Compensation for Honest Hard Work:

Over 500 CDC Workers Decorated With Labour Medals

2000 workers risk suspension of their contracts due to insecurity in some estates and plantations caused by scary activities of Ambazonia separatist fighters

By Ticha E. Melanis in Limbe

Labour and Social Security Minister, Greg. Owona decorating a CDC worker

Over 500 outstanding workers of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, were on 27 April 2018 decorated with labour medals in recognition for hard work and courage.

            The medals award ceremony at the famous SS Club Bota, Limbe, saw a total of 1,298 medals awarded to the 504 laureates. The medals comprised 320 in gold, 480 in silver gild and 498 in silver. The recipients were workers still in active service and others going or about to go on retirement. Some deceased workers were also decorated posthumously.

            The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Gregoire Owona, who presided over the ceremony, congratulated the recipients on behalf of the Head of State, President Paul Biya. He hailed them for distinguishing themselves in terms of competence, dedication to work, respect for hierarchy and loyalty to the corporation. He encouraged other workers to follow the good example of those being decorated.

            The minister told the laureates that the medals symbolize their level of seniority because it is a high distinction and a reward for quality service rendered with honesty and discipline. He urged the Management of CDC to make the medals awards an annual or biennial event as a way of encouraging and motivating the workers for further hard work.

            Minister Gregoire Owona extolled the management of the giant agro-industry for their sustained efforts directed towards helping the government to ensure national development and economic growth. He used the occasion to hail the excellent social climate that reigns in CDC Plantations and estates, saying it is proof of the fruitful social dialogue engaged between the management and workers for the growth of the company.

            The Medals Award Ceremony was organized as part of activities in prelude to the 132nd International Labour Day celebrated on 1st May on the theme: ‘’social dialogue; a factor in the promotion of decent work and socio economic progress in Cameroon”

            Speaking earlier, the General Manager of CDC, Frankline Ngoni Njie, could not conceal his joy at the successful holding of the event which he said is aimed to encourage and motivate workers of the corporation towards further hard work.

            The GM said 14 years after the last medal award ceremony took place, management thought it incumbent and timely to once again compensate workers who have served the corporation with commitment and dedication. He encouraged the entire work force of CDC to work even harder, saying every hard worker would be singled out and honoured. 

            Reminding the workers that the future of  CDC relies on their hard work, Ngoni Njie reassured them of management’s constant desire to improve on the working conditions in all sectors of the giant corporation.

            The GM used the occasion to also hail government for the strategic development plan of 2014 and the PM’s decision of 31 March 2015 restructuring CDC. He said both acts have helped to address some of the problems that were rocking the corporation.

            But Ngoni Njie at once regretted the difficulties and frustrations the company is facing in its bid to keep running some essentially cost-intensive operations, notably managing its large work force. He noted the drastic drop in returns from rubber production owing to persistent falling prices of rubber which is the mainstay of the company. He said returns from the sale of rubber have dropped from over FCFA 42 billion in 2011 to barely 13 billion in 2014.

            For his part, the staff representative, hon. Efite Andrew, thanked the Minister of Labour for midwifing the holding of the ADHOC Tripatrite Committee on 2nd and 3rd February 2017 in Buea, one of the recommendations of the Committee being the award of medals to meritorious workers.

            Efite also congratulated management for the sustained efforts towards ameliorating the working environment of workers and especially for implementing the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee. But like Oliver Twist he urged management to look into other problems affecting workers including the prompt and unconditional payment to the National Social Insurance Fund, NSIF, and the Credit Union of all deductions from workers’ salaries. 

            Recalling the precarious financial situation of the corporation as noted earlier by the GM, Efite appealed to the government to consider according tax exonerations and granting more subventions to CDC if just to salvage the corporation in these very difficult times.

      Insecurity Puts 2000 Jobs at risk

            The staff delegate told the Minister that the scary activities of Ambazonia separatist fighters have not eluded the CDC. He said two workers have lost their lives due to the ongoing war in parts of the SW. One of the workers, Miss Puh Emelda, was killed by a stray bullet in Mamfe, while the other, Mr. Ewodu Ndjobo, was brutally murdered by unidentified gunmen in Tombel.                  He also mentioned how a delegation of CDC workers on a mission to pay workers in Illoani estate was attacked along the Kumba-Ekondo-Titi road and all the money in their possession confiscated and two company cars driven away.

            Efite said CDC estates in Ndian and Meme divisions notably Illoani Palm Estate, Boa Palms Projects and Mbonge and Tombel Rubber Estates have been the targets of constant attacks by Ambazonia gunmen.  He appealed to the government to urgently find a lasting solution to the crisis, saying if the crisis persists CDC may be forced to stop operations in the affected estates and this will put the jobs of some 2000 workers at risk.

            Responding to the preoccupations of the GM and staff representative, the minister said the government under the leadership of President Paul Biya is aware of the socio political tensions and unrest in the NW and SW. He said government is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to address the situation.

            Gregoire Owona said that through social dialogue, government has been able to solve some of the grievances and she will not relent until peace is restored in the country.

            Created in 1947, the CDC has as mission to develop extensive plantations of tropical cash crops. The plantations located mostly in the Southwest region produce about 18 tons of rubber, 25 tons of crude palm oil and over 100.000 tons of bananas annually. The corporation employs about 20,000 Cameroonians, making it the 2nd employer after the state.