By
Fai Cassian Ndi
An atmosphere of stale familiarity now looms
in Nwa Sub division, Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region between
the mayor of that municipality and the Divisional Officer. The story goes that
on May 22, 2014, the mayor of Nwa council, Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David Moloh while
presenting his speech during the administrative accounts session said that the
main impediment was the fact that he could only realize 35% of the revenue due
to a parallel collection by the Nwa administration. Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David Moloh
exploded that “the latter has not only reduced council collection; it has aggravated
the poverty situation in this poverty stricken council areas where more than 90%
of the population live below the poverty line”.
To substantiate this, Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David
cited four cases. According to the mayor of Nwa, the Divisional Officer, Tumasang
Walters Ngang “for consultative Talks is collecting 250.000 FCFA and three
goats”, adding that “this money is of course collected from those who pay our
local taxes such as market tolls and business licenses etc”, he emphasized. Dr.
Ngomfe-Loma David Moloh further revealed in his speech that “the Divisional
Officer has initiated a second Meet-the-People tour- the first of its kind in
over fifty years of the existence of this subdivision. This tour mainly to
Ardorates is ongoing. Although primarily to collect more money, cows and goats,
the problem” according to the mayor” is he (D.O) is indirectly creating another
village in an existing and gazette village”.
Harping on the methodology adopted in solving
farmer/grazer problems, Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David decried that the Divisional
Officer “has set up a one-man-Sub-Agro-Pastoral Commission headed by (him)-self.
He disclosed that “farmlands are systematically seized from bare-footed farmers
in exchange for cows”. The mayor cited the pathetic case where a piece of
farmland belonging to an epileptic woman in Kih, Mbem village was seized and
handed to a grazer. “On trying to protest, she was arbitrarily arrested and
detained. What released her from detention” Ngomfe said “was her illness” given
that “she went into status epilepticus (continuous fitting) and was
subsequently released by a sympathetic Gendarme officer”. In addition, Dr.
Ngomfe reiterated that the Divisional Officer “has redistributed Communal Trans-humance
areas to particular individuals” citing the case in Sih village where allegedly
“he is collecting trans-humance taxes and secretly resettling some Nigerian
grazers in Faam village and in the Mbaw plain.
The mayor also accuses the Divisional officer
again on what he called “Sub-land Commission. According to the mayor, “here
again we have a one-man commission headed by him where he is collecting as much
as 250.000 FCFA from each disgruntled factions as logistics” In order to
validate this one-man show commission the mayor added that “ he (D.O) has
resorted to unscientific and unorthodox means of settling land disputes by ‘juju’
swearing. This has been done in the Ngu-Nguri land dispute. Those of Ngum-Ngumkwo,
Gom-Koffa, Rom-Nkot and a host of others are to follow suit”.
In his conclusion, the mayor of Nwa outlined that
“the Senior Divisional Officer, the population of Nwa subdivision is bitterly disappointed
and deeply frustrated with the activities of the Divisional Officer for Nwa
subdivision. Through me, the population of Nwa is pleading with you to
intervene in order to avoid the huge consequences that may result from the
activities of the Divisional Officer and in particular his incessant quest for
money”.
Matters Arising
Tongues are still waging in Nwa ever since
Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David Moloh made that open declaration. Public opinion in Nwa
holds that the open declaration has ignited a cold war between the mayor and
the Divisional Officer. Yet when contacted by this reporter to clear the air on
the allegations, the Divisional Officer for Nwa, Tumasang Walters said he could
not comment on grounds that he who alleges must proof. Nevertheless in a chat
with this reporter Dr. Ngomfe-Loma David confirmed that last Monday, the DO was
in one of the villages where he reportedly used the same ‘juju’ to settle land
dispute between two villages. He also told us that after the administrative
accounts session, the Divisional Officer also took a decision to suppress all
the council gates in the municipality, “why only now”, he questioned.
When we arrived the Nguri palace, the fon was
not at hand to confirm or refute allegations on the settlement of land disputes
by swearing and or whether he contributed the alleged amount or less.
On the resettlement of Nigerian grazers, a
classified source hinted this reporter that the Divisional Officer acting on
instruction from MINATD recently made a census of the Nigerian grazers. According
to what we gathered only two were identified to have taken permanent residence
while others have cattle in the municipality with their relatives but are not
resident in the Subdivision. Fears abound that with the threats of Boko Haram,
the need to control the movement of grazers in the border subdivision is imperative.
However, in our quest for uncover the truth we could not get the grazer in
question by the time we got to his home. Reportedly he was in Nkambe for other
issues.
A classified source at the sub delegation of
agriculture told us that they have not been going to the field on farmer/grazer
conflict. “We hardly go to the field given that all farmer/grazer problems are
handled at the level of the administration”. A farmer in Nton told us that
their crops were destroyed by cows and when they complained in a group it was
impossible for some farmers to raise money. “Farmers are not at ease, it is
difficult for a farmer to acquire farmland whereas it is easy for grazers”. Yet
when we got to the DO’s office, we spotted two agric technicians who were going
to the field to assess the damages caused by cows. Apparently, it was the chief
of agric post for Mfe who was leading the team of evaluators.
More so, the situation is becoming very
critical as some traditional rulers have taken advantage of the disorder to
allocate farmlands to grazers. The case of Mbong and Bomgom abound high. According
to what we gathered the fon of Mbon recently allocated grazing land to a grazer
in Bomgom quarter without consulting the immediate sub chief of that area. This
obnoxious practice is putting to question the use of the technical services. Apparently,
the issue is another hot potato.
(To be continued)
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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