Bamenda City Council: The Most Corrupt?

Vincent Nji Ndumu: Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council

Thomas Hobbes, the 17^th Century English philosopher in his classical work “Lorianthan” wrote that if personal interest goes above general interest, there is bound to be hatred and victimization. In such a situation Hobbes wrote that “where everyone is enemy to every person, there is no place for growth because the fruit thereof is uncertain and consequently no culture of the earth, no room for changes, nastiness and worst of all, fear, poverty, character assassination and terror”. Hobbes who at the time of the writing was against the notion of absolute power vested in one individual believed that self-centeredness makes man morally corrupt.

And that once society gets to that state of nature, it is the responsibility of the state to intervene to curb those salvage instincts in order to prevent self-centered individuals from chaotic behaviors and a war of all against all. I do not know whether the emergence of the “Mankon Nationhood Restoration Movement” in Bamenda and appointment of Vincent Nji Ndumu as Government Delegate has transformed Bamenda into a “State of nature” or a perfect Hobbesian state of nature. However, it is probably the closest description to it that exists in Cameroon.

When Vincent Nji Ndumu was appointed Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council those who saw tomorrow were very skeptical about the future of the city of versions. Upon his arrival, he discarded the newly constructed City Council Chamber at Mulang and described it as “out of standards”. Vincent Nji Ndumu further said the fact that Mulang quarter hasn’t telephone lines, water and a good road, will remain where it is until a befitting structure is put in place. Tazong Abel Ndeh’s detractors jumped and shouted halleluiahs. But for over two years or so, since that declaration was made, the Bamenda City Council has been unable to renovate the dilapidated Council Rest House which has been transformed into a timber sales depot and worst of all; the Government Delegate has been unable to construct a befitting Council Chamber to host his services.

The question is, if it is not the City Council to develop the present site at Mulang, who is going to do it? “Politics is just a show business for good-looking people,” as Jay Leno once said. Or was it Jean-Paul Sartre? Whoever it was, Bamenda’s supremely self-assured chattering classes are sure to know.

Leadership is an art and a science. It is an art because it continually evolves, changes form, and requires creativity. It is a science because there are certain essential principles and techniques required. A good leader knows when it is time to change shape because they are highly attentive to those around them. Coming from a position of strength, a great leader takes risk by freeing up the creative genius in his/her followers to build their capability and multiply the talents thereof for better results. This leads to community development and greatness. By powerfully communicating a vision that animates, motivates, and inspires growth, a great leader is able to transform his or her surrounding. And to cut the story short, a good leader needs to understand that to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Presently, indicators are rife that if Government Delegates were elected, things might have been different for Bamenda. Upon arrival at the Bamenda City Council as Government Delegate, Vincent Nji Ndumu foxed out a program to dislodge all the containers in the city. The initiative received a lot of applauds as he suddenly embarked on the construction of market sheds around the Mankon Municipal Stadium.

However, those who took the pains to attend the 3^rd extraordinary session of the Bamenda City Council last December 6, 2011 deciphered the obnoxious act that surrounded the distribution of sheds. Whether it is ignorance or incapability, the truth is that members of the city board were at each others throat. It was as if the council has been transformed into a business entity whereby the population will have to pay the price. The Government Delegate who had vested on himself absolute powers to decide on the modalities of distribution was mute and dumped when he was asked to give an explanation on the amount that was paid into a certain account as rents for sheds. And that council revenue is henceforth collected in advance makes Bamenda a perfect Hobbesian city. If not of the SDO for Mezam who rejected the proposed draft because it did not march with council systems, the Bamenda City Council would have been transformed into a business unit. Yet, it is aired that Grand Councilors who earlier voted this draft had been playing the game of the mastiff with the Government Delegate to the detriment of the population with behind the curtain tips.  

Vincent Nji Ndumu confirmed it himself when he asked the councilors whether the sitting allowances they sign is all they get from the council meaning a lot of “ chopping arrangements” happens behind the scene.

However, an atmosphere of uncertainty now reins in Bamenda, following a decision by the City Council Board to suspend the distribution of the said market sheds. Nevertheless, during it budgetary session, the SDO for Mezam described the decision by the Government Delegate to hire council sheds to the population at 750.000 FCFA (advanced payment) as not within the law and added that he rejected the draft because a city council should not be managed as if it were a store. He also accused the city board members for not protecting the interest of the population who voted them. To put things straight, City Board members raised a motion that the over 200.000.000 FCFA already paid into the council account and yet to be accounted for should be refunded. As the news spread in the town, those who were selected and had paid the money are said to have rejected the decision of the council. Some are threatening to go down to the street if they are deprived of their sheds while another group who had earlier paid 250.000 FCFA each into the council coffers in the year 2000, are also raising hell. They are questioning whether administration does not continue with the present Government Delegate or he has transformed the council into a private entity. One of the traders told this reporter that if by March 25th, the money they paid for sheds in the year 2000 is not also refunded; they will have to stage a sit-down strike at the council yard or march on foot to Yaounde.

Of “too corrupt Council Police” & workers

Allegations and reports from the city council also indicate that the Bamenda City Council could be transformed into a prison yard because it smells corruption. The council police are reported to be “too corrupt” as indicated in the last council session by Vincent Nji Ndumu. It is even alleged that some of the councilors and staff took the sheds and were giving them out to traders at 2 million FCFA. Besides, allegations that some council police and staff will be sacked because of their corrupt nature seem to hit the rock as seemingly no one is free. Besides, it is alleged some council staff had gone as far as printing market tolls.