Nursery Schools Kept Out of Youth Day Festivities

By Boris Esono in Buea

Susan Fende Lyonga, Regional Delegate of Youth Affairs and Civic Education talking to the press

Preparations ahead of the 52nd edition of the National Youth Day have gone in to full gear in the South West Region and Buea in particular. During a preparatory meeting held in Buea last 18 January, officials made it known that the 2018 edition will not see the participation of nursery school children.

                The information was made known by the head of Division for economic, social and cultural affairs at the SW Governor’s office, Mathew Theophile Ndumbe as he chaired the first preparatory meeting ahead of the celebration.

                He used the opportunity to also call on all stakeholders to work together to make this year’s youth Day celebration a successful one.

                “All actors should work together as a team to ensure that this year’s celebration is a success throughout the South West Region,” Ndumbe prayed.

                According to the Regional Delegate of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Susan Fende Lyonga, this year’s edition has some peculiarities.

                “This year, the celebration will be carried out in one week. We are going to spread the campaign of civic education; national integration, volunteerism, community service amongst others.” She said.

                During a question and answer session, it emerged that gadgets like handbags, phones, high-heeled shoes will not be authorized.

Encroachment and Illegal Land Sale:

Who Owns Southern Bakundu Forest Reserve?

-SDO warns Small Ekombe and Kake II to steer clear of government property

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

The Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Chamberlin Ntou’ouNdong has told villagers of Small Ekombe in Mbonge Sub-Division and Kake in Kumba I subdivision to stop fighting over ownership of the Southern Bakundu Forest Reserve which is government’s property. The SDO has also warned Small Ekombe villagers to drop their plan to march to his office.

                The SDO’s call for calm and restraint was made during a brief emergency conclave at his office. In the meeting, the SDO schooled Mr. Gabriel who claims to have bought 30 hectares of the reserve from the Kake II chiefdom as to what it takes to purchase a forest reserve as well as the various complications that may ensue in the course of the process as prescribe by law.

                He expressed with shock and disbelief that the said Gabriel who was instead allocated a parcel of land for community development is now chasing farmers from cultivating in the government reserve with the pretext that he bought the land. The SDO has promised to release a communique to clear the air on the issue.

                The SDO’s administrative caution calling for calm comes days after close to 200 farmers of the Southern Bakundu forest which stretches from Small Ekombeplanned a protest march to the SDO’s office to express their anger over the illegal sale of 30 hectares of the government forest reserve to an individual by the Kake II traditional council.

                The villagers stated that a certain individual by name Gabriel has been disturbing them from farming at their own portion of the forest reserve where they have being cultivating for decades now under the pretext that the land has been sold to him by the Kake II traditional council. 

Did Slain Ikiliwindi Forest Guard Forge His Way into Public Service?

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

An unimpeachable source has confided to The Median that the Forestry guard who was shot dead recently at Ikiliwindi weighing station along the Kumba-Mamfe road in Konye Sub division faked his way into the public service. Our source that claimed he grew up with the deceased, said the confusion that erupted on the social media about the real names of the boy was because he forged certificates in order to join the civil service.

                Immediately news of the boy’s death broke out and spread like wildfire on social media, there was disparity in the names that were carried on social media as the boy’s names. While some called by the name he used to enter the public service, others who knew him from childbirth referred to him using his names at birth.

                Our source said the deceased forest guard got into the public service with the name Ewunge Robert Ngoe, but his names at birth was Ndode Elvis Ajang.

Southern Cameroons Crisis:

Wife Jailed in Place of her Husband

On 1 October, the military came in search of Delphine Dzelafen’s husband. “As I was about to go to bed, I heard a big knock on the door, I thought the door was going to break, I rushed to see, about 10 military men,” she said.

                “As I opened the door, they jumped in and started searching, asking, where is he, as they looked for my husband, Njilah Jones. They searched they whole compound, then arrested me.”

                She spent the night at Kumba police station and the next morning was blindfolded and taken to prison in Yaoundé.

                Her family didn’t know where she was until she was released on 5 December.

Muyuka:

Principal Sacked Over False ‘Odeshi’ Alarm

By Boris Esono in Buea

Panic Sent Children out of school premises in South West

The minister of Secondary education, Jean Ernest Ngalle has dismissed the principal and discipline master of Government Bilingual High School Malende in the Muyuka subdivision. The dismissal comes barely a week after the SWR was hit by panic due to a false alarm of an alleged attack by Ambazonia forces.

                Francis Manchang Oben and Davidson AshuTanyi according to reports from CRTV, were relieved of their duties.

                They were replaced by Florence Nkwenta and Akem Etienne Aji as principal and Discipline master respectively.

                After some enquiry made, Minister Jean Ernest confirmed the involvement of the dismissed school administrators during the recent school disruption of classes in the South West Region.

                Last Monday January 15, panic engulfed the region as rumor of an attack went wild. Students ran to their various homes and parents went wild as they rushed to various educational establishments to collect their various children. By mid-day, various schools in the region were disserted as they air was airy silence.

                In a press briefing, Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai reassured the population that there was no call for alarm as the information was just a rumor meant to destabilize the region. He said “children should continue to go to schools as security measures have been taken and reinforced to protect the population and all the different activities going on”.

Chiefs Threatened With Death for Refusing to Fund Ambazonia Forces

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

A cross section of Meme chiefs have escaped their chiefdoms to unknown destinations after being declared persona non grata and earmarked for assassination by some unknown persons.

                We learned that the threat comes because the chiefs are refusing to support and fund the Ambazonia separatist movement. 

                The Chiefs who are mostly from Mbonge Sub-Division, are no longer considered friendly by the population of their community. They have been served sundry messages through their mobile phones and tracts spread all over their palaces promising them hell if they dont support the Ambazonia cause or if ever they disclosed the identity of Ambazonia supporters to government. 

                As it stands, scores of Meme chiefs have fled their chiefdoms to unknown areas following fears that they will be assassinated by the Ambazonia boys as news broke out that they are been targeted alongside some of their traditional council chairpersons.

CAF Inspection Mission Ends Visit to Cameroon

By Boris Esono in Limbe

Ismail Walle, CAF Director of Football bids farewell to Cameroon as Governor Okalia Bilai looks on

The facts finding mission of the Confederation of African Football, CAF to Cameroon has wrapped up almost a week visit to various infrastructures to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON in Cameroon.

                The visit led by CAF Director of competitions, Ismail Walle featured members of the Rolland Berger Company and a delegation from CAF. The over 5-day visit from the delegation took them to all the regions to host matches. From Yaoundé-Garoua-Baffoussam-Douala-Buea/Limbe and back to the CAF Excellence Centre in Mbankomo, Yaoundé to conclude their inspection tour.

                The delegation that arrived Buea last Wednesday January 17 first had a stop at the SW Governor’s office where they had a working session. The delegation then went to the various sites to play host to matches in the region. About 6 stadia and some hotel facilities were x-rayed by the CAF inspection team.

                In Buea, the Molyko stadium, Buea Town stadium were inspected with samples of the grass, soils, playing surface, changing rooms, electricity and water supply systems, security and communication systems.

                From Buea the two teams of delegates, one tasked with looking at stadia and the other with Hotel facilities, went to the sea side town of Limbe with the site committee chair, Governor OkaliaBilai to also ascertain the readiness of the town. All the structures were also given thorough inspection by the teams. The LimbeOmnisport stadium and its Annex, Centenary and Middle Farms where all inspected with hotels such as Seme, Fini, SayoyPalmz also x-rayed.

                According to the Director of the LimbeOmnisportstdium, Ekombe nee WankiPascaline, the stadium is all but ready to host matches for the 2019 AFCON.