Buea: Taxis back to street, shops opened

The city of Buea, South West Regional capital, regained life yesterday, January 10, 2017after the ghost city observed Monday, January 9. Traffic returned to normal as movement of taxis and private vehicles was observed. The markets and shops were flung open with buyers busy soliciting provisions.

The Bishops of Cameroon used the South West soil to call for school resumption as they met in Mamfe, Manyu Divisional capital, yesterday for their Episcopal conference.

However, the Court premises were without Lawyers. Schools remained empty with no shadow of a student observed in any of the primary and secondary institutions as well as the University of Buea. A few teachers moved in and out of the schools and generally the school heads were present for the formality of keeping public utilities open to the public.

Hospitals remained busy receiving patients unperturbed and the local administrators shouldered another restive day holding meetings and calling far-off areas to find out the situation on the ground.

The South West Governor hurried to the Council hall by 10.30a.m. to chair the opening of the budget year for the Region and rushed back to his office to hook up to the six administrative Divisions under him, notably, Lebialem, Kupe-Muanenguba, Manyu, Meme, Ndian and the host Fako Division.

The South West Region begins the financial year with an envelope of FCFA 26 Billion of which some FCFA 13.5 billion will go for running cost and FCFA 12.5 for investment. The Governor used the budget launching that pulled vote holders from across the Region to wish Happy New Year, urging that all authorities, parents, pupils and students get back to school so that the sad page of ghost schools could be turned.

News from without talked of the release of those arrested during the on-going strike, an act that received favourable applauses as it seemed the very latest condition for dialogue to prevail.