Buea Baptist Church in Crisis: Christian, Pastor Suspended but Latter is Quickly Reinstated by Hierarchy

*Group calling self “Concerned Christians” slams church leadership 

By Christopher Ambe

The Ebenezer Baptist Church (EBC) ,Great Soppo- Buea, has been fighting tooth and nail for over seven months now to contain a serious crisis, which has shaken its foundation and threatened its unity.

A small group of EBC worshippers, which has named itself as “Concerned Christians”, has been slamming the local church leadership over the alleged poor handling of a crisis situation, provoked by the suspension of a Christian, Hansel Ekwa Itue.

Ekwa Itue was judged and sanctioned by the EBC leadership for challenging the moral authority of Rev. Patrick Munjoh Gefon,one of the three church pastors.

Rev.Gefon (native of Babanki, Northwest Region) has served as senior pastor of EBC, Great Soppo, for three years.

EBC ,on March 25, 2020, suspended Ekwa Itue for three months, during which period he was not supposed to “participate in the Lord’s Supper; not to hold any office in church; not to be called upon to pray, teach or preach; not to tithe;not  to be delegated to represent the church or church group in any gathering.

Ekwa Itue’s suspension letter (signed by  EBC  Chairman, Bro Tabong Augustin; Senior Pastor Rev.Patrick Gefon  and Bro Nkwan Amos, church secretary),however ,permitted him only to attend worship service  and Bible study; he was assigned a host of counselors  to follow him up.

  Following the suspension of the “rebellious” Christian, Rev.Gefon and the EBC leadership on the one hand and Mr. Ekwa Itue and a small   group of “Concerned Christians” on the other hand,have been at daggers drawn, a situation that is jeopardizing the peace and unity that EBC has known for decades.

 It is feared that tribal sentiments over the handling of the church imbroglio,may  leave  the church in pieces rather than  in peace.

 EBC leadership has initiated mediation and reconciliation talks, but the opposing group has rather given preconditions if it must attend any reconciliation meeting.

The small but “rebellious” group is made up of Dr. Filbert Eko, Eyole N.Monono,Yawa Monono,James Handison,Quintin Nartey and Lydia N. Haddison.

Even as of August 11, 2020, the EBC leadership still wrote another letter titled “Invitation To Dialogue/Reconciliation”, which it sent to the group of “Concerned Christians”, who are reportedly members of the same family and natives of Buea.

The crisis developed an ugly twist when Rev.Gefon was later slammed a three-month suspension by his immediate church boss, Rev.Dr. Liombe Timothy.

 Rev.Dr. Liombe, who is Field Pastor/chair of Soppo Field (Buea and Muyuka) Council of Churches, slammed a suspension against Rev. Gefon for allegedly using the pulpit to spread what the latter’s  challengers likened to hate speech.

 But the EBC leadership, banking on the CBC Constitution, swiftly reacted by addressing a letter titled “The Position of EBC Great Soppo Buea In Relation To The Recent Happenings In The Church”, to the Chair of Soppo Field Council of Churches, Buea .

In the letter dated 6^th May 2020, the EBC leadership justified the temporary suspension of Ekwa Itue, and noted that activities of the “Concerned Christians” were irregular and their letters full of misinformation intended to “foment a conflict in the EBC and magnify it, as they threaten to destabilize the church”.

The EBC leadership regretted that the “Concerned Christians” had in one of their letters, among other things, accused the Pastoral desk of “lacking experience and dynamism to handle churches in coastal areas, particularly a church like Ebenezer Baptist Church”, an accusation which it dismissed as unfounded.

 “EBC has grown numerically, spiritually, financially and even in their relations with the community”, the church leadership noted.

EBC decried the manner in which the Soppo Field Ministerial Council handled the former’s internal issues, without respecting church regulations.

Sanctioned Christian,Hansel Ekwa Itue, had accused Rev. Gefon   of arrogance and of managing funds raised for the building of a residence of  a desperate pastor in Munyenge without   consulting other church officials as required by regulation, but the accused  dismissed such  claims, noting that raised funds were used transparently  for the intended purpose with the knowledge of the church congregation.

“It is important to know that the church does not have any record on how much was raised and how it was spent, yet the fund raising was done in this church,”  Ekwal Itue  had alleged in a Feb 10^th 2020 letter  to “The Crisis Management Adhoc Committee” of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Great Soppo.

In his second letter dated March30, 2020 addressed to the Chairman of Soppo Field Ministerial Council, Ekwa Itue narrated how his efforts to cause Rev. Gefon to respect church principles, instead provoked the pastor to attack him whenever the Man of God mounted the pulpit on Sundays.

Ekwa Itue regretted that the crisis escalated because an allegation circulated   that he had stormed Rev.Gefon’s office and   beaten him up, an allegation which the former dismissed as unfounded, noting that he visited Rev.Gefon to discuss privately with him towards reconciliation.

 “I made countless efforts to meet the Pastor for us to get out of the deadlock, and going to his office on that day was proof of my will to seek peace and understanding between us”, argued Itue in his second letter.

 This reporter on August 11^thAugust met Rev. Gefon and Nkwan Amos,EBC secretary  to get their reactions to accusations leveled against them by Ekwa Itue and the group of “Concerned Christians” and they welcomed him .

Nkwan Amos told this reporter,” The genesis of the crisis is that a Christian,Hansel Ekwa Itue was disciplined  by EBC . He refused to accept the sanction and walked out, then a group calling itself “Concerned Christians emerged and started writing letters against the church and its leadership, claiming the disciplinary sanction was unjust”

The secretary said EBC has been making a lot of efforts to bring about reconciliation, with little or no success.

“But first of all before reconciliation comes you must  accept that you are wrong; reconciliation becomes difficult when someone has not accepted that he is wrong,” he added.  “When Mr.Ekwa Itue was disciplined he insisted  he was not wrong and refused to apologize. So reconciliation could not be immediate when he had not accepted wrongdoing”

Nkwan regretted that both Ekwa Itue and the group of “Concerned Christians” (not a recognized group in the church) have been hesitant to come for reconciliation for the unity of the church.

“The conditions they are giving us for reconciliation cannot be accepted, because they are not even a recognized group in the church”, the secretary said, citing Chapter 8,Article 32(4 ) on PROHIBITIONS of the CBC Constitution.

The subsection 4 reads: “Any complaint, petition or memoranda, verbal or written submitted by any person, or group of persons not properly identified  as an authority ,a body or institution operating within the confines of the Convention or not channeled through the competent  authority or body must be considered inadmissible.”

Nkwan admitted that the crisis has negatively affected church attendance and other activities of the House of God

On allegation of Northwest /Southwest divide in EBC,Nkwan said, “This was mentioned  by the letters of the Concerned Christians. They said if we don’t [yield] to their demands it will lead to inter-tribal conflict. So we believe that they are pushing towards that direction.”

Reacting, Rev. Gefon admitted he was placed on suspension for alleged hate speech against Bakweri people, which he added was false accusation; reason why he said when he was absent during a church service, the Bakweri vernacular choir protested, by “refusing to sing because of my suspension. So if I insulted people, how could the same people protest against my suspension? To me, the “Concerned Christians” are the ones propagating hate speech,” he said.

Rev. Gefon rather thought he was suspended because he spoke truth to hierarchy: “that according to the CBC constitution they were not supposed to entertain an unrecognized group as the “Concerned Christians”.

He further noted,”To show that my suspension was not genuine, it has been lifted by the Field Pastor earlier than scheduled.”

 This reporter learned it was the Executive President of CBC,Rev Dr. Ncham Godlove ,who ordered that the suspension on Rev.Gefon be lifted forthwith, but  your reporter  could not independently confirm it.

A letter signed by Rev.Dr. Liombe Timothy, dated August 8, 2020 and titled “Reinstatement of Rev. Gefon Patrick” partly reads: “We write to notify you that you have been uplifted from your suspension dated June 17, 2020.You can begin work from Wednesday August 19, 2020”

Asked about his relationship now with the Field Pastor who suspended him, Rev Gefon quipped: “He remains my Field pastor, I respect him and we are bound to work together. In any aspect of life we all can err. Pastors are not God; they are human beings.”

Rev. Gefon said he had no personal problem with Ekwa Itue,but admitted  the latter had attacked him. “He did not attack me because of any personal problem but because he thought I was not following the procedures of the Church. He was not right.”

Asked whether personally he was working towards bringing back disgruntled Christians, Rev.Gefon said," Definitely! That is the job of a pastor. The pastor is a peace maker. If they want to sit with us and we talk we are ready. When Hansel Itue was disciplined, he wrote a letter saying he wanted to leave the church. We have not responded because we don’t want him to leave. He is part of us.”

In one of the latest statements made public by the group of concerned Christians, it said: “We will repeat, we don’t have any personal issue with Rev. Gefon, we have issues with the way the church is being administered…

“We regret to say that some persons have taken the church hostage with their bad judgments and this has greatly polarized the church within tribal lines.”

.The EBC has scheduled a “Dialogue and Reconciliation” meeting for August 17^th 2020 and it is hoped the Concerned Christians and Hansel Itue would attend.

EBC, established since 1934, now has three pastors to shepherd Christians, viz: Rev. Patrick Gefon, senior pastor; Roland Lyonga, associate pastor and Minister Ntalah Alimah

Buea Council Highly Indebted But Mayor Ready For Breakthrough

Mayor of Buea David Mafani Namange 

By Christopher Ambe

The Mayor of Buea, David Mafani Namange, last week, disclosed that upon assumption of office he met in the Buea Council coffers a ridiculously small sum of 228,000fcfa whereas the Council was highly indebted to the tune of over 1.7 billion Fcfa.

 He regretted that he met an overstaffed council. “We met a work force of 318 satff,of whom the employment situation of some was unclear and some on the wage bill were simply ghost workers.

Mafani Namange said he met council workers who had toiled for months without salaries, even as the immediate past late Mayor Ekema Patrick-led Council management had christened and prided Buea as the “City of Excellence.”

But a determined Mayor Mafani Namange, who has already started  settling the huge  council’s  debts, said  his leadership  is bent on forging ahead with the socio-economic development of Buea, which has been re-christened the “Town of Legendary Hospitality”, a slogan  adopted  and used by former two-term Mayor of Buea,Charles Mbella Moki.

The mayor, who was speaking, July 22, on the occasion of the First Ordinary Session of Buea Council, revealed that, “taking over office the financial situation of the council we met was 228,000 francs CFA;we met a debt of 1.202,071,858 [owed ]the Taxation Department, 120 million owed National Social Insurance Fund,152 million owed  HYSACAM; over 23 million debt as sitting allowance arrears for Buea  Council Tenders Board; about 220 million owed the Council Support Fund(FEICOM).”

He added, “We equally met many third party contracts with little or no financial benefits to the council, especially as concerns advertisement, thorough fare, and the management of the Mile 17 Motor Park.”

The Mayor told the session, which was convened for the examination and adoption of Buea Counci’s Administrative, Management and Stores Management Accounts for 2019 and chaired by the First Assistant SDO for Fako that his leadership had “partially paid 30 million francs to Taxation Department,20 million francs to HYSACAM,seven million francs  to Tenders Board and 22.7 million francs to FEICOM”

 Mafani Namange said  contracts had already been awarded for the execution of some projects,viz:streect-lighting of Mile 14 (Dibanda) to Buea Town through the Regional Hospital Annex to Mountain Hotel ;the establishment of boreholes  in Great Soppo, Molyko  and Boduma;the grading of the Mount Camel Street at Mile 18,Chief Street Bomaka and Sandpit( from Yadikwa Junction to Eta Palace residence);the construction of an agricultural post in Bova and the provision of social assistance to the needy in the community. He said several other projects such as the Mosaka pipe-born water project were underway.

The Buea Council, it emerged, had been at the forefront of the fight against Covid 19- with  the sensitization of denizens and provision of wash hand kits ,10000 face masks, disinfecting schools within the municipality and administrative services.

The council created a food market at Great Soppo in order to reduce congestion in the markets.

The mayor attributed the realization of some projects so far to   the support of the Joseph Dion Ngute-government and the population.

Convinced that more development would come when there is peace, the mayor invited Cameroonians of goodwill to heed President Paul Biya’s call for lasting peace in the Northwest and Southwest Regions

“ It is not at this point when we have the opportunity  to enjoy the benefits  of decentralization and those of special status which are catalysts for local development that we should afford to gamble with our love for peace and our father land”, noted Mafani Namange.

“We shall not relent in our efforts to provide social amenities and to ensure the cleanliness of our municipality while putting up a fierce fight against urban disorder especially in the transportation and building construction sectors”

 Despite the numerous challenges facing the Council, the mayor was very hopeful.

 “We have reasons to be hopeful; hopeful because we have identified our shortcomings, hopeful because we have councilors with a wide range of experiences who are united in purpose, in their vision and mission to leave Buea a better place than we met it; yes, hopeful because we have the local administration and the Government on our side, hopeful because we have a leader full of experience in the person of H.E. President Paul Biya;but above all, hopeful because we enjoy the grace of God Almighty.”

 The 2019 budget under review stood at two billion five hundred million (2.500, 000,000) francs CFA. The revenue realized was 1.5 billion francs while expenditure stood at 1.4billion, giving an excess in revenue over expenditure to 117.4million; the realization rate was 59.7%

The drop in revenue and expenditure in the 2018 from the 2019 administrative account was mostly as a result of the socio-political crisis that ravaged the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon.

 

Cameroon:Chief Foanyi Nkemayang raised to“Commander of Order of Valor” at Death

By Christopher Ambe

 Thousands of mourners, from far and wide, Saturday July 25, attended the requiem of Chief Foanyi Nkemanyang Paul, publisher of The Star Newspaper at the St. John of God Catholic Church in Bonadikombo-Limbe, to pay their last respects to the fallen media practitioner, generally described as a committed crusader of social justice and media rights.

The State of Cameroon  at the  funeral mass ,which was  officiated by the His Grace, Archbishop of Bamenda Arch Diocese Andrew Nkea  with the assistance of the Apostolic Administrator of the Buea Diocese,His Lordship Bishop Michael Bibi ,and attended among other national dignitaries  by Minister-Delegate Paul Tasong and Senator Charles Mbella Moki,  decorated posthumously  Chief Foanyi   as “ Commander of the Cameroon Order of Valor” for his valuable services to the nation.

 While alive, the deceased had earned several other decorations and awards. For example, he was an awardee of the National Order of Merit.

The posthumous decoration, during the funeral, was pinned on the deceased’s casket by Dr. Mohammadou, Secretary-General at Southwest Governor’s Office on behalf of the State, after Mr. Ngenbane Daniel Ekole, Inspector-general at same office had presented the condolences of Southwest Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai (who was absent), to the bereaved family and media corps.

Archbishop Nkea, in his homily, described as huge loss the transition of late Chief Foanyi, whom he said was a devout Christian and passionate advocate of social justice and human rights. He noted that the deceased had defended the pride of Lebialem and the Bangwa culture with all his might at all time.

He said the death of a Christian has a lot of meaning since there is the second chance to live again(resurrection hope),and urged Christians to always prepare for the inevitable.

Late Chief Foanyi was buried at his Mile 4-Limbe residence.

Chief Foanyi, aged 61, got married to Clara Elangwe 23 years ago and both were blessed with three children.

Chief Foanyi, a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) since 1981, had practiced journalism for several decades and held several executive positions in national and international journalism associations before his death.

He had served two terms as national President of the Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (CAMASEJ); was pioneer President of Commonwealth Journalists Association-Cameroon; in 2016, Chief Foanyi was elected Vice-President for Africa of the Commonwealth Journalists Association.

 In 2004, Chief Foanyi was appointed by President Paul Biya as member of the National Communication Council and he served one term.

According to excerpts of his biography on his funeral magazine, “The Late Fua Foanyi Nkemanyang was not just a man of many parts; he was a journalist to the core, a stickler for justice, a leader par excellence, a traditionalist and human rights activist. For this he suffered several detentions but remained unbowed. Long before he was crowned traditional chief in his native Fontem, Lebialem, he had been honored with the traditional title of ‘Osari Maribo’ in Manyu.

“Foanyi was a socialite, a free mixer and completely detribalized Cameroonian whose friends cut across every tribe and region of the country. He was extremely generous and helped bring up many of whom were not related to him by blood”

Late chief Foanyi  was born on March 8,1959 at Efusap-Fontem in Lebialem Division ,Southwest Region to Mbeh Nkemanyang(Chief Forfusap) and Anyi Njilefac of blessed memory .

The deceased attended primary school in Mamfe and Mbindia,Fontem.Later did his secondary education in Cameroon College of Commerce,CCC  Kumab and upon graduation, he was recruited as a cub reporter of “Cameroon Times”.He also taught at New Era Commercial Institute, Half Mile-Victoria.

In 1979, he gained admission into the Nigerian Institute of Journalism and graduated in 1981 with a diploma in journalism.

Back in Cameroon, Nkemanyang worked with Les Brasseries du Cameroun as the Southwest Chief of Publicity, but would abandon the job to become Editor of the “Sunday Times”; later, he became a founding member of “Day Dawn” newspaper ;then in 1991, he joined “The Herald” Newspaper of Dr. Boniface Forbin, his former  Mass Communication teacher. He worked with The Herald as advertising agent and reporter for a while.

Parting ways with “The Herald”, Nkemanyang set up “The Star Headlines” which later was renamed “The Star Newspaper”.

Amongst his academic qualifications, the deceased had a diploma in Management from Pan African Institute for Development (PAID-WA)Buea.

In 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in journalism by a university in Britain.

Chief Foanyi, who died on 18 June 2020 in a hospital in Limbe after suffering from a malaise, has left behind family members, colleagues and friends to mourn celebrate and remember him.

Cameroon:Buinda Godlove Nsakabo : Exemplar of Nation-builders.

Buinda Godlove Nsakabo

By Christopher Ambe

It is said that "nothing hides under the sun”. That is why the good works of Buinda Godlove Nsakabo, one of the regional delegates of state-owned services in the Southwest region could not escape the vigilant eyes of the LIFE TIME MEDIA GROUP, headquartered in Bamenda, which for years now has been rewarding exemplars in the  public and private sectors of Cameroon.

Buinda Godlove Nsakabo, aged about 54, who holds a Master’s degree in Public Management and is rated as a no-nonsense  agent of development, has since 2018 been the Southwest Regional Delegate for Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), Southwest, braving the odds  ,maximally ,to perform his assigned duties.

Described by many public service watchers- and even by his peers ,as a meticulous worker, Mr.Buinda  was singled out by the Life Time media Group for its Life Time Achievement Awards for Nation Builders 2019/2020 as“The Most Committed and Hardworking Regional Delegate (Southwest Region.”  The awards organizers, last July 15 in Buea, honored him with a gold-category award.

But it looks like receiving public recognition for assiduity has, at least,in the past three or so years, become a tradition to Buinda.

 In 2017, The SCOOP Newspaper, based in Kumba, honored him with an award as “Best Divisional Delegate 2017, Meme”; in 2018, the State of Cameroon honored him as “Knight of the Cameroon Order of Merit” for his commitment to nation-building.

Even in the distant past, Buinda had been recognized severally: In 2008, he emerged “Best Divisional Delegate of MINEPAT Northwest Province and four years later, Mr. Buinda ranked as “Third Best Divisional Delegate of MINEPAT Northwest Province.”

This Life Time 2019/2020  laureate , before his elevation to the rank of Regional Delegate of MINEPAT,Southwest  in  March 2018 ,had served as MINEPAT Meme Divisional Delegate from 2013 to 2018;served as MINEPAT Menchum Divisional Delegate from 2008 to 2013; Mr.Buinda  had earlier served as the  Ministry of Planning, Programming and Regional Development(MINPLAPDAT) Menchum-Wum Delegate  from 2000 to 2008

 Calm-looking Mr.Buinda,who is a Baptist (Christian), father and husband, “loves serving others with total humility and dedication”, one of his admirers said of him,adding that he is always neatly dressed and soft-spoken.

 According to Mrs. Tchouateu Tankeu Stephanie, Southwest Regional Chief for Economic Affairs and Programming (MINEPAT),”Since Mr. Buinda became Regional Delegate here in 2018, we have been learning a lot from him about nation-building. He deserves more [recognition.”

 An elite of Nwa (Donga Mantung Division),Mr.Buinda  is also an active member of the ruling CPDM and Councilor of Nwa Council.

Mr.Buinda as a long-serving “public manger”, has, among other academic and professional qualifications, a Professional Master’s degree in Public Management, from the Higher Institute of Public Management (ISMP) Yaounde since 2016.

Fluent in English and French, he is highly skilled in project management and evaluation, which expertise Mr. Buinda has readily put at the service of the nation-and reportedly to the satisfaction of hierarchy.

He has been to foreign countries such as France, Nigeria and China, on state mission, in pursuit of more skills for the enhancement of development in Cameroon; for example, in 2010 and 2017, Mr. Buinda was in China, for training sessions on investment promotion and management for Developing countries.

Banking on his resourcefulness, availability, probity   and patriotism, Mr.Buinda’s admirers think that, there is no state assignment, which when entrusted into his hands won’t be executed according to prescriptions and expectations.

President Barack Obama is quoted to have said: “In the face of impossible odds, people who love [their] country can change it.”

Mr. Buinda’s admirers liken him to the kind of patriot President Obama described above.

All about Mr. Buinda not only concerns work, his hobbies include: reading and research, sport, philanthropic activities and leisure travels

 

                             

Commitment & Hardwork: Senator Mbella Moki,Buinda Godlove receive gold-category awards

Senator Mbella Moki receiving his award (above) and Mr. Buinda in group picture with colleagues after receiving his.

By Christopher Ambe

Senator Charles Mbella Moki and Buinda Godlove Nsakabo, Southwest Regional delegate for MINEPAT have been honored with gold-category awards by the Life Time Media Group, based in Bamenda for distinguishing themselves in different fields.

The two awardees were amongst fifteen laureates nationwide who received the Life Time Achievement Awards for Nation Builders 2019/2020.

The award ceremony  was originally scheduled to take in Bafoussam and to be presided at by West Governor Augustine Awa Fonka ,but the due to anti-covid 19 measures, the organizers were advised to hand the awards individually, so to avoid crowding that  facilitates transmission of the pandemic.

The achievement awards are a yearly event by Life Time media group, to recognize the total commitment and dedication of some Cameroonians to particular causes.

Senator Charles Moki, on July 16, received the gold-category award as a “Loyal, Frank and Consistent CPDM Militant.”

 Senator Moki joined the ruling CPDM,which was founded in 1985, in its early years of creation  as a simple militant; he  then grew over the years to become President of YCPDM for Fako for years, two-term president of Fako 3 (Buea)CPDM;two-term mayor of Buea and now two-term Senator.

Senator Moki received his award at Capitol Hotel Buea from the CEO of Life Time Media Group, Finnian Tim, who urged the CPDM politician and Buea elite to continue serving as an exemplar in whatever domain he finds himself.

Pleasantly surprised that more awards were still coming to add to the stock he had already received in the past years from other organizations, Senator Moki was thankful to God for always putting a smile on his face, through such recognitions.

Receiving a gold-category award in his office on July 15, as “The Most Committed and Hardworking Regional Delegate (Southwest Region)” was Buinda Godlove  Nsakabo,a calm-looking but duty-conscious civil servant.

Collaborators of the Southwest delegate for MINEPAT, who witnessed his award ceremony attested to the fact that Mr.Buinda was a workaholic yet humble leader. According to Mrs. Tchouateu Tankeu Stephanie, SW Regional Chief for Economic Affairs and Programming (MINEPAT),”Since Mr. Buinda became delegate here in 2018, we have been learning a lot from him about nation-building. He deserves more awards.”

Mr. Buinda thanked the publisher of Life Time for travelling all the way from Bamenda to Buea to encourage his commitment to nation-building.

Cameroon:African Communications Center for Ethics and Standards Launched in Buea

Media Practitioners at launch of ACCES in Buea;above- Henry Mekole,founder/CEO,
 speaking  to reporters 

By Christopher Ambe

An organization aimed at improving on the gathering, analysis and sharing of information among media practitioners was on Saturday July 18 launched at Buea Mountain Hotel.

 African Communications Center for Ethics and Standards (ACCES), according to its founder/CEO Henry Mekole of CRTV, will become a veritable meeting point for media practitioners to strategize on how to keep the public adequately informed, so they can, in turn, make informed choices affecting their lives.

Mekole,himself a  career journalist and , told the assembly of media practitioners from  both public and private press that turned up for  the launch of ACCES that, the organization’s  objectives include: bringing media practitioners together to  work  as such and  ensuring that journalists use their profession to  greatly impact on society -by giving the public vital information that would change their lives for the better.

ACCES whose headquarters is in Buea, the CEO revealed, will run facilities such a library for journalists to update their knowledge.

Although a national organization, Mekole was optimistic that one day ACCES would  become an international organization.

The launch of ACCES was chaired by the Mayor of kombo Abedimo,Aboko Patrick, who doubles as the  President of the United Cities and Councils of Cameroon (UCCC), Southwest branch.

 Mayor Aboko regretted that the hinterlands have not been receiving adequate media coverage and urged the media to henceforth make such coverage a priority.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Kange William, CRTV Buea Station manager and Bouddih Adams, Managing Editor of The Post Newpaper, hailed the creation of ACCES and implored the organization to give journalists the training that would be useful to local realities.

Cameroon: Hon. Aka Martin Tyoga wants Akwaya raised to a division and its roads well-constructed

Hon. Aka Martin Tyga,52,  MP for Akwaya (Manyu II), says his constituency now needs to be upgraded to a full-fledged division and urges Government to pay more attention now than ever before to  the poor road network in Akwaya.

 Before becoming MP, Hon Aka Martin Tyoga, who holds a law degree from University of Yaounde and later trained as a teacher, had taught in GTTC Mamfe, served as Divisional Delegate for Public Contracts for Meme and Ndian divisions for several years; had earlier served for eight years as Private Secretary to the Grand Chancellor of National Orders at the Presidency. The MP  was interviewed s on June 30 in Buea by Christopher Ambe. 

Excerpts:

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Question: You were one of the Manyu delegates who attended the Awareness and Sensitization meetings of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the Northwest and Southwest regions (PPRD), which held from June 29-July 3 in Buea and chaired by Minister-Delegate Paul Tasong, who is the PPRD National Coordinator.

 At the opening ceremony, PCC Moderator Rt.Rev.Samuel Fonki, an elite of Akwaya, strongly appealed to Government to upgrade Akwaya Subdivision to a division and to significantly enhance its development. As MP of Akwaya (Manyu II) you have been making the same appeal. How would you present Akwaya to the public?

Answer: Akwaya subdivision was created in 1963 alongside with Mbengwi subdivision now Momo Division,Fundong subdivision now Boyo division,Fontem subdivision now  Lebialem Division. Akwaya subdivision has five court areas viz: Assumbo,Boki,Takamanda Mbulo and Messaga-Ekol , with 99 gazetted villages. And, Akwaya has maintained this status quo for political, administrative and developmental reasons.

As MP, I am from Messaga Ekol court area, the Mayor of Akwaya is from Takamanda  and the senator from Mbolu Court area; the CPDM subsection President  from Assumbo and a former  GM of PAMOL and  a deputy GM ( who are  now of blessed memories)from Boki.

In a nutshell, Akwaya starts from Baje-Dadi-Bodam kekusem II sharing boundaries with their brothers of the Boki Local Government in Cross River State( the equivalent of a division… passing  through Obonyi  I and II,Bajelegete,Bechere villages with Oliti  villages -sharing boundary in the north  Akwaya with Assumbo court area  Ijawbow,Bakinjus  Ballin in Messaga Ekol,sharing boundary with Benue and Taraba states in Nigeria.

On the Cameroon side, Akwaya shares boundaries with, Menchum valley,Njikwa ,Widikum ,Mamfe Central,Eyumojock subdivisions.

Akwaya is the oldest and biggest subdivision in terms of land surface in the Southwest region. As at now Akwaya has a population of about 130,000 inhabitants.

What is the main occupation of Akwaya people?

The people are mostly engaged in agriculture. Most people don’t know that Akwaya grows rice and most is sold in Nigeria. They cultivate groundnuts, cocoa and rear cattle. The only area in Southwest region that has cattle is Akwaya.We have herds of cattle (10,000). We also have timber. The oldest specie of gorilla is found in Akwaya-precisely in Takamanda.

Akwaya is said to be one of the oldest and largest subdivisions in the Southwest region. Why do you think it lags behind in development?

The lack of adequate human capital development and the dire need for good roads are mainly responsible. It is sad that Akwaya is underdeveloped .Can you imagine that the first secondary school in Akwaya was created in 1989, whereas the subdivision had been created in 1963.   Today we have just 12 secondary schools. This number is still small considering our population. As at now,Akwaya has only one district health hospital  with very few personnel; very few  health centers; no electricity and pipe borne water except in Akwaya town..  The only tele-center in Akwaya had since stopped functioning. But each court area needs at least tele-center.I am in the process of contacting the Minister of Post and Telecommunication to this effect.

Poor road network is serious concern for us. It is shameful that the DO passes through Nigeria to get the subdivisional headquarter. The government made some effort to link Akwaya by road passing through Northwest region-via Bafut, Befang ,Eshibi-Bawuro Ballin .We thank the Cameroon government for this alternative road,but since 2012 when the road was excavated to Akwaya town with no bridges constructed, there has been no maintenance work. Only the military are trying to use the road now with their trucks to reach Akwaya. 

It is shameful that one has to  pass through Nigeria to reach Akwaya.

Pipe borne-water is a luxury in Akwaya.But in Messabga Ekol court area we have our community-built water project; in Akwaya town, there is pipe borne water, that was built by SATA many years back. But the other ninety-something villages have no water.

 When the Satum bridge was built we thought it was a way to facilitate development efforts; Unfortunately,  we realized it was only intended to exploit timber. Immediately the timber was exploited they abandoned uncompleted bridges. How can you talk of meaningful development with roads?  Where there are roads development follow.

 What are some of the priority areas you want Cameroon government and or development partners to help develop as a matter of urgency?

What I am expecting from the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) and by extension from the Cameroon government) for Akwaya is firstly the rehabilitation of the road from Baworu to Akwaya, to facilitate the coming of civil servants to Akwaya.

Secondly, the construction of the Satum-kesham kajifu-Takamanda Road and the completion of the bridges between Mamfe and Akwa, this will bring the much needed development in the area.

Thirdly, Akwaya should to be upgraded to a division and the five courts should become subdivisions. I want to assure you all the divisional officers who have served in Akwaya have made this need known to the government. The lack of proper development of Akwaya has made the place to serve as a hideout for criminals. The socio-political crisis we are facing in the Northwest and Southwest regions has caused criminals to escape from elsewhere to come and hide in Akwaya.

You are advocating for the rapid development of Akwaya, how will such be beneficial to the Southwest region in particular and Cameroon in general?

. Akwaya has timber the government can exploit this timber for the good of its citizens. The Takamanda forest reserve is the only place in the whole world with special specie of gorillas.This is a great tourist attraction. We have the kaghegi sanctuary.  Apart from that, Akwaya has wild honey with high nutritional and medicinal values; we have cocoa and rice which are sold in Nigeria. In addition, It is not advisable to abandon your border localities.  Akwaya people want to feel as part and parcel of Cameroon.

 What are the Akwaya elite doing to help enhance the development of this subdivision?

Akwaya has a cultural and development Association, which I am in the process of revamping. In order to boost human capital development, I have given scholarship to one hundred young people of this area to enroll into various professional schools; I have given them more than three million FCFA and I can assure you that more than fifty of them have already registered.  I will do more. I want my constituents to go to professional schools like Public works school; schools from which they can graduate and be self-employed instead of looking for jobs.

How is your relationship with former MPs of Akwaya such Hon.Justice Ayah Paul like?

I have a cordial relationship with him. Akwaya must be proud to have a person of his caliber. Hon. Ayah is development-focused and very objective in his approach to issues.

Do you have an appeal to make to Akwaya natives living and working out of the subdivision and in the Diaspora?

Honestly, some of them have been supportive of our schools.  I commend and encourage them. There is no way that you can carry out meaningful development when there are no means to get the desired things to the people. I urge Akwaya people wherever they may find themselves to be advocates of peace and development. Let them continue to get the kind of education that will be very useful in the development of Akwaya.We started late and so there is that need to catch up with other subdivisons in terms of development and education.

I want the Akwaya constituency to know for the first time they have had an MP is nearer them in terms of finding solutions to their needs.

( This interview appears in The Horizon Newspaper ,Cameroon,of July 7,2020)

Reconstruction of Northwest & Southwest Regions: Minister Tasong Says Presidential Plan must work despite security concerns

PPRD Nat.Coordinator,Minister   Paul Tasong (middle ,hands crossed ) with Lebialem Delegation

By Christopher Ambe

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction and Development of the Northwest and Southwest regions (PPRD-NW/SW) has emphasized that the multi-billion Fcfa hope-giving plan must be implemented as scheduled in spite of security concerns raised by those who think pockets of resistance, here and there, by separatist fighters remain a hindrance to its implementation.

Paul Tasong ,who is also Minister-Delegate in the Ministry of Planning and Regional Development ,reiterated  the preparedness and determination of the Government of Cameroon to implement  plan while in Buea on a five-day “Awareness and Sensitization Mission on the PPRD-NW/SW”, which began on Monday June 29 and will end on July 3.

The PPRD awareness meeting assembled administrative, religious, traditional authorities, as well as representatives of  various groups and the civil society in the Southwest region, to whom Minister Tasong persuasively presented the presidential plan.

“People who don’t believe in the plan ask, how can there be reconstruction when war is going on? But Government putting all the efforts to ensure everything is in place, so we can live in our villages and towns as we used to live before  in dignity“, Minister Tasong noted.

The PPRD-NW/SW is an off-shoot of the 2019 Major National Dialogue(MND), which was convened by President Paul Biya to bring about  acceptable solutions to the Anglophone crisis that erupted in late 2016 and since then has battered and shattered economies of the two English-speaking regions -with the spilt-over negative effects of the crisis felt  even across the national territory.

According to the National Coordinator,” The Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) is a component of the National Development Plan (NDP) that was articulated to reduce the effects of the crisis on populations of the NW/SW and to permit these two Regions to catch up with the rest of country.”

 The objectives of the PPRD, Minister Tasong disclosed during his meetings at Buea Mountain Hotel with representatives of the various segments of the Southwest Population, are to: strengthen social cohesion, rehabilitate essential infrastructure and revitalize the local economy.

The PPRD is under the overall supervision of the Prime Minister, Head of Government with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as strategic partner in the implementation of the plan.

During the opening of the PPRD awareness and sensitization meetings in Buea on Monday by Minister Tasong , in the presence of   Southwest Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon(PCC) Rt Rev Samuel Fonki called for total impartiality in the implementation of the plan, which is expected to alleviate the suffering of citizens of the crisis-stricken Northwest and Southwest regions.

“Impartiality will lead to peace and the success of this plan”, noted Rt.Rev Fonki.

In his remarks, Senator, Chief Tabe Tando  said  what he the beauty of Special Status is  in the Plan. “The Limbe Deep Sea Port is there. We are waiting for [the managers to] be appointed ;Jobs will be created ;he noted that decentralization has  come and is going to bring about more development and jobs. “We should take the challenge and make our regions competitive”,he appealed.

As Minister Tasong received in audience -and separately- the six delegations from the six divisions of the Southwest on Tuesday and Wednesday, the various divisions presented their development priorities, proposals, worries and expectations; they received in return assurances from the PPRD National coordinator that Government would answer their prayers according to available resources but not without their active collaboration and participation where need be.

According to Minister Tasong, the PPRD is globally a ten-year development plan, which will also cover the crisis-stricken northern regions and will require 3500 billion Fcfa.

 It emerged that the Northwest and Southwest will benefit up to 2500 billion fcfa in investment projects by the time the ten-year plan comes to an end

The National Coordinator said the entire plan will run in three phases and the first phase which is for two years focuses on the reconstruction of the Northwest and Southwest.

The first phase is estimated to cost 89.7 billion Fcfa,co-financed by the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the Government of Cameroon.

It emerged that the UNDP is pumping into the plan 85% of the 89.7 billion Fcfa and Cameroon is chipping in 15% of the amount.

“PPRD activities are guided by national policy frameworks and priorities set out in the National Development Plan to ensure coherence and consistency of policy across the Cameroonian territory,” according to PPRD documents.

“With recovery adequately and timely integrated into the overall crisis response framework, affected communities will acquire the capacity to Build Back Better (BBB) their assets, avoiding dependency, increasing the resilience of affected communities, and looking to solve long standing problems that may have contributed to the crisis in the first place.”

The plan  revealed that due to the Anglophone crisis,”23 278 households have lost their homes” and  the PPRD in its social sector intervention, will do the following: “Provide housing kits to 6 046 households from the NW and 5 593 households from the SW; support the issuance of documents for 90 000 individuals in the NW and 80 000 in the SW; organize 35 and 31 capacity building workshops in the NW and SW respectively; organize 35 and 31 socio-cultural events in the NW and SW respectively; create 35 and 31 warning cells respectively in the NW and SW to reinforce community networks such as self-help groups, community networks and mediation groups; create 35 and 31 caregiver support groups in the NW and SW respectively to reinforce community networks such as self-help groups, community networks, caregiver support groups and mediation groups.

In the domain of Infrastructure, the PPRD will restore and repair essential utilities and infrastructure, such as schools, health facilities, water, transportation, and telecommunications

The crisis provoked the destruction of 293 schools and the Plan will rehabilitate 174 schools in the NW and 119 schools in the SW; 82 health facilities and water networks were destroyed and the plan will rehabilitate 38 health facilities in the NW and 44  in the SW ;rehabilitate 100 water points in the NW and 225 in the SW; rehabilitate 50 community infrastructures (canton courtyards, community halls, women and youth centers) in the NW and 50 in the SW

The PPRD will revitalize the local economies of both NW and SW,with large-scale job creation as a priority. Priority interventions in this area include: reviving the agricultural production; rehabilitating productive infrastructure; providing short-term work opportunities.

 The plan will rehabilitate 13 000 ha of farmland to the benefit of 1 500 famers in the NW and 10 000 ha of farmland to the benefit of 1 300 famers in the SW; supply 2000 farmers with equipment, tools and materials in the NW and 1700 farmers in the SW; support 70 cooperatives in the NW and 60 in the SW; recapitalize 350 livestock farmers in the NW and 300 livestock farmers and 200 fishermen in the SW ;support 70 startups in the NW and 60 in the SW

It will rehabilitate 200 ovens for coffee and cocoa in the NW and 200 in the SW; rehabilitate 17 cattle and food crops markets in the NW and 2 markets in the SW -        Provide small grants start-up packages ;support the provision of business development services.

Based on  the PPRD operating principle “Building Back Better, the plan will “ ensure that recovery and reconstruction interventions do not simply replicate the conditions prior to the crisis but that they result in improved and more sustainable standards of living, and opportunities for a better life than before”

The plan is based on a commitment to ensuring that recovery and reconstruction efforts are as inclusive and participatory as possible, and that their results benefit everyone in the NW/SW, and the most vulnerable and needy in particular, according to PPRD documents.

 When  Minister Tasong met with the delegation from Lebialem, one of the hardest hit administrative units in Anglophone Cameroon, some elites of the division  expressed fears that, implementing the plan there may prove rather difficult due to the significant presence of amba fighters in the division.

But Minister Tasong dismissed such fears. “The plan has to work the security situation notwithstanding. Whether the security situation on the ground changes or not, we shall execute the plan”, he emphasized, pleading with parents to persuade their children who chose to be separatist fighters to leave the bushes and return home.

Generally-speaking, the various delegations lauded the PPRD and hoped it would serve as a panacea to the crisis-imposed problems the two regions are now facing.

(This article first  appeared in The Horizon Newspaper,Cameroon,of July 2,2020}