Condemning the
manhandling of small holder tea farmers at the Extraordinary Session of the Ndu
Council which took place yesterday September 2, 2016 many councillors expressed
annoyance over the incident, where Pa Munde was arrested, detained and
sentenced to serve a three year jail term on drummed up charges. The councillors said they are one in
condemning the violation of the rights of farmers who are suffering for setting
up small holder tea plantations. "We cannot let this pass, the cruel
treatment of poor farmers by Cameroon Tea Estate” one of the councillors
exploded.
Councillor Tume Samari
questions the use of a slogan that promotes Second Generation Agriculture in
Cameroon when small tea holder schemes are being tortured and the Ministry of
Agriculture in is mute on the issue. He
cited the pathetic case of Pa Munde who was jailed on drummed up charges that
he was spotted harvesting tea at CTE at night, when what his farms produce CTE
cannot even buy all his tea leaves. He also added that some years ago, some tea
farmers were arrested on grounds that the locally process tea they were
marketing was toxic. “Should be CTE to determine the quality of a product of a
different producer and to recommend his/her arrest”, he questioned. Individuals,
families and communities are badly affected by the epidemic. He lamented that
by frustrating these farmers, the burden falls on the families and children of
those who were detained or sentenced unjustly. “Often they have already lost
breadwinners for the family. What is the essence of the Ministry of Agriculture
trying to boost agriculture when they cannot protect local poor farmers” he added.
To councillor Samari, the Ndu man remains a very peaceful person.
The plight of
small tea holder schemes in Ndu council area is becoming a major preoccupation
as the Mayor, Bunyui Emmanuel Nyugap in a concluding statement of the worries
raised by the councillors outlined that “palm bush never remains tall, because nothing
will deter the population”. In an attempt to quench the anguish expressed by
councillors, the Divisional Officer for Ndu, Achu George said the suspect (Pa
Munde) was imprison for theft but failed to produce tangible reasons on how
someone with a large estate should go bag in hand stealing tea leaves at night.
The question many have been asking is whether one person can harvest tea leaves
that could be sold at any price.
Execution
of Ndu Council Budget Gets Positive Note
The midterm
evaluation of the execution of the 2016 budget indicated that of the projection
made in both revenue and expenditure, which stood at FCFA 700 million,
councillors observed with alot of satisfaction that as at August 31, 2016,
revenue realization amounted to FCFA 295.422.282, representing 42%. On the
other hand, expenditure stood at FCFA 273.429.002 representing 39%. In his
presentation to councillors, the mayor of Ndu council Bunyui Emmanuel disclosed
that revenue collected locally amounted to FCFA 91.408.808 while transfer from
the Council Mutual Support Fund-FEICOM stood at FCFA 144.013.474 while
additional recurrent revenue stood at FCFA 214.711.976 with zero investment
revenue. On the recurrent expenditure, the mayor revealed that it stands at
FCFA 120.101.203 while investment expenditure is FCFA 153.327.799. He called on
councillors, staff and other stakeholders to join hands together so that before
the year closes the council could realize the budget in its entirety.During deliberations, councillors made proposals on how to intensify tax drive, jangali, market tolls etc and recommended new strategies.
He also
presented the Ndu Council anti-corruption plan that will instill governance in
communities.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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