Bakassi Mobilised for Reunification Celebration

Governor Okalia Bilai urged public servants to ensure full residence and assiduity at work.

The Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, has combed the hinterland and maritime areas of Ndian Division as part of his familiarisation tour after his installation last 29 March. As a strong message during his outing of June 5 to 8, the Governor invited the population of Bakassi Peninsular in particular and the rest of Ndian to be ready to turn out en masse in the regional capital, Buea, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cameroon's re-unification announced by President Paul Biya for this year.

To ascertain the trip of the people of Ndian to Buea without hitches, Governor Okalia Bilai inspected the 110-kilometre road from Kumba through Ekondo Titi to Mundemba. The road is under a three-year rehabilitation contract for which the State has earmarked FCFA Four Billion. The inhabitants expressed delight that the civil engineering corps of the military recently rehabilitated the Mundemba-Isangelle-Akwa road and called for the tarring of the road in an area that suffers from much loose soil.

In addition to mobilising for the reunification anniversary, the Governor advised the cosmopolitan Ndian population to live in peace, go about their activities remembering that President Paul Biya has their development at heart. The Governor warned deserting civil servants of Bakassi and absentee Mayors to ensure full residence and assiduity at work. A sum of FCFA 14 billion is said to have been injected in Bakassi since 2007 on projects such as classrooms, offices, official residences, health units, among other structures. According to the Green Tree Accord, the Bakassi problem is expected to be history in 2013 when residents will either choose to be full Cameroonians or aliens and acquire their residence permits.

Governor Okalia's first stop-over was at the Ndian Division's gateway, Ekondo Titi, where he received a traditional title, 'Motopi Rotoku,' meaning seat of authority. At the second halt in Mundemba, the divisional headquarters, Ndian chiefs appealed for administrative split so that Ndian becomes two or more divisions. The third lap was in Toko Sub-division. He later visited Heracles Farms; an oil palm plantation that has met with stiff resistance from a Kumba-based NGO claiming environmental protection. On the spot, the Governor urged the Heracles Farms management to respect the laws and cooperate with local administrative authorities.

The last two days of the Governor's visit were spent in the maritime Bakassi area. There, the Governor made multiple stopovers including Isangelle, Akwa, Kombo Itindi, Idabato and Bamusso. He spent a night at the Rio Del Rey Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR post having travelled through Jabane after meeting the people of Ngosso.