Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
12 May 2008
A team of investigators led by the Southwest Provincial Chief of Councils, visited Kumba I and III Councils recently.
The Post learned that in Kumba I, the team stormed the council because of the ongoing squabble between the Mayor, Prince Ekale Mukete and his 1st Deputy, Gerald Otang Taku.
Also, a local tabloid had published an article titled "Kumba I Mayor Killing Baby Council" which the team was investigating.
In the said article, the Mayor was accused to have consumed FCFA 3 million for fuel though the council hasn't got an official van.It stated that Ekale grabbed FCFA 500,000 for the agro-pastoral show in Kumba yet tendered just half the amount.
The report also accused the Mayor of placing the council's business under the leadership of his in-laws, citing the examples of building permits and market tolls.The paper equally faulted Ekale, as Section President of Meme I CPDM, for failing to tender some electronic equipment offered the section by the General Manager of SONARA, Charles Metouk.
It explained that Ekale swindled FCFA 1 million offered the section by former Prime Minister, Peter Mafany Musonge, to fight the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC, in Kumba.
The Post was hinted that these amongst others caused the team to pay a surprise visit to the council.
A handful of councilors had secretly crafted a vote of no confidence for Ekale though they weren't permitted to present it in their last budgetary session.It is reported that after two futile attempts, the team met the Mayor in his office where they questioned him on his management of the council and his relationship with his deputies.
The team equally asked questioned about birth certificate fees, which Otang stated that he (Ekale) embezzled.A source told The Post that most of the questions asked were linked to the newspaper story published on the alleged corruption charges.
Ekale is said to have been freed from the investigators after producing supporting documents for all expenditures. They also visited Otang's office permanently closed and queried the Mayor on certain expenditures that were not under specific heads as per the council's nomenclature.
Ekale later told some CPDM party militants in a closed meeting that all the allegations published in the paper were meant to soil his image.He said Otang's comments in the story were full of lies and gross exaggeration. He denied embezzling any money meant to fight SCNC in Kumba.
As for the Mayor of Kumba III, Samuel Ndeme Takem, close to twenty, out of twenty-five councilors passed him a vote of no confidence few months after their installation.
The councilors tabled their petition to Meme Senior Divisional Officer, Magloire Abath Zangbwala.
They accused the Mayor of autocratic rule, mismanagement of council funds and failing to collaborate with his deputies.It is rumoured that his 1st Deputy, Bertha Tazi, has sworn never to pass at the council premises again.
The investigators, therefore, wanted to know whether all charges levied against Ndeme were true.The results of the findings about the Kumba III Council are said to have been forwarded to the Governor of Southwest Province, Louis Eyeya Zanga.
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