The National Executive of Ntundip Abee Steps Down

The National Executive of Ntundip Abee held a crisis meeting in Bamenda on July 2, 2016 in view of seeking solutions to the precarious crisis that has left members perplex. The most pathetic thing is that the national executive decided to step down following incessant interferences of the Fon in issues that compromises the life of the association. Ntundip Abee is one of the most vibrant development associations in Mbumland which has recorded land mark results. To their credit is the electrification project, the construction of five classrooms at GSS Ntundip, the village water scheme just to name these few. With the national executive stepping down, it is feared the development of Ntundip will be jeopardized.

Here below is the Release from the National Exco  

                   PRESS RELEASE

From:
 National Executive Committee
To:
His Royal Majesty the Fon of Ntundip
Copies: The Ntundip Traditional Council
The Ntundip village council
All the Churches of Ntundip
All Branches of Ntundip Abee
The PTA/Principal of GSS Ntundip
WICUDA/TANG-ABEE DOUALA
Ntundip Elite

Subject: WE ARE STEPPING DOWN NOW THAT THE FON IS THE GENERAL COORDINATOR, DEBT RECOVERY OFFICER AND TREASURER OF NTUNDIP ABEE

We write to inform the people of Ntundip at home and elsewhere that we will no longer function as the

Fon of Ntundip

Executive of Ntundip Abee since the Fon of Ntundip has taken over our role. For the past years it has been very difficult and frustrating coordinating the development of Ntundip because of the activities of our Fon who instead of playing the role of Adviser number one (1) as our constitution prescribes, has decided to manage Ntundip Abee affairs himself taking controversial decisions without consulting the National Executive thereby putting the development association under stress and permanently in crisis.

A)    The Fon as General Coordinator

Of recent, there was a controversy over the Ntundip Abee Meeting venue in Douala. Some individuals who have been working hard to divide the Douala branch of Ntundip Abee secretly contacted the Fon who wrote a document, challenging the democratic choice of the Interim Douala Branch President, challenging the branch president’s authority and that of the General Coordination. We find it embarrassing that the Fon should incite wayward members to disrespect a branch president he himself installed just a few months ago. Since 2002 when Ntundip Abee was created, it has never been the responsibility of the Fon to choose where branches should hold their meetings. The worse is that the Fon wrote a secret letter to a group of embezzlers in Douala: a letter the group has used to embarrass Ntundip Abee (see the report from the Douala branch here attached).

B)    The Fon as Treasurer of Ntundip Abee

A fundraiser was organized at Hotel le Nde in Douala on the 10th November, 2012 to support development projects in the village. For about four years now some members of the Douala branch have refused to deposit the money as well as other branch contributions into the Ntundip Abee Account as required by the constitution. We have come to realize that the Fon has been supporting them and even wrote a document to protect the embezzlers of village development funds and advising them not to hand the money to Ntundip Abee but to him. When did the Fon become the treasurer of Ntundip Abee? Since Ntundip Abee was created in 2002, the Fon has never meddled neither with the management nor finances of the development association. This is a clear demonstration of lack of trust in the executive of Ntundip Abee. Why should we then continue to function as an executive when the Fon is taking decisions on our behalf and contradicting us?

C)    The Fon as a Debt Recovery Officer of Ntundip Abee

We are aware that the Fon would be travelling to Douala to contest the choice of venue made by the Douala Branch interim EXCO in consultation with the General Coordination unit and to recover the funds the individuals have embezzled.

We wish to make the following observations:

1. The Fon has not been mandated by Ntundip Abee to recover funds on its behalf.
2. The Fon is not a signatory to the Ntundip Abee account neither does he have the Douala branch financial records; therefore, he certainly does not know how much the individuals have embezzled.
3. Even if he recovers the money he certainly shall not lodge it into the Ntundip Abee account.
4. Ntundip Abee has bank statements of the Douala branch second Account and the proceeds from the fundraiser and other branch contributions are not lodged therein.
5. The individuals in the Douala Branch are not the only ones who embezzled Ntundip Abee money. There are two other cases in the Bamenda branch who embezzled but have negotiated and started paying; it is interesting to note that the Fon is protecting only the Douala based embezzlers.
Statement of Facts

1. Let it be known that the amount so far embezzled is above One million two hundred thousand (1 200 000) FCFA, still counting; in terms of funds raised, annual levy, development fee and insurance contributions.

2. The embezzlers had become so dubious that even after the installation of the Interim Exco on the 25th October, 2015, they still went ahead and effected several withdrawals from the Ntundip Abee Account up to 14th January, 2016 (see photocopies of the bank statements of the second account here attached).

3. These embezzlers went ahead to close and transfer the first
Douala branch account without the mandate of the meeting, while the financial statement of this account is still pending.

4. We are surprised that while leaders lead by majority, our Fon has chosen to stand by a negative minority of individuals who are neither registered members nor do attend or contribute to village development, and who have nothing to offer except confusion and division.
The confusion created by the actions of the Fon have not started today. In 2012, the Fon, acting contrary to Ntundip Abee advice traveled to Douala for a fundraiser and ended up caged by these same individuals and could not attend the occasion.

 For four years, and in spite of several resolutions taken by Ntundip Abee, the Fon has been unable to cause the Nwarong secret society to fell eucalyptus and raffia trees at the Ntundip water catchment area. Community work has become a failure as some quarter heads influence their subjects to boycott. Some Ntundip Abee members have stopped contributing to village development because of cases of embezzlement and disunity between the Fon and his sub chiefs which is negatively affecting community work while others have resorted to damaging the water supply network. That is why the National Executive scheduled an Exco meeting in Bamenda on 26th March 2016 to look into these problems. The Fon, who was compulsorily part of this meeting, boycotted and preferred to hold a rival meeting with the Douala embezzlers in his palace on the same day and time, in spite of the fact that the meeting began late because we were waiting. We had severally advised the Fon to always consult Ntundip Abee before taking actions on complaints and phone calls he receives from individuals reporting Ntundip Abee issues to him but the Fon has not listened.

Now that the Fon has become the General Coordinator, Debt Recovery Officer, treasurer of Ntundip Abee and has gone to the extent of refusing to attend Ntundip Abee EXCO meetings, there is no need for the Ntundip Abee Excecutive to continue existing as if we want to challenge the authority of our Fon. The Fon and his able and trusted embezzlers of the Douala Branch may now take over Ntundip Abee affairs, start organizing the 2016 Congress in December and follow up development projects the way it suits him and his group.

We deeply regret the inconveniences this decision might cause the development of Ntundip, especially the branches on whose mandate we have been operating.

We the undersigned, meeting in Bamenda this 2nd Day of July 2016 and from the date of signature of this communiqué, cease to be, and act for and on behalf of, Ntundip Abee.

Attendance and participation at the Ntundip Abee Extra-ordinary executive meeting held on 02/07/2016 in Bamenda

 

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