As Buea Council Fires Runaway Councillors:

Njie Mandengue Swears Doom for Mayor Patrick Ekema
-Says he regrets grooming Ekema into the "Monster" he has grown to become
-Sacked Ist Deputy Mayor, Motomby Mbome, also waves away his dismissal as a non event, saying he is too clean a fish to swim in Ekema's dirty waters
By Boris Esono in Buea

Mayor Ekema Patrick: “Undue absenteism cannot be tolerated”

The First Deputy Mayor of the Buea Council Emmanuel Motomby Mbome has been sacked from his position by his fellow councillors of the council. The decision was arrived at on 17 July, during an ordinary session of the council geared towards the examination and adoption of the administrative, management and stores accounts for the 2018 financial year, holding at the council chambers. It was the first ordinary session of the council for 2019.
    Before proceedings really got started, a councillor noted the absence of the Ist deputy Mayor, Motomby Mbome, arguing that he has been absent from his office for a prolonged period of at least six months and without any tangible excuse. The councillor then moved a motion for the Mayor Motomby to be dismissed from his post on grounds of desertion of office and boycott of council sessions.
    The motion was duly moved. It was upheld by an overwhelming majority of the councillors present. 
    Following Motomby's dismissal, Dr. Lyonga John Efande, who was second Deputy Mayor was upgraded to First Deputy; Mosoko Eduard who was third deputy became the 2nd deputy, while Mrs Chonta who was appointed the 4th deputy following the dismissal of Dr. Mrs Ojong Nkpot, was made the 3rd deputy in that order. Meanwhile, another councillor, Lifange Williams Ikome, was voted in as Fourth Deputy Mayor.
    Another landmark decision of the heated session was the dismissal of Chief Njie Mandenge of Wonjia Village, Lysoka. Though the CPDM Group Secretary at the council, Mandengue was dismissed for joining the mass boycott of the last 20th May by Chiefs of Buea. He was indicted for carrying out anti-patriotic activities that were at variance with the goals and aspirations of the CPDM-run Buea council.

Mandengue Denies Opportunity To Stay Mute
    Njie Mandengue has however not stayed mute following his dismissal from the council. Speaking to the press in Limbe last week, the Chief admitted being absent from the council for a period of about a year. But he at once said his dismissal was unlawful because it did not follow due procedure.
    Mandengue argued that a councillor cannot be dismissed at a session meant to examine and adopt the accounts of the council. He said a dismissal motion can only be moved at an extra-ordinary session called exceptionally for that purpose. Besides, he said a dismissal resolution has to be forwarded to the SDO who intend forwards it to the Minister in charge of Councils, for it to be validated. He said councillors or a mayor cannot dismiss another councillor just like that.
    Chief Mandengue regretted that Mayor Ekema was showing poor mastery of the law governing council management.
    "True, i have been living out of the SW region for about a year now because of the ongoing conflict, and I have been absent from several council sessions. But it is unfortunate that the decision dismissing me was masterminded by somebody i put at the helm of the council. I consider the Mayor of Buea as my son.... But unfortunately he has always wanted to put me in a situation as to antagonize my own SW and Fako political brothers. This all started in 2015 when i did not support his 'stubborn' ambition to become CPDM Fako III section president. He had wanted to be the president against the wish of party hierarchy. The 'young' but 'very arrogant' Mayor Ekema fell out with me when he failed to put me against those he considers his enemies including notably the Rt. Hon. Mafany Musonge and Hon. Emilia Lifaka," explained Njie Mandengue, who regretted that by dismissing him as councillor and group secretary, Mayor Ekema has only betrayed his poor mastery of the law governing council management.

    "I consider my dismissal as a non event because it did not respect procedure, be it administrative or political. I remain the CPDM group secretary at the council, duly appointed by the party. Only the party can remove me from that position. Besides, you cannot dismiss a deputy mayor just like that. There is a procedure to follow but which was not respected," Mandengue explained further, noting that the persons appointed to replace the sacked Mayors have no legality; they cannot sign marriage or birth certificates because they were never sworn-in by a competent court.
Mandengue predicted that Mayor Ekema will be voted out of the council in 2020 and would be made to pay all the moneys he has been wasting on his illegal appointees.
    "He will lose the elections in 2020. You cannot fall out with everybody, even those who made you and hope to win. When Ekema leaves the council he will be made to account for all the money he has been spending illegally and wastefully," Mandengue swore.

Motomby also Reacts
    As for the First Deputy Mayor, Motomby Mbome, he said he would not waste his time commenting on a non event. Motomby however, said that he had since left Buea because he did not want to be part of the mess being perpetrated at the council by Mayor Ekema.

Councillors Adopt 2018 Accounts
    Councillors of the Buea council adopted the 2018 administrative, management and stores accounts as was presented by the Mayor.
    Speaking during the session, Mayor Ekema Patrick remarked that the work load at the council was too heavy for fewer persons, reason why prolonged absence from work could not be condoned. He said the Buea Council boat cannot be paddled by people he described as unpatriotic.
    He on behalf of the councillors thanked the head of state, Paul Biya for extending their mandate to February 2020. 

Mayor Laments Drastic Drop in council revenue
    According to the Mayor, the ongoing Anglophone conflict has seriously affected  revenue collection in the municipality, with over 75 percent of council revenue lost. He noted that the separatists have been hell bent on paralyzing the municipality’s revenue sources, but that he and his collaborators have waged a war against them, a war which has saved the municipality from falling in the hands of the separatists.
    Yet, Mayor Ekeme said the socioeconomic situation of the council is in bad shape, even though they have tried their utmost to insulate the effects using expedient but salutary measures that appear to be working well.

Buea Markets to operate daily
    Another major decision which emerged from the council session was that of the daily operation of all the markets in the municipality. It was however agreed that the decision will only be applied once all councillors have been consulted on the issue, as not all were present.
    The decision has however been received with mixed feelings by the population.
    “If all the markets are opened daily it will negatively affect sales. When Muea Market functions on Thursday, it brings many buyers to the market. If this decision goes through, the market may see a drop in buyers as some individuals will prefer to go elsewhere to purchase their produce,” explained a trader at the Soppo Market.

Another trader had a favourable opinion on the decision.
    “It will help boost the socioeconomic situation in the municipality as the markets working daily will mean more people going to the markets to spend. So for me it is ok that the markets should function daily.”

Mayor Ekema receives Development award
    Mayor Ekema Patrick was equally handed the “Fleche Press Awards” for development by the Pan-African Press, an international organization based in Brazzaville, Congo, for his unyielding efforts to bring development to his municipality. According to a representative of PAP, Hervè Villaro Kibong, the award was as a result of the mayor’s efforts in alleviating poverty and unemployment, not leaving out his patriotism and dynamism.