Meme Farmers’ House:

SOWEFCU gets new President amid scandals
Accused of embezzling over 30 million FCFA and registering company properties in his name, former SOWEFCU president, Bernard Betanga Nchonganyi, who has been on the run for a while, has finally showed up. He has not only handed over to the new president but will also answer to allegations of fraud, corruption and embezzlement.
By Sirri Ntonifor Tangwe in Kumba
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since members of the South-West Farmers Cooperative Union Ltd. – SOWEFCU - discovered lapses in its management in January 2013 and voted in a new president on June 21st 2013. Yet, over two years after his election, the president-elect, Patrick Esapa, was only installed into his functions on 26 August 2015.
    The installation ceremony presided by the Meme Divisional Delegate of Agriculture and Rural Development took place in a tense atmosphere. It was witnessed by the First Assistant S.D.O for Meme, Verkline Epolewane.
     The outgone president, Betanga Bernard, was accused among others of failing to hand over the land title for a piece of land owned by SOWEFCU and of registering some properties belonging to the Union in his name as though they belonged to him.
     Betanga has however refuted all the allegations. He refused knowing anything about the missing land title which he claimed was procured during his tenure. As for the properties registered in his name, he said the SOWEFCU Board authorized him to register the properties in his name. Betanga has however declared his readiness to rectify the situation.
Another point of contention was a sum of 34 million FCFA allegedly owed by Betanga to SOWEFCU. Betanga, who served as SOWEFCU president from 2003 to 2010, vehemently denied borrowing this sum, refusing to comment more on the issue, saying the matter should be referred to the courts.
    In his speech, the president elect, Esapa Patrick, pleaded with Betanga to lend his full support and advice to the new board so that all problems can be solved amicably out of the courts. In so doing, he concurred with the 1st Assistant SDO who asked the board to work with the outgone president to satisfy the farmers.
    Observers however noted that Esapa has inherited a bitter-sweet position given that his mandate has been plagued by wrangling and legal contests. Apart from the now-famous FCFA 34 million saga there is also the Achanyi & Sons company who are dragging SOWEFCU to court over debts incurred during Betanga’s reign.

    It would be recalled that in January 2013, an audit report revealed that Betanga and his collaborators had mismanaged SOWEFCU finances amounting to over FCFA 140 million. Later in July that year, Betanga was again in the limelight of the press, after he was placed in gendarmerie custody for some hours in connection with the invasion, theft and destruction of property at SOWEFCU. For some years now, SOWEFCU has been trading accusations and counter-accusations with Betanga and his supporters.
    Today, all eyes are turned towards the new president to see how he pilots the SOWEFCU boat from mucky waters.