Njinikom people vow to continue church, schools boycott
By Njodzefe Nestor
 |
| Njinikom people vow to continue church, schools boycott |
The people of Njinikom in Boyo Division of the North West
region have vowed that they will keep away from Catholic Church activities and
boycott their schools if the decision to suspend St Martin de Pores Catholic
hospital Njinikom, one of the oldest hospitals in the region, is not reversed.
On November 10, 2017, the Archbishop of Bamenda,
Cornelius Fontem Esua ordered the immediate suspension of activities in the
hospital “except for emergency cases”.
The
cause of the suspension according to the prelate was the unruly behaviour of
some members of the Njinikom population who on November 4, forcefully
trespassed into the hospital premises demanding that the Matron of the
hospital, Rev. Sister Olive Nga who has served the hospital for over 3 years
7months must leave “dead or alive”.
“It
saddens me to hear that even after a decision was taken for the Matron to leave
Njinikom for her own safety, some bike riders from among the crowd that had invaded
the hospital decided to escort the car which was carrying her right to Mbingo
to ensure that she had effectively left Kom land” part of the decision suspending the hospital
reads.
The
Archbishop in the decision also regrets that “when the Provincial Superior and
some sisters went back to Njinikom for some stock taking they were jeered at
leaving the impression that the lives of the Rev. Sisters is at stake”.
“This is
unacceptable and I strongly condemn this act of barbarism which is not in
consonant with the mission and teaching of the Church. I am therefore as the
Archbishop of Bamenda...ordering the immediate suspension of activities in the
hospital except for emergency services” the decision concludes.
With
this decision the population have vowed to boycott all church activities until
the decision is revoked. On November 9, when the Parish Priest of the local
parish finished celebrating the morning Holy Mass in the Parish Church which
has been declared closed by the populace he was almost lynched by the
population. The population have also momentarily stopped their children from
attending Catholic schools.
Even the
Archbishop who went there on a peace mission is reported to have been smuggled
out of the division in another car leaving behind his car which tires were
deflated in front of the parish house on Nov. 14 believed to have been tempered
with by the population.
Main Cause of the Crisis
From
what we gathered Rev Sister Marie Olive Ngah stands accused by the population
for attempting to transfer “their hospital” equipment to Bafut. The population
is embittered by the fact that in the 90s, there was an attempt to transfer the
hospital to Bafut which failed due to intervention from many fronts.
The
Matron is also said to have reduced salaries of some overpaid staff as compared
to their qualifications mostly those who did in service training and increased
for those she found deserving.
Those whose salaries were reduced and
those dismissed for falsifying certificates have been suspected to be behind
the standoff that ended with the sealing of the hospital by the Archbishop of
Bamenda His Grace Cornelius Fontem Essua.
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