Nsongwa questions administration over disputed land with Mankon

The people of Nsongwa yesterday took to the street barricading the Mile 90 Junction road leading into parts of the village to protest against what they call administrative bias in the handling of the Nsongwa-Mankon land dispute.

They carried placards blaming the administration of remaining silent over the continuous violation of the administrative injunction over the disputed land prohibiting any form of construction in the area, which has largely gone unheeded by the Mankon people whom they accused of constructing over 40 houses in the area.

Ignatius Amabo, elite of Nsongwa said, descending to the street was the only way they could make their voice heard after several peaceful attempts at solving the problem failed to yield any fruits.

“We wanted the governor to come and address us whether there is a problem between him and his collaborators, whether there is a problem between him and the judiciary of the region because we don’t understand why the 1954 ministry decree and 2010 subprefectorial order banning all forms of development in the area are not being respected” he said.

He blamed the recent increase in construction activities and massive violation of the injunction order to coincide with the coming of the present D.O for Bamenda II. “Some people are using their position to prevent the 1954 map to be used” he continued.

Peter Itoe Mbongo, D.O for Bamenda II who hurried down to the scene accompanied by the police and gendarmes visited parts of the disputed area in the presence of hundred of villagers before asking the Nsongwa people to sent four representatives for a meeting later that day at the SDO’s office.

The gendarmes also intercepted a group of boys with knives and clubs in the disputed area, while the D.O was shown a compound clearly marked Quarter Head Nkrurah Mankon, under the Mankon traditional council authority.

According to the people of Nsongwa, the disputed piece of land that also includes CENEJES Bamenda new campus started as far back as 1934, and in 1954 the then minister of Territorial Administration, Ayisi Mvondo signed an order approved by the then head of state demarcating the boundary between the two communities.

In 2010, due to continuous conflict between the two communities, the D.O for Bamenda then placed an injunction on any form of construction on the disputed piece of land. The Nsongwa people say they pay over 1.9 million Frs. for a survey of the land to be carry out and pillars planted for the piece of land to be share equally between the two communities but that has never happened.

Today, they claim there are over 40 houses built by the Mankon people on the disputed land, known as Nkrukah in tacit disregard of the administrative injunction. At the time of publishing this report was we were yet to get a view on the Mankon side. Both parties met later in the afternoon and the details are still to emerge.