But for two projects, The Monument and The Open Air Amphi, all was declared set for the event.
The Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, has announced Buea's readiness to host Cameroon's reunification golden jubilee billed for this year in the regional capital. He revealed that Buea has swallowed some FCFA 30 billion in face-lifting projects. Mr. Okalia Bilai made the declaration at the Buea new Council hall after a three-hour last preparatory meeting of the regional local planning committee on November 26, 2013 in Buea. In attendance were Senator Peter Mafany Musonge, traditional rulers, technical committee heads, contractors executing projects, and a host of regional elite. The Governor insisted that, though works were generally evaluated at 80 percent finished, the remaining things were secondary to the major ones needed for the event. In clear terms, the anniversary monument and the open-air amphi to host the cultural manifestations remain the feet-dragging project holding down the preparations, committee members explained. The Governor, visibly retaining his anger, repeated his call to the electricity corporation (AES-SONEL) and the Cameroon water utilities Company (CDE) to step up their supplies to meet the needs of the expected 30.000 visitors in the city of Buea with over 200.000 inhabitants. He instructed that lodging areas and busy streets be properly lighted as well as water adequately supplied in population concentrated centres.
The Administrative Heads of the six Divisions of the South West took their turns to explain their mobilisational levels. Mr. Zang III, the host Senior Divisional Officer for Fako, spoke of 20.000 persons being mobilized to line the streets from the Mungo river to Buea in the hypothesis where the Head of State arrived by land. Meme's Koulbout David announced plans to rally 4.000 persons for Buea. Lebialem's Kwemou Simon talked of conveying a delegation of 1.200 to Buea for the event. Manyu's Peter Tieh Ndeh spoke of having sensitised 1.600 persons expected from his Division. Kupe Muanenguba's Quetong Handerson Kongeh told the audience he was leading an expedition of 1.400. Meanwhile 1.200 persons were announced to come from Ndian Division (Bakassi area) by the representative of their SDO. Away from the mobilsation of persons, the Governor who chaired deliberations expressed the mind of the Buea population as now enjoying the new streets from Buea Town to Muea passing through the new market, the Small Soppo-Malingo road, and the outlet from Buea passing through Sasse to Mile Four in Limbe. The promise by the Minister of Public Works during one of his recent visits to Buea to make available some CFA 500 Million to reinforce the Buea-Sasse-Mile-Four road was highlighted although the local committee members voiced still expecting concrete action on the field. Some old abandoned vehicles still littering the major streets of Fak fueled discussions when the committee opened the chapter of hygiene and sanitation activities meant to accompany the reunification event. In the main, weekly clean-up campaigns have been going on in the 3 villages of Buea to ensure a sparkling clean city that is poised to receive their Head of State and many thousands of visitors from within and without Cameroon.
Local Support Committee
The local support committee that has so far collected some FCFA 250 Million from the elite, under the mobilization of Senator Peter Mafany Musonge, promised to supply mobile toilets during the event, offer medicines to the Regional Delegation of Public Health to cater for the large population during the event, hand lump sums of money for entertainment to each of the six Divisional Delegations of the South West, sponsor 200 hostesses, organize a gala of 700 persons among the many hospitality preparations they intend to afford. In addition, the traditional rulers of the Region and their elite announced having parceled and readied their gift for the Presidential couple on the occasion.
His Majesty Senator Fon Fontem Njifua, president of the South West Chiefs' Conference, sensitized the committee of the arrangements to offer a comfortable reception to the traditional rulers from the North West and other Regions. An emergency meeting of South West Chiefs held in Buea yesterday to fine tune preparations for the awaited reunification event.
