Councilors Decline Gift from North West Senators

Senator Achidi: Head of the delegation

Councilors of Nwa council in Donga Mantung Division have declined transport allowances offered to them by North West Senators. The incident happened today July 13, 2015 at the Nkambe community hall when visiting North West senators led by Senator Achidi Achu Simon stormed Donga Mantung in what observers described as a marathon thank you visit. Some of the councilors threatened to block the senators from leaving the hall, but were halt by the timely intervention of the mayor of Nwa, Ngomfe Loma David who pleaded that he will take care of their transport fare. “We cannot spend FCFA 13.000 each to come here and receive FCFA 10.000”, one of the councilors was heard fuming in anger. Another councilor described the incident as a slap in the face given that even the FCFA 200.000 promised them during senatorial elections in 2013 were all paid.  The Mayor of Nwa, Dr. Ngomfe Loma David said it was really a pathetic situation. “I have begged them and I will borrow money to complete the deficit. In fact I cannot allow my councilors to be stranded here in Nkambe”, he concluded. “I think we will no more vote people from space to the position of senators. A list that will not have councilors, we will not vote it. We have learned a bitter lesson and we are waiting for them to come to us for votes again”, another councilor of Misaje council vomited. On the other hand, the mayor of Ako said they received a telephone call which announced to them that all the councilors should report in Nkambe today to receive a motorbike each. “You know we are the closest neigbours to Nigeria and we thought Government has realized that they could promote councilors with a means of movement. But surprisingly, we came here to meet Senators. I thank them anyway for giving supporting us with a motorbike”, he concluded.  The councilors of Misaje were also heard threatening their mayor that if they are not all paid mission allowances for the trip to Nkambe, they too will boycott all meetings summoned by the senators given that they are all ingrates.

Bikes donated to councils

The former mayor of Misaje, Nkenda Simon Sunde exploded that though it is better to be late than never, “I was to ask them why they have forsaken us. And I was also going to ask them whether they are very comfortable to see councilors being taxed on the small sitting allowances. “I think I will also support the idea that councilors should henceforth vote their colleagues into senate or councilors who are mature people”, Nkenda Simon concluded.

Bunyui Emmanuel Nyugap, Mayor of Ndu said the senate is there because of the councils and it is normal for senators to show appreciation to the councilors after being elected into office. “I want to appreciate the senators for the bikes. However, the mayor of Ndu disclosed that senators are seemingly very comfortable when councilors and mayors who voted them into office are without salaries. “Mayors are threatening to stage a sit-down strike as from August 1, 2015” Bunyui said. He also wondered why Anglophone senators are quiet about issues related to bilingualism in this country. “Bilingualism is on paper and the Anglophones are largely marginalized. We need to talk about the Anglophone issue”. He regretted that the senate has been silent over a Private Members Bill on the protection of water catchments whereas water is becoming a problem. He also lamented that the senate may-likely be another rubber stamp like Parliament. “Cameroon will not attend emergence by a decree. If decentralization is not effective, we may still end up as the laughing stuck in Africa”, Bunyui Emmanuel concluded.

Ngabir Paul Bantar in his welcome speech had earlier decried that the plight of Donga Mantung people. In his speech, the mayor of Nkambe wondered why Fons who are only auxiliaries of the administration while councilors and mayors are not paid salaries. He also raised the issue of the Ring road which has ended in Kumbo, adding that the tarring of Kumbo-Nkambe-Misaje stretch should be anticipated. The mayor of Nkambe council also said that it is regrettable that Nwa which is the oldest and largest sub Division has not been considered in the decentralization process. He requested that Nwa should be raise to a full Division.

Matters came to a head when a councilor for Nwa asked the Achidi Achu led team whether late senator Jikong Stephen micro grants have been handed to them. In a desperate attempt to respond to the question, senator Fon Teche said that when a senator dies, his micro project grant dies as well. Tempers almost flared when he (Teche) said that the clause was omitted in the constitution. Donga Mantung councilors immediately sense the rat and murmuring took the central stage.When this reporter accosted Senator Achidi to find out from him why the FCFA 200.000 they promised councilors during campaigns have not been paid, he (Achidi)  responded that some people think that senators have alot of money but that is not the case. " I borrowed alot of money to use during the senatorial campaigns and right now the bank is threatening to seize my assets", Achidi said.

It should be noted that the senators donated a motorbike each to the five councils that make up Donga Mantung Division.

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