Kumba-Mamfe Road: 82 mln compensation funds disappeared

Meme administration has denied rumours that over FCFA 82 million set aside to compensate persons whose property were destroyed along the Kumba-Mamfe road under construction has vanished.

Rumours had gone wild last week that the money ended up in private pockets. Public interest in the money was reportedly triggered by a petition addressed to some high quarters in Yaounde by some top CPDM elite in Meme Division.

In the face of contradictory information within the public space regarding the money, the Meme administration has issued a statement calling for calm. The administration has in the release also threatened legal action against those perpetrating of the rumours.

According to a radio announcement dated May 23, 2016, signed by the Second Assistant Prefect for Meme, Nelson Yongkhuma Gamsi, a copy of which The Post got, payment of the money to individuals concerned will start today Monday, May 30.

Writing on behalf of the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, David Aman Koulbout, the Second Assistant Prefect explained that the money was only credited into an account at BICEC Bank on Wednesday, May 18.

Yongkuma said the action comes after the Minister in charge of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure approved the efforts of the local authorities to get the money paid to those concerned.

According to the announcement, the commission charged with the compensation is currently examining a list approved by the Prime Minister to ensure that persons whose property will escape damages due to the road project, will not be paid except for special instructions from hierarchy.

“in this light, the Senior Divisional Officer therefore dissuades and strongly condemns the rumour of alleged misappropriation of the above mentioned funds perpetuated by some unscrupulous ignorant persons, who lack information and take advantage to ascribe a situations to the administrative authorities just to tarnish their image as it has always been in Kumba,” Yongkhuma wrote.

The statement ends with the administration declaring that investigations are already in progress to apprehend perpetrators of the rumours.

It would be recalled that the rumours are surfacing after some civil administrators were recently whisked off to Kondengui for questioning over the management of over FCFA 4 billion meant for compensation of persons affected by the Kribi Deep Sea Port project.