Ministerial committee inspects palm oil production sites in SW

The working group laid the groundwork for various ministers to visit SG-SOC farms soon.

An inter-ministerial fact-finding committee from Yaounde has inspected the palm nurseries and other investment sites of the Sixth Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon Limited (SC-SOC) located in the South West Region. The Committee comprising representatives from six ministerial departments was led by Janvier Oum Eloma who is Director General of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development at the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT).

From 3 to 7 February, 2015, the Committee members visited the SG-SOC palm nurseries at Talangaye in Nguti Sub-Division (Kupe Muanenguba Division) and Fabe in Mundemba in Ndian Division. While on the field, the Committee also met workers of SG-SOC, traditional rulers and administrative authorities of the various localities.

Mr Oum Eloma explained that the mission was basically to appreciate the activities of SG-SOC on the ground and prepare grounds for the concerned ministers to descend in the Region any time soon to personally weigh up the giant palm oil production company floated by Americans in Cameroon since 2009. He said in November 2013, the Head of State signed two decrees according and demarcating land to SG-SOC for palm oil production in Kupe Muanenguba and Ndian.

“It will be an opportunity to establish the evolution of the project, note difficulties encountered, evaluate its plan of activities, appreciate the execution of recommendations made during the first committee visit of last March and especially prepare a visit of Members of Government to the project to find lasting solutions to the hurdles met by SG-SOC.”, Mr. Oum underscored. The SG-SOC authorities reported that their activities had slowed down for three years due to the long duration and bottlenecks suffered to approve the leasehold of land.

The Committee reviewed its activities on 6 February with the South West Governor represented by Mr. Haman Dahirou who is Inspector General of Regional Services. The SG-SOC has promised to down-scale the over 100,000 tons shortage of palm oil beginning 2019 by opening a tap for a yearly production of 60,000 tons of palm oil.

The Project Proper

The SG-SOC, a branch of the multinational American Heracles Farms, floated a giant palm oil production company in Cameroon by 2008 with a capital of about FCFA 400 billion. They immediately employed some 900 workers promising to progressively hit a 5,000 local workforce.

In 2009 a joint convention was signed between MINEPAT and SG-SOC to begin activities legally and transparently. The SG-SOC created four palm nurseries in Nguti, Mundemba and Toko containing 1.2 million seedlings on the surface of 250 hectares.