to the Fako land
surrender crisis, been suspended the process till further notice. So for now I
am tight up but hopeful that I would be given the requested land in due course.“I know most of the noise makers are those who did not pay
their levy
He added that people who paid for the follow-up of the
requested land were given receipts and each has its amount. He would not
disclose the total amount collected but noted that, the cited amount of 26
million was guess work.
On allegation that the village up to date does not have a
community hall because the chief and his councilors sold thousands of bricks
laid for the project, Chief Molua boasted that he initiated that project and
even mobilized for the laying of 3500 bricks but “people who did not want the
hall project stole most of the bricks. If they don’t want me to construct the
hall for them, may be the next chief will do it. That is why I sitting quiet”
On allegation that he
and his councilors stole some 500 water pipes donated by MCP and MOCAP
to facilitate the extension of water within the viallge, the chief said the
pipes which ,he insisted, were not up to
500 are still in tact and now that the village has a borehole, the pipes will
soon be used for water distribution. ‘If the time comes I will produce the
pipes’, he stated.
The chief was also accused of unilaterally spend ding some
300,00FCFA donated to the village by a telecommunication company which has
planted its antennae in the village. But Chief Molua was swift in telling this
reported that the money was used for the common good. He recalled that when a
local administrator visited the village, the money was used for general
reception/refreshment/
The chief dismissed claims that other councilors have seen
abandoned him and left him only with three councilors, noting that the village
council is functional, and new members will soon be elected as the term of the
current 32member council will soon end.
He said only apart from the failed community hall projects,
other projects such as the road extension (ring road from Likoko to Bokwango,
with extension up to Sand pit quarter).
The chief regretted that ever since he was enthroned in 1979
no villager has approached him with a
project but when initiates them, his
village detractors sabotage them.
(First Published in The RECORDER Newspaper,Cameroon,June 10,2015)
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