PM Yang wades into Fako land saga

Administrators, both former and current, and chiefs in Fako are now jittery as Prime Minister and Head of Government, Philemon Yang as Christopher Tiku Tambe, Secretary at the South West Office of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, and Barrister Ikome Ngongi were received in audience by the Prime Minister, July 10.

According to both legal minds, who have been fighting against the illegal grabbing and sale of Fako land, briefed the Prime Minister on all the irregularities in the management of land surrendered to the natives by the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC.

Speaking on CRTV Buea Press Club, Tiku Tambe said “the Prime Minister received Barrister Ngongi and I for close to two hours. We brought to the knowledge of the Prime Minister the disparity between the rich and the poor and the callous and atrocious manner in which land grabbing is taking place in Fako. And that it may cause violence at anytime because the youths are prepared to act in this matter.”

Tiku Tambe said the Prime Minister was incensed and flabbergasted by the happenings in Fako because those who are charged with giving him security information failed in their duty. “In fact, it was a chain.

Everyone had been bribed and our way to the minister of lands had been blocked until the Prime Minister gave instructions for the minister to receive us,” he said.

Tiku Tambe said their discussions with the Minister of State Property and Land revealed that the minister was misinformed about what is happening in Fako and “I told the minister that all her secretaries and even her mail officials have all been bribed and the reason why she would not receive any correspondence from us.

The commissions of enquiry that were put in place were bribed. The minister has convened a meeting with us and the commission members.”

Tambe said they will point out some of the irregularities in the management of Fako land and expose all those involved.

It was revealed that the Minister of Lands signed the last land surrender documents in February 2014.

This information has sent tongues wagging as to where recent land surrender documents are coming from.

The Prime Minister is therefore expected to put in place an independent judicial commission of inquiry in the days ahead, especially as about 1800 hectares of land surrendered is at stake.

Barrister Ikome Ngongi said they are aware that most chiefs are forced by some SDOs and DOs to sell ancestral land. He said they will hold a meeting with Fako Chiefs in the days ahead to educate them on the course they are pursuing.

On Thursday, March 27, 2013, Chief Daniel Kaka Esue of Bokwai Village confessed that they are under heavy pressure from the Fako administration to sell land surrendered to their communities by the CDC.

The Bokwai Chief’s confession came at a time when he is under pressure from his population that he mismanaged 21 hectares of land ceded to his village, and even sold some illegally. The chief said on his own, he will do no such thing, but for influence from external quarters.