Meme SDO sues CPDM bigwigs

The Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Meme Division, David Koulbout Aman, has sued the purported former National Secretary General of the YCPDM, Jean Felix Mbia, and the YCPDM Section President of Meme 1A Section, John Kinge Lysinge, for writing petitions to hierarchy against him.

The SDO explained with dissatisfaction the attitude of CPDM politicians in Meme Division and Kumba in particular, to get him involved in their political squabbles for what he termed selfish interests.

David Koulbout Aman made these disclosures in his office last week during a meeting he summoned bringing together his two assistants, the Divisional Officers of Kumba I and II, the police, the Section President of CPDM Meme 1A, Prince Ekale Mukete, and the YCPDM Section President of Meme 1B, Gabriel Ayamelong, together with four media practitioners in Meme Division.

Sabotaging Politicians Lambasted During the brief and straight forward meeting, the SDO lambasted the attitude of the CPDM militants and politicians, who, he said, think that they can sabotage him in order to triumph in their political endeavours.

Going by the petition, he read out three instances where the author, Jean Felix Mbia, from Zoetele in Centre Region, wrote concerning his office. In the first petition, it was disclosed that Mbia allegedly wrote that the SDO, throughout his stay in Meme Division, has concentrated on the sale of vehicles to the various councils run by the SDF. But the SDO refuted this, saying he has been dealing in automobiles thanks to the fact that his relatives abroad supply them to him to sell. Aman made it clear that of all the vehicles he has sold, none has been to any council.

‘I Haven’t Sold Vehicles To SDF Councils’ He also expressed anger as at the fact that the petition-writers accused him of supporting the SDF councils to purchase vehicles. On this, he insisted that he will permit more deliberations for the councils to purchase more administrative vehicles as they remain the properties of the state and not for individuals.

The second point on the petition had to do with the issue of the SDO’s assistants using council vehicles to attend administrative meetings in Buea. Aman said the vehicles are state property and could be used to solve emergency situations that crop up because his assistants don’t have service vehicles.

Paltry Allowances To Military Top Brass Again the petitioner accused the SDO of collaborating with the Secretary General of Kumba City Council to increase sitting allowances to his entourage during council sessions.

On this, Aman said the Kumba City Council was simply insulting the police who form his entourage by allocating the sum of FCFA 15,000 to each of them. He said that he had to confront the Secretary General of Kumba City Council to address the situation as the security officers were all of high grade. But Aman warned that any party that wants to penalise the City Council Secretary General should not use his office to do so.

Release Of Impounded Equipment Another aspect of the petition concerned Konye Sub-Division where it was purported that the SDO released a heavy-duty equipment that had been impounded by the Mayor of Konye council for failing to pay council tax. But the SDO stated that it was his duty to ensure that the interest of the general public is protected rather than the council that thinks only of revenue collection. He said that the road equipment could not be seized by the council due to tax owed as it was needed to carry out road maintenance for the good of the general public.

‘My Career Can’t Be Jeopardised’ The petition forwarded to the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation through the South West Governor, according to the SDO, cannot jeopardise his administrative career as he has already attained the rank of excellence in his ministry. He stated further that administration should not be mixed with politics and that any politician should seek the confidence of his or her electorates and win elections rather than running behind administrators for undue assistance. He said this was the first of such since his stay in Meme despite his efforts in ensuring peace, stability and development of the division.

Accused To Be Served Soon The court action, according to Aman, will be done through a direct summons as he has already alerted his lawyer and a Bailiff to file a law suit to the Meme High Court against the perpetrators of the petition, John Kinge and Jean Felix Mbia, while security investigation has been opened to fish out all those who took part in the petition writing.

Observers allege that some CPDM bigwigs in Kumba are the main sponsors of the petition writers. Meanwhile, during the meeting, Prince Ekale Mukete and Gabriel Ayamelong all swore that they had no idea and nothing to do with the petition, pointing accusing fingers at Jean Felix Mbia whom they allege is fond of such acts.

It should be noted that John Kinge Lysinge, YCPDM Section President of Meme 1A, was roped into the matter as he had two weeks ago invited the petition writer, Jean Felix Mbia, to the first ever YCPDM Section Conference in Kumba. The petition was allegedly the brainchild of the YCPDM section conference.