Gov’t’s funding for Ndian roads praised and condemned

Political elites, administrative and traditional rulers of Mundemba and surrounding villages in Ndian Division of the Southwest Region have begun throbbing eulogies to the Government for making available FCFA four billion for the rehabilitation works on the Kumba- Ekondo-Titi-Mundemba-Isangele-Akwa road.

In a series of motions of support, the elites expressed their gratitude to the Head of State, Paul Biya, for coming to the rescue of the people of Ndian.

“Our utmost problem in Ndian Division is roads. We want to sincerely thank the Head of State for making available FCFA 4 billion for the special rehabilitation works on the Kumba- Ekondo-Titi-Mundemba-Isangele-Akwa road.

Four billion is not FCFA 40,000 or FCFA 400,000. This shows the love, concern and commitment that our President has for the people of Ndian in particular and the Southwest Region in general.

It equally shows his determination to make our country an emerging nation by 2035,” one of the elites of Ndian told The Post at the recent commissioning ceremony of the Senior Divisional Officer for Ndian.

However, the FCFA four billion for the rehabilitation works on the Kumba- Ekondo-Titi-Mundemba-Isangele-Akwa stretch of road seems to have split the political actors in Ndian Division into two opposing factions.

While Welcoming the Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, administrative and religious authorities to Mundemba during the commissioning ceremony of the new Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Ndian, Chamberlin Ntou’ou Ndong, the Mayor of Mundemba Council, Elizabeth Iselle Bekomba, said “Every problem in Ndian Division can be linked to the very deplorable road situation of the Division.

While appreciating His Excellency President Paul Biya for allocating FCFA Four billion for the rehabilitation works on the road, we the people of Ndian, just like Oliver Twist, are asking for more.

The road in actual fact does not need rehabilitation works; what the road needs is a permanent treatment, that is tarring,” the Mayor stated.

Mayor Iselle Bekomba bemoaned that the deplorable road situation has made transportation of corpses to Ndian very expensive, since the Division does not have a mortuary and the acute shortage of health personnel and teachers in both primary and secondary schools in the Division, has been blamed on the state of the road as many teachers are not willing to risk their lives travelling on such roads.

For his part, the SDF District Chairman of Ekondo-Titi, Chief Motasay Wa-Nganga, said it is absurd for some overzealous CPDM politicians from Ndian to be ferrying motions of support to Yaounde on behalf of the suffering population of Ndian.

According to Chief Motasay, allocating FCFA four billion for the rehabilitation of roads in Ndian, which contribute “95 percent” of the country’s revenue, is an insult to the population of this area.

“The Government has been exploiting crude oil in Idian since 1977. Between 1977 -2006 crude oil from Ndian alone yielded about 95 percent of the country’s revenue.

For over 50 years, Ndian Division has been the oil basket of the entire country. Aside from the above, timber is also exploited in this Division with impunity with at least 100,000 logs transported annually, with the same number allowed to perish in the Bafaka-Bekatako-Nalend Forest.

Again gold, mercury and copper are exploited in this Division. Are the people of Ndian supposed to thank Government for allocating a meagre four billion to rehabilitate, not even tar, the road of a Division that feeds the entire nation?

Are roads in Ndian supposed to be rehabilitated instead of tarred with all its economic potentials and wealth? This is absurd,” the SDF District Chair stated.

The Ekondo-Titi SDF District Chair decried the fact that even though Ndian Division is a natural biodiversity hot spot with three protected areas namely the KORUP National Park, the RUMPI Reserve and the Ndongore National Park, these touristic destinations have not only be been eclipsed by the poor transport infrastructures, but have equally been neglected by the Government, giving rise to the elephant problem that is wrecking havoc.