Education is the Passport for Tomorrow- Minister Fuh Calistus Gentry Tells Donga Mantung Elite

Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State for Mines, Industries and Technological Development has said that education is the passport for tomorrow. Minister Fuh Calistus made the statement during a sensitization on school resumption, development projects and industrialization programme that took place at the Nkambe community hall on September 8, 2017. After presenting government development projects allocated to the population of Donga Mantung Mantung Division, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry said “we can have all, but if we cannot provide the human resources, we have failed”. He pleaded on the population not to compromise in this point, adding that education is the passport for tomorrow. "Permit me again to recall the words of a famous American Civil Rights Campaigner; ‘let’s bear in mind that Education is the Passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.’’  This makes me think we ought to allow our kids shape their future, for we will not be there tomorrow when they face a future we have compromised". He urged all the parents to send their children to school. Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry also emphasized on the fact that the Head of State has reacted to the worries raised by the teachers and lawyers and that the people should understand that all societies have problems of different dimensions reasons why he is appealing on the population to give President Paul Biya reason." I have this to say; Some issues concerning  aspects of National life,  particularly the Education and Legal sectors have been raised in the Northwest and Southwest Regions.the President of the Republic as guarantor of our Constitution, listened and acted and will continue bringing  more solutions to the issues raised. No society is perfect whether it be in America, France, and Great Britain etc. I hereby call on the people of Donga Mantung to give the President the credit for the good work he has done so far and will always continue to do to make our country a better place to live. Today I have brought a development package and I promise more will come, because your Leader President Paul Biya is listening."“As elite(s), we are part of the solution” he continued. He said it is impossible for government to be quiet when children are not going to school. “What will I tell that man/woman in the village whose hope is only in his lone son/daughter’s education?”He said that he too cant be comfortable that his own children are attending school in Yaounde while children in his own Division are not going to school. He said if he is where he is today it is because he went to school so, "education should not be negotiated for", Fuh Calistus emphasized.

On Government development Projects

Harping on government efforts to foster development process in Donga Mantung Division, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry revealed that while feasibility studies for the complete tarring on the stretch of the Ring Road from Kumbo to Misaje are going on, over FCFA 3 billion has been allocated for the grading of the road. He said the bad spots along road such as Tatum hill, Njifor at Ndu, the main street from Total petrol station in Ndu to the council, Yambaa in Mbot, Chori in Mbot, Bansobi in Misaje will be tarred. he reiterated that government is investing more that FCFA 6 billion for roads in the division. Some of these road projects include:

"Kumbo – Ndu – Nkambe – Misaje, about 3 billion francs. Under this package, this stretch of the Ring Road will be fully resurfaced in laterite with major drainage infrastructure. Difficult parts of the road will be tarred to facilitate movement. These include the section from Kumbo to the stretch in Ndu Town from the Fon’s Palace Junction to beyond the Council Check Point towards Mbiyeh; over 2km in Binka covering the bad spots right up to the Fon’s Palace road; bad spots at Binshua; over 2km covering the Bansobi Hill on the way to Misaje and the entrance to Misaje up to the junction to Wum.

2.     Oku – Noni – Misaje, 800 million.

3.     Misaje – Nigeria Frontier, 1.5 billion with tarring of some steep slopes.

          Apart from the Ring Road, many other parts of the Division have the following road infrastructure:

-       Mbot – Wat = 500 Million; Misaje

-       Three Corners Tabenken – Binju = 500 Million;

-       Tarring of 5 streets in Binju = 500 Million;

-       Nkambe – Ako = about 800 Million;

-       Construction of roads, bridges with Police and Gendarme Gates in Nwa = 1 Billion.

          Other projects in the pipeline which should come up by  2018 are:

-       5 km of streets in Nkambe from CNPS to GBHS Nkambe;

-       5 km of streets in;

-       Electricity in Tabenken.

          All these come to add to the special privilege given to Donga Mantung in the LIFIDEP and GP-GERUDEP Projects. Of these, I can site amongst others, the Buku – Abafum Road, Mbiyeh – Ngarum – Taku – Ntundip – Luh and many health centres, schools, markets, cattle markets, veterinary and community centres."    

   

To Fuh Calistus Gentry, Donga Mantung cannot industrialize if the population cannot be able to produce. He said to boost government efforts; the Frontier Agriculture Industrial Programme-FAINAP is leaving no stone to facilitate the process. In line with that FAINAP he disclosed will establish an oil palm agrolepole through financial support from the Ministry of Plan and Regional Development-MINEPAT which will make up the oil shortage in the country. Besides that, FAINAP he added is there to reverse the trends and make Nkame a dry-port in the country. The maize progamme he said has produced very positive results this year and prospects are high at that the Nkame Industrial zone situated at Binshua will go operational soon.

On his part, Mr. Nkwenti Simon, the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division applauded elite(s) for their massive turn out. While congratulating the population for taking the development train, he also reminded them that “education is the springboard to leadership”. He said this is the time for Donga Mantung Division to stand out of the madding crowd and to make a difference.

Other speakers at the meeting included Ngabir Paul Bantar, the mayor of Nkambe and Talla Godlove (who spoke on behalf of the contractors).  

 

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