Ernest Sumelong
13 October 2008
The endless cries by Southwesterners about the neglect of the Province might soon be history following a series of projects the Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, has announced.
The overwhelming victory of the CPDM in the Southwest seems to be paying off as the Prime Minister has disclosed that government would soon create a college of Technology, a Maritime Academy and a school of Sports (CENAJES) in Limbe and Buea, respectively.
A Fako CPDM joint sections conference Saturday, October 11, in Muyuka, provided the Prime Minister the opportunity to make the announcement to a mammoth crowd of CPDM sympathisers.
He said feasibility studies for the school of Technology have been completed and construction work would soon begin. He disclosed that a school of Sports would be constructed in Buea in 2009. Besides these, he said the Chinese have concluded studies for the construction of stadiums in Buea and Limbe, and that construction works would also begin soon.
Inoni also explained that work on the Limbe shipyard and the deep sea port is on course and government would soon finalise negotiations with some Koreans for the project.Meantime, he challenged the Muyuka people to take advantage of their fertile soils and take up agriculture. He said government is investing huge sums of money to promote agriculture in the country.
The PM joined local CPDM officials and chiefs to condemn the attack of some banks in Limbe and violence in general. "We cannot forge ahead in a background of violence." He promised that government will do everything to bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
More than a year after the CPDM recorded what it termed a sweeping victory in the Southwest, militants of the five sections of Fako met in Muyuka in a joint conference to take stock of their activities and to redynamise the party, according to its officials.
During the conference, which held under the theme "Fako with Paul Biya, Renewed Dynamism for Brighter Horizons", various officials, in their speeches, accredited successful events and developmental projects in the country to the party and its National Chairman, President Paul Biya.
The meeting held against a backdrop of heightened speculations of the sack of the Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, wrangling within the party, controversy over the deep sea port and the recent attack on some banks in Limbe.
Contrary to popular belief that the meeting was to garner support for the Prime Minister, Saturday's conference focused on the significance of Muyuka's coming into the CPDM fold, the need for redynamisation and unity in Fako CPDM.
Call For Unity
The meeting, which comes barely a month to celebrations marking Biya's 26 years in power, has been seen as a strategy to build momentum and prepare the ground for CPDM Fako to be united before nationwide celebrations on November 6.
Addressing the militants, Inoni urged them to close ranks and work together. "The party must stand as a shining example of peace and unity...Fako CPDM has to be redynamised; we have to reactivate the cells and the branches and avoid wrangling. The party must be united," he insisted.
On her part, the Chairperson of the organising committee of the conference and Central Committee Member, Dr Mrs Dorothy Njeuma, said the occasion was for them to celebrate the CPDM victory in Muyuka, considering that they grabbed Muyuka from the hands of the opposition. She said the choice of hosting the event in Muyuka was for a specific reason.
To the Fako III President, Charles Mbella Moki, the conference gave them the opportunity to assess their success indicators and renew their commitment to the party. He contended that the expectations of his militants were met and Fako is now a stronghold of the CPDM. "But that does not mean we will rest on our laurels; we will continue to nurture and sensitise our militants on the ideals of the party," he said.
The President of the Southwest Chiefs Conference, Chief Isoh Itoh, spoke in the same vein as other CDPM militants who spoke to The Post. Hear him: "Most of the issues we expected to be addressed at the conference were addressed; the deep sea port, the raid in Limbe, the unity of the party and the development of our roads. Since these issues were addressed, we are satisfied."
However, some militants, who did not want to be named, said Fako CPDM still has some uninspiring leaders who do not instill any dynamism in the party. They stated that in spite of the cosmetic show of unity, wrangling and bitterness is still rife among local party officials.
Muyuka Is Ripe For A Division
While hailing the Muyuka people for turning to the CPDM and praising the government for the soon-to-be completed Muea-Kumba road, Muyuka Mayor, Johannes Mokoto Njie, said Muyuka is ripe for a full Division. He pleaded for the installation of a tax centre in Muyuka to ease the payment of their taxes.
He complained that Muyuka is unable to expand, considering that the land is occupied by the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC. He as well requested government to develop farm-to-market roads, equip their hospitals and provide electricity and pipe borne water to the population.
At the end of the ceremony, the PM and wife, Gladys, handed hospital equipments and some 500 benches to Southwest Basic, Secondary and Health Delegates destined for hospitals and schools in Muyuka.
Accompanying the PM on the trip were the former Prime Minister, Peter Mafany Musonge, Forestry and Wildlife Minister, Professor Elvis Ngolle Ngole, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dschang, Francis Nkwain, the Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, Philemon Yang, a Central Committee delegation led by His Majesty Nfor Tabetando and a delegation of Mfoundi elite headed by the Minister of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, Laurent Etoundi Ngoa.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
Mr Sumelong !!! I think the title of your article should have better been " Inoni anounces project bonanza for Limbe sub division." It is worth noting that tribalism will continue to strive in this country. Everything since Inoni came to power has now been focused on Limbe. Does it mean other towns in the SW aren't ripe to have a stadium? A cream of the best footballers from the SW comes from Manyu division and for anyone who isn't myopic would think that the school of sport should have been better in Mamfe. As for the Maritime academy, why not build it in Bakassi so as to attract the ever rising Canmeroonian book hungry youths to this area? What has Kupe Manenguba done o you sir? Anyway Elvis Ngolle Ngolle can better fight that battle with you.The case of Lebialem is not to mention. That division was just created to window dress our political map. Infact we should be serious once more.
People of Cameroon oooooooooooooooooooooooooooh! wonna hear me ooooooooooh ! election is around there corner they have send inoni to come and start lieing again ooooooooooh ! . Well no problem he is in Biya's waiting list . Watch out for what ever u take from these ppl shall hold for the rest of ur life . these CPDM ppl are jabu ppl . they charm thier things to confuse the whole nation so that wont protest against them .So if u take it . Have urr self to blame . Inoni has started the lies talling show by telling us about maritie school . why are south westerner so stupid ? . they took chantier naval away and gave u school, u are happy . A school u are not even sure they will biuld it there . biya and his ppl are really looking at u as fools . these chieves should ex-communicate Inoni. God bless Cameroon . They delay nour destiny but one day it shall be open . let's hope Cameroonian . God bless u all .