St John Ambulance leadership crisis heightens

The Meme legal department has opened investigations into the protracted leadership crisis within the Cameroon chapter of the international humanitarian organisation, St John Ambulance, The Post learnt.

St John Ambulance Cameroon remains split as two persons, Fabian Kum Nji and Moses Nkamanyi Nchinda, lay claim to the chairmanship of the organisation. The investigations, The Post gathered, follow a series of arrest warrants that resulted in the incarceration of Fabian Kum Nji over the weekend in Kumba, on the instructions of the content of a circular from the office of the Southwest Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai.

Kum's arrest was equally expected to involve all the members of his faction following a complaint issued by Moses Nchinda to the Governor.

According to the content of a letter from the office of the Governor of the Southwest signed by its Secretary General, Clement Fon Ndikum, addressed to all Senior Divisional officers, SDOs and regional heads, all activities carried out in the name of St John Ambulance by Fabian Kum Nji, Joseph Achem Ashu, Diana Arrey Mbi, Richard Shengang, Micheal Bezayia and anybody who may subsequently join the group should be halted.

In the letter referenced No 476/L/G/GSW/02/S.3/SG/DAESC, dated June 24, a copy of which The Post Procured, the Secretary General at the Southwest Governor's office writes that he is acting based on a denunciation made by the Chairman of St John Ambulance Cameroon, Moses Nkamayi Nchinda, against the illegal activities of the Kum led faction.

Speaking to The Post on Tuesday, July 15, the Secretary-General of St John Ambulance Cameroon, Richard Shengang, admitted that Kum was arrested on Friday, July 11, 2014 in Kumba but later released on bail.

Shengang told The Post that, all parties concerned in the leadership struggle were expected to appear before the Meme State Prosecutor, Paul Batuo Akong, on Monday, July 14, but the plaintiff, Nkamanyi and his team did not show up. The international health instructor and assessor explained that, the legal department has opened up investigations to ascertain the situation of the crisis.

He further explained that Nkamanyi was replaced with Kum early 2014 following a period of inactivity within the organisation by the entire board of St John Ambulance Cameroon.

Going by Shengang, the members should refocus on the real purpose of the organisation which is service to humanity and not tussle for leadership, given that the world and Cameroon remains in need of humanitarian assistance. The scribe recounted that things went out of hand when over six Cameroonians who went studying in South Africa, through a scholarship scheme for international health certificates, returned home and till date have been unable to lay hands on their certificates sent by the mother organisation St John Ambulanace United Kingdom UK.

Asked why the replacement of Nkamanyi when article 4.2 of the constitution of St John Ambulance Cameroon requests the vice president to take over chairmanship in case of the absence of the chairman, Shengang averred that, the association is more bound to work in line with its international norms and not what obtains at the local level.

Nkamanyi, according to Shengang, was accredited chairman from UK based on the recommendation of the board of St John Ambulance in Cameroon in 2008 and that the chairman remains answerable to the general assembly and the board members who fund part of its activities from time to time. St John Ambulance Cameroon was formed with headquarters in Kumba and was authorised by a prefectural order NoG.39/D145/S/VOL/IV/559 of 27/ 3/1997 to enhance humanitarian activities in partnership with its mother association in Britain.

The Post was unable to contact the conflicting leaders Kum and Nkemanyi for comments on the crisis.