Fiango market drowning in politics

Traders of the Fiango market in Kumba II sub Division, Meme South West Region have abandoned their original idea of doing business in quest of political market power.

The market which is the second largest in the metropolis is in different camps thus opening the way for petitions and backbiting.

The situation in the market seems to be becoming a nuisance within administrative circles given that, despite series of meetings and complaints addressed to the competent authorities, traders still complain of gross embezzlement of market funds, insecurity and the non-respect of the markets’ constitution.

According to the content of a second complaint addressed to the Senior Divisional officer, SDO for Meme, David Koulbout Aman dated June 21, 2014 a copy of which The Post procured, the traders are praying the administration to dissolve the current executive bureau of the Fiango Market Traders Association, FIMATA.

In the same complaint, the angry traders are spoiling for the FIMATA executive to be fired for reportedly being unable to respond to grievances raised in an April 20, 2014 meeting with the Second Assistant Prefect of the Division, Nelson Yongkhuma Gamsi.

Grievances enumerated in the memo to the administration include refusal of the present executive to hand over power, gross financial misappropriation, denial to be audited based on article 30 0f the markets’ constitution, number of night watchmen unknown and the inability to recover a supposed FCFA 1.4 million debt form Simon Templa, former FIMATA financial secretary still in the new executive.

Other issues tearing the traders apart are the change of the executive’s mandate from three to five years and the fact that some members of the audit bench became part of FIMATA without resigning, as required by the market constitution.

Allegations of a June 20 meeting held behind closed doors around 7pm by some members of the present market executive and the resolutions of the said meeting triggered a yet to be confirmed vote of no confidence by some traders against the Charles Zingkeng led FIMATA executive.

The reasons for the vote of no confidence going by the memo to the Meme administration borders on the increasing number of rival camps within the market, the non-respect of article 15a and c of the constitution, non-availability of the constitution to other traders of the market, failure to redeem FIMATA debts and incomprehensive financial accounts.

Controversy equally rages on in the said market as concerns the number of night guards.

The present executive claims that the market has a six-man security team while the agitating camp contradicts that, the Fiango market boast of just four traders, namely, Omarou Baba, Cletus Awanda, Donatiene Bieiplie Mboula and David Belakeh, all names cited in the letter addressed to the SDO.

In the face of growing uncertainty in the market, the traders are praying the administration, the Government Delegate, Victor Nkelle Ngoh, Mayor of Kumba II Martin Forcha Ndobengang, the State Prosecutor for Meme and the Ministry of Commerce to look into the situation.

Attempts to get the President of the Fiango Market Traders Association Charles Zingkeng for comments were unsuccessful.

It would be recalled that the Zingnkeng led executive was voted into office on Wednesday, March 6, 2013 on a white party ticket with 205 votes against 101 votes cast in favour of the yellow party.