Ebola scares away Americans visiting Kumbo council

By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda
La Crosse Common Council in Wisconsin, USA has put on hold a planned visit to Kumbo Council on December 2014 as a result of the dreaded Ebola disease that has been wrecking havoc in some parts of West Africa.
    Ever since a man who arrived in Dallas, USA from Liberia a week ago tested positive for Ebola, becoming the first person diagnosed in the U.S. with the potentially deadly virus, the US government has been very cautious of its citizens travelling to any Country in West Africa.
    It is in this light that La Crosse Common Council, a partner of Kumbo Council following a recent twinning deal postponed a planned exchange visit to Kumbo. The confirmation as to the postponement of this visit was made known to this reporter in a telephone chat by Diane Withers and Linda Pfaf all workers at the La Crosse Common Council who all said the visit has been carried over to December 2015.
    A delegation from La Crosse was expected in Kumbo by December for an exchange visit. The Mayor of Kumbo Council, Njong Donatus Fonyuy led a strong nine man delegation to the US from June 29th to July 8th 2014 for a visit and to seal a twinning deal with the La Crosse Council. Conspicuous in the delegation was the Senior Divisional Officer for Bui division, Nzeke Theophile, the third deputy Mayor, Jaff Njibril and some Reverend Sisters.

    This Sister City relationship was formed following Kumbo Council’s request for twinning in 2012.  The Councilors of Kumbo Municipality sitting in an ordinary session in December 2012 also took a resolution, whereby the Lord Mayor of Kumbo was empowered to formalize this Sister City relationship. On March 14, 2013, the City of La Crosse Common Council passed a resolution approving the Kumbo Council as a sister city.
    To this effect, a La Crosse Wisconsin delegation led by Dr. Lee Rasch, who is the President of the Western College and head of the Twinning Commission in the City of La Crosse, accompanied by his spouse was sent to Kumbo on the 18th of June 2013 with the official acceptance letter and the City of La Crosse Deliberation to twin with Kumbo.
     This agreement was presented to the public on May 25, 2013. It is against this backdrop that Mayor Njong led a delegation of nine people to La Crosse from June 29th to July 8th 2014.