SW Governor Beckons Amba Boys to Drop their weapons & Return Home

By Boris Esono in Buea

SW Gov. Okalia Bilai distributing relief aid to IDPs in Tiko

The Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai has called on separatists in the bushes to drop their weapons and return to their families as their security is guaranteed. The governor called on the elites, church leaders and chiefs to echo the appeal to the youths.

                He was speaking in Buea recently as he chaired a meeting between the administration and stakeholders in the coordination and management of humanitarian assistance to IDPs.

                “Reports have shown that a good number of displaced persons have benefited the humanitarian assistance. However, we are aware that what has been provided cannot satisfy all the needs of the recipients. I call on you to demonstrate the good spirit of the head of state’s call for the youths to drop their weapons and come back to their families,” Okalia Bilai said to participants at the meeting, who included SDO, DO, Mayors, representatives of UN relief agencies, church leaders, chiefs etc.

                He added: “Let us give ourselves a target between now and the end of 2018 so that our children can spend Christmas and New Year with their families, and so that our traditional rulers and chiefs can return to their palaces. We should use this period to campaign for the return of peace, security and joy throughout our region. “

                The Anglophone crisis which started in October 2016 has led to severe suffering of people, while others have been displaced and/or killed.

                The SDOs present at the event reported on the situation on ground in their areas of command. The SDO for Fako, Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux, noted that the crisis caused the mass exodus of the population from areas such as Muyuka, Munyenge, Bafia, Muea, Mile 16, and Mile 14 and Wotutu in Limbe.  He said some about 20,000 persons had fled their homes by September this year. Some are timidly coming back home, he said.

                He however indicated that it is very difficult to carry out a census of displaced persons so as to estimate needs concerned. He noted that the task would have been easy if camps were built to host the IDPs.

                For his part, the SDO for Manyu said his division has been the epicenter of the crisis. But he regretted that there are no refugee camps to host the IDPs, many of whom have sought refuge in the bushes.

                He said the 4 subdivisions of Manyu count roughly 8,000 IDPs.