Labour Day Celebration in Donga Mantung: Workers Call for Peace, Inclusive Dialogue to End Crisis in NW, SW

The Vice President of Donga Mantung Divisional Union of Trade Unions has appealed on government to engage in an inclusive dialogue to end the crisis in the North West and South West Regions. Comrade Langhi David, Vice President of Donga Mantung Divisional Union of Trade Unions made the clarion call at the Fon Jabpfu Ibrahim Nfor Grandstand in Nkambe at celebrations marking the 133^rd International Labour Day, “we appeal to the government to listen to the cry of the citizen and engage in an inclusive dialogue to bring an end to the crisis in the Anglopne zones so that the internally displaced people should come back and carryout normal activities in their various communities. He lamented that “It is with a heavy heart that I welcome you today on the occasion of the international Labour Day celebration 2019. Heavy heart, because we are witnessing a very scanty population. We are in a situation where we are losing the most active and productive working population due to the ongoing socio-political crisis in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon”, Langhi David continued. He added that many enterprises and businesses have closed, thereby creating serious unemployment and hardship in families.  He also used the opportunity to appeal to government to speed up the decentralization process in order to enable effective development in rural areas

Harping on this year’s theme, Langhi David also decried the fact that workers rights are violated by the employers. To him, “there is no social justice and when social justice is absent, there can be no decent work”. He used the chance also condemn the fact that some municipal treasurers are exploiting the current crisis to concentrate on their private businesses, maltreating workers and even depriving some workers of their hard earned salaries for no good reasons.

Addressing workers and trade unionists, the Senior Divisional officer for Donga Mantung on his part called on employers to make sure that workers are protected as vector of social justice and decent work in Cameroon. Mr. Simon Nkwenti called on employers to make sure that they provide health security for workers. He reminded workers that decent work can only take place in non-violence environment. Talking to the Press, the SDO for Donga Mantung expressed joy for the turnout and the merriment from workers despite the socio-political crisis rocking some of their enterprises and staying afloat. “We want to appreciate their efforts in celebrating their day and showing the world that Donga Mantung in spite of the crisis is still able to practice social dialogue in order to continue to make the enterprises and the industries function”. 

 The March for Peace of Misaje Achaba's Union that Ignited Hope on Labour Day 

Misaje Achaba’s Union March for Peace, Say Every Life Matters

Achaba riders from Misaje have expressed their desire to see peace returning to the North West and the South West Regions. The achaba riders in what their leaders described as “every life matters campaign” said the reason why they travelled to Nkambe was to show their attachment to peace and mutual co-existence. To them, their presence is to call for peace because “one single life lost is a great lost to the nation, region, division, sub division, village and family”. The more than 100 achaba riders who travelled to Nkambe to participate in this year’s international labour day were unanimous that Peace, Peace, Peace and Peace  is the only way for a decent working environment. “We are here today because we believe that there can be no decent work even in our villages. We stand for peace and we are calling on the powers that be to hear us. We are not for acts of violence and the killings because every life is important and matters”, one of their leaders told us. There was fanfare and euphoria as the over 100 riders settled for a drink. After the drink, the caravan took off for Misaje.  From the hills of Bansobi, the horns of the bikes echoed into the low lands of Kamane, Kidoung, Nkanchi and vibrated into the hills of Kibo, Chunghe and Bebekette as they approached Misaje town. When the caravan finally stormed Misaje, the entire town turned into a beehive of activities. Accompanying the noise from the running motor engines and the numerous from bike horns were voices chanting “We want peace in Cameroon”.

It is worth mentioning last March 24, 2019 Misaje marched for peace. The entire sub division echoed that more than ever, there is a need to promote and preserve national unity and in a peaceful and serene atmosphere. There was a clarion call for values of peace and dialogue as ingredient to patriotism, law abiding of living together.

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