Groups & Individuals Award Mbengwi Online

Groups & Individuals Award Mbengwi Online

Mbengwi Online has been recognized and appreciated in cash and kind for its  assiduousness in continuously feeding the ever hungry indigenes of Meta extraction, Mbengwi, its primary consumers at home, in other towns of Cameroon and out of the country with information from within and without Mbengwi plus non natives alike round the globe.

Brand New Canon Camera Offered to Mbengwi Online by U.K Based C.E.O of Rainbow Radio in Mbengwi, Wandum Henry Tangoh

To commemorate the 5th anniversary of the WhatsApp group, concerned members decided to do financial contributions to support the administrator, this reporter and others that have been contributing much in feeding members with news and other vital information. The Mbengwi Online WhatsApp group was created on the 12 of September 2015. Today it has a membership of close to 250 made up of economic operators, religious and traditional leaders, politicians, elites, drivers, builders and people from all walks of life that have Mbengwi as their ancestral land (roots).For the past five years, thousands of people worldwide have been depending on the online news platform for information. The world being a global village, many have been feeling a sense of reconnection back to their roots by reading or watching reports, videos and pictures about Mbengwi on Mbengwi Online. The news platform has a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1468952239963234/?ref=share, a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb-Lbs5TawIPY_TR3N7zwmw, a blog http://mbengwionline.blogspot.com/?m=1, a Twitter account: (@MbengwiO): https://twitter.com/MbengwiO?s=08 and a WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/2pES5skTNYiKbOLyxgAOWz all bearing the name Mbengwi Online. 

A total of 105.500F was raised via Mobile Money excluding charges out of which some two members, Anoh Jerome and Agwo Elvis were recognised for their distinctive role in updating group members with current news. They both received 14.000F and 10.000F respectively. The administrator on his part in the person of this reporter was offered 5.000F cash and material support worth 75.000F comprised of a lamp, tripod, selfie stick, chest microphone, lamination papers, board and chemical among others, all of these to boost his journalism and photography business. 

Committee members that coordinated the handing over of the package included erstwhile Member of Parliament for Momo East Constituency, Edna Eni Mbah, Mukumo Roland, proprietor of God's Time Enterprise and the manager of Mbengwi Cooperative Credit Union, Mr. Nubia Elvis. They told the recipients whom they termed "Information Soldiers" to remain steadfast in the task they do. This happened on Saturday November 25th 2020.

Receipt of 50.000F Financial Support to Mbengwi Online from Bongob Meta International

 

In appreciation, Anoh Jerome Tanwani said "I'm very surprised because I wasn't expecting such a wonderful gift like this from Mbengwi Online. I am by this inspired to seat up and do more. May God bless the donors and I promise them that what was untold this time around will be told, what was covered will be uncovered" Almost same words also echoed by the second beneficiary, Agwo Elvis. Speaking from Mutengene where he's based, he said "I thank you all, God bless you and give you strength to do more for the progress of the nation"

Mr. Nubia Elvis, MBECCUL manager on his part told the Mbengwi Online administrator that "Bro, you have a gift, you have a talent.  While some of us chose to complain, what is deposited in you by God, you're making use of it. It's an example if all of us could copy, Mbengwi will stand out and be vibrant. I pray you keep pride aside and be humble just as you've been. Let your works speak for you." As treasurer of the committee, Mr. Mukumo Roland of God's Time Enterprise used the opportunity to extend words of appreciation to all members that contributed and for bestowing confidence in him to handle the group's money. He said  "It was an opportunity to serve and I did it in my own way not only for Mbengwi Online but for my community and country, Cameroon"

Mbengwi Online Award Committee Members and Laureates

(Erstwhile) Hon. Edna chaired the committee that coordinated the award exercise. In sending words of thanks to the contributors and all group members, she said "We know that it wasn't an easy task but those who sacrificed something out of the little they had, we pray that the good Lord should replenish their source." Directing her message now to the beneficiaries, she said "Fongoh Primus and Anoh Jerome have been running around here doing many things for charity, inspired by the positive mindset that youths ought to be questioning what they've done for their community and country and not the other way round." Then she ended with a call to other youths by saying "We are calling on other youths to use the talents God has given them for the benefit of mankind without necessarily expecting any financial gains but be rest assured the blessings will come one day"

It should be recalled this wasn't the first time concerned members of Mbengwi Online WhatsApp group were reaching out to the administrator. A similar exercise took place over a year ago as close to a hundred thousand frs was also contributed to buy a new android phone (Tecno LB8) for the administrator to facilitate his news gathering and dissemination exercise. This was the second phone the group bought for the administrator. It's the phone that he's been using since then to feed the whole world with news till date. 

Enlarged Photo Given by Mbengwi Online to Pa Nji Munya of Chaa

Earlier on, precisely about a forth night ago, a group by name Bongob Meta International had also reached out to Mbengwi Online with a support envelop of 50.000F. Ndi Cletus is the spokesperson of the group. Asked what motivated them to recognise the works of Mbengwi Online with a financial package, he said"The financial donation Bongob Meta International (BMI) gave Mbengwi Online is in recognition of a job well done. We're out to promote talent and expose individuals with positive initiatives geared towards the development of Meta. We recognise the work of Mbengwi Online for the past years in exposing the Meta community and Mbengwi to the world."

As for expectations after the support, Ndi Cletus said "We want them to keep on sustaining their platform and feeding the entire world with information. We don't want to get up tomorrow and can't find news concerning Mbengwi/Meta because of one or two constraints. Our gesture is symbolic and we wish others emulate our example to promote the platform"

As for what the group has in the pipeline for the Meta community, he said they're nursing plans to transform Mbengwi into an economic hub. He added that just within about a year of existence, the group has been very significant in activities carried out like an ongoing fon's support project.

Some of the Items and Cash Handed

Lastly, he ended by appreciating all BMI members for standing tall and strong behind the dream they share to transform Meta in unity and love. "For would be members, join us let's stand together under this umbrella and change our community. Let history write about us. Let the spirit keep on moving" These were his concluding words.

In the same light, Mr. Wandum Henry Tangoh, the U.K based Chief Executive Officer of Rainbow Radio Mbengwi where this reporter cum promoter (administrator) of the various Mbengwi Online social media platforms is serving as Chief of Programs had recently awarded him for his good journalism works with a brand new Canon DS126311 camera for the capturing of better quality videos and pictures. He's even promised to make a drone available for him in the near future. 

Apart from news gathering and dissemination, most of these donations are motivated by the humanitarian works Mbengwi Online also does and the selfless service of its administrator to humanity and impacting lives. In the past, Mbengwi Online WhatsApp group members supported a Meta woman that put to birth a set of premature triplets that were later incubated at the Regional Hospital, Bamenda with a financial package, the group had also raised money to support the kids of Padisco and Nancy, two nurses that were purportedly killed by government soldiers in Nyen  village, Mbengwi in 2018 thus orphaning the kids.

Erstwhile MP of Momo East Constituency, Edna Eni Mbah Handing Over Tripod to Mbengwi Online Administrator, Fongoh Primus Ayeh on Behalf of Group Members

Other reach outs with donations to orphanages, the sick, the elderly and other needy persons in the municipality have been coordinated by the group's administrator,  liaising with financial donors (mostly individuals) and beneficiaries on the ground. The most recent of such was a visit to Pa Nji Munya of Chaa by a group of young volunteers that are members of Mbengwi Online who head carried assistance from the World Food Program plus an enlarged photo offered by the platform to him.

Apart from constituted group donations, some other well wishers from home and abroad have from time to time done personal appreciation gestures verbally, materially and financially. Such often chose not to be mentioned. 

Fongoh p Ayeh while thanking the group members reiterated his firm commitment to continue doing journalism, professionally with more enthusiasm. He also said  this has been one of the biggest awards he's ever received in his life, an indication that its not everywhere that a prophet isn't accepted in his homeland as this gesture proved otherwise. 

Editor's Note

On behalf of all the recipients and on behalf of the platform, I wish to sincerely thank all of you for the recognition. I also encourage each and everyone of us to keep up with whatever we're doing at our various angles to impact humanity. It may take long for someone to recognise that you're doing something but remember no matter how long the night may be, the sun will finally rise. Hardwork pays, often not immediately but when it comes, it comes like "grow loan"

Our hands remain wide open for more of such support. At moment, we are in dire need of at least an i7 laptop having atleast 500GB HDD and 4GHz RAM since we are getting deeper into video productions. We intend to descend to the suburbs like Ngwokwong, Tugi, Toneku, Kai, Fringyeng, Chup, Ngie, Njikwa, Widikum, Batibo etc so that the people here can tell their stories to the world. 

We intend to capture and preserve some dying aspects of the Meta culture like traditional game, songs, fishing, hunting, etc online for posterity and archiving through video documentaries. Such work requires enough storage space and relatively advanced equipments.

Mbengwi Councillors to Earn Millions on One Condition

Mbengwi Councillors to Earn Millions on One Condition

The motion was deliberated and adopted during the Mbengwi Council's budgetary session, a guide to the administrative and and financial operations of the council for the next  (2021) financial year that held on Thursday 19th November 2020 in the council hall. 

Chaired by the mayor Ndangsa Kennedy Akam in the presence of the Senior Divisional Officer of Momo, Fouda Etaba Nicaise seating in as supervisory authority, the over 20 councillors adopted a motion that the mayor be empowered to place the executive, councillors and staff of the council on funeral rights as stipulated in the general code. 

L-R: Ndangsa Kennedy (Mayor), Doreen Fonjong (1st Deputy) Kadiri Amadu (2nd Deputy)

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Available for sale at God's Time Enterprise Mbengwi plus all other electronics

For now, the seating allowance for the councillors is just about 100.000F per session. At most four ordinary and three extraordinary council sessions are to be held within a year. Due to financial constraints since it costs millions to hold one council session, hardly are the four ordinary sessions held. 

As such everything being equal, each councillor makes just about 300.000F as seating allowance per year. Interestingly, from the recent motion adopted, the councillors will rather make more money only on one condition, that they first die. 

The Session

The adopted motion stipulates that executive members of the council will enjoy 1.500.000F funeral rights, senior staff members including the councillors will receive a cash envelope of 1.000.000F while junior staff members on their part will benefit an envelope of 500.000F, all of these excluding burial formalities

In his welcome address, the mayor cautioned his colleagues that "the session is very crucial because it serves as a guarantor for the level of performance in the next financial year" this after first of all educating them on what a council budgetary session is all about. He defined a budget as "An estimate of revenue and expenditure framework for management for a given year or specified period." He added that "It is prepared based on a legal and standard procedure prescribed by the state"

Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy regretted that the last years have been challenging to the councils of Anglophone regions given that the collection of approved revenues has been a nightmare making it difficult for estimated expenditure to be truly realistic. Despite this huddle, he still appreciated the administration, the individual and collective efforts of all for the results of performances of the Mbengwi Council so far obtained. 

The Mbengwi Council Building

The council generates revenue from taxes on cattle, quarry and artisanal resources, farm produce, forestry potentials, building permits, sales of tolls in the market  and others.

A day before the session, the councillors held committee meetings whose reports were presented during the Thursday session. The Natural Resources Committee for example, made up of Councillors Tezi Sera Fri, Ngoh Calvin, Gwan Anas and Kembeng Joel identified various natural resources within the municipality.

For sandpits, they cited Mbemi, Nyen, Tudig, Bome, Njah-Etu, Bessi Fomukong, Sang, Munam, Guneku, Njindom and Wumnemburg as villages having this resource. For stone quarries, the committee cited Ngyen-Mbo, Njah-Etu, Ku-Bome, Zang Tembeng, Sang and Acha. They also identified mineral resources like calabar chalk in Mbengwi and Bessi Fomukong plus clay in Bome, artificial forests in Bessi Fomukong and Acha, pastoral activities like cattle, pigs and goats and lastly, agricultural products like palm oil, garri, water fufu, vegetables etc. 

Calabar Chalk Mine in Mbengwi (Below St. Joseph's College Going to Bessi Fomukong

Miner Drying Harvested Calabar Chalk

With the year coming to an end, to be marked by many festivities, the Embellishment Committee on its part made several proposals to the council. That the streets be lighted and decorated, more roadside trees planted, houses authorized for construction at Mbon be imposed a unique paint, roundabouts be built at Checkpoint, Pa Kwati junction and Mile 19, two public toilets be built at Mbon park and Sanyere, the council building be fenced, all monuments in the municipality be renovated, the Mbon market be cleaned and three big sign boards be planted at Mbengwi's borders with Mezam, Njikwa, Ngie and Batibo. 

According to the Finance Committee's report, the draft budget respected the technical specification of the Minister of Decentralisation and Local Development which states that the investment budget should be 40% of the total budget while functional should be 60% of the total budget and the salaries not more than 35% of the 60% of the functional budget. The Mbengwi Council, with an already approved list of projects for 2021 and with a clear picture of council contributions to the running of other related state services will thus operate on an adopted draft budget of 770.489.652F in revenue and expenditure, registering an increase of 86.569.650F

Other resolutions arrived at apart from the one on funeral rights were that the mayor be empowered to open a salary account with Azire Cooperative Credit Union, Mbengwi branch to render regular payments to council staff, place the cashier on monthly risk allowance of 20.000F, place chiefs of services on monthly communication allowance of 5.000F, take an insurance policy to cover the council executive, recruit a civil statues secretary, negotiate projects for the council with local, national and international partners and take over the management of the Telecommunication Centre in Sang as stipulated in ministerial decision No. 00000219/MPT/EGS/DPEP of 3rd September 2014 among others.

New Consignment of Solar Street Lights Material to Soon be Installed in the Municipality

Minutes to the holding of the council session, a truck loaded with solar electrification materials arrived the council premises for offloading. Some wheel chairs and crutches were also among the items. The mayor had long assured the population through his various phone interviews on Rainbow Radio in Mbengwi that a consignment of solar street lights was coming and he will ensure each village gets at least one planted at the village square so that everyone benefits from the package no matter how small.

Speaking at the end of the session, the Senior Divisional Officer for Momo, Fouda Etaba Nicaise regretted that the council didn't hold it's midterm evaluation session, this contrary to the law. He called on the councillors and all stakeholders to make the adopted budget significant and realistic by meeting up with their expectations and assignments. "My expectation for this council is that you attain 100% execution of the adopted annual investment plan for 2021" Fouda reiterated.

Execution of Council/MINDHU Project. Rehabilitation of Check Point-Mbon-Africa Petroleum Road 

Pavement Bricks to be Mounted on this Road According to the Plan

While closing the session, the mayor, Ndangsa Kennedy called on all committee members to face the bull by the horn and deliver what's expected of them according to their various terms of references so that together they shall win and change Mbengwi into a city. He also encouraged all who've escaped to return home, assuring them that Mbengwi is calm, safe and lively.

Upon ascension to the helm of the council in February 2020, Ndangsa Kennedy pledged to prioritise school resumption and return of peace in Mbengwi. The 2020/2021 academic year started in October and schools resumed in Mbengwi. Unfortunately, the government schools are still void of pupils and students despite their relatively very affordable school fees. For this reason, the mayor tasked his colleagues to continue advocating for parents who can't afford fees in functional mission and lay private schools to get enrolled in government schools where qualified teachers on government  payroll have been answering present daily to teach.

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor, Mbengwi  Council Talking to Mbengwi Online

Speaking to the audiovisual, print and online media that covered the session, Ndangsa Kennedy while explaining how the council managed to record an 80% realisation of its projects said "It's not by some magic from heaven but rather the way we liaised with our population. We tried by all means to involve the people who matter in our projects, that is the population that are the primary beneficiaries." 

He also talked of huge debts like owed worker's salaries and unpaid money for projects of supplies he inherited from his predecessor that are being gradually paid back at moment. Material for the installation of the solar street lights is already being deposited at various earmarked positions. The mayor says this phase shall see 35 solar rechargeable street lights installed within Mbengwi central and during the next phase of the exercise, earmarked secured villages shall also benefit from the project.

"Mission Feast" in Wumnemburg

 "Mission Feast" in Wumnemburg 

"It was a great day" This he said while recalling the good old memories he still has of the day. "I recall I used to say John 3:16" he added and did actually recite the wordings of his memory verse. "However, PC of today has undergone lots of modifications" he regretted. 

Atanga Zacheus, a Christian Men Fellowship (CMF) member of the  Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Wumnebit Congregation of the Meta Presbytery was speaking to Mbengwi Online on Sunday November 15 as Presbyterian Christians nationwide converged at various parishes to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the church under the theme "Wake Up, Watch Out!"

Woman Attentively Listening to the Gospel

Rev. Mujem John is the parish pastor of Wumnemburg Parish. In corroborating Mr. Atanga Zach's remarks about PC Day of the yesteryears, he said "It used to be a memorial day in our lives because this was the day we started tasting Christmas. It used to pull the entire presbytery together" To him, the ambiance of those days is lacking nowadays as most congregations are parishes and so there's really nothing extra to teach and learn compared to when several congregations that make up a parish come together. 

Wumnemburg Parish of the Meta Presbytery has four congregations; Barakwe, Meh, Wumnebit and Wumnemburg, the host of this year's celebration. Activities to mark the 63rd PC Day here started with a joint service during which the moderator's message was read in which he called on God to continuously use every Presbyterian despite their weaknesses as servants of love, forgiveness, justice, peace reconciliation and progress.

Mr. Atanga Zacheus, C.M.F Member, Wumnebit Congregation

Rev. Mujem John, Parish Pastor, Wumnemburg Parish, Meta Presbytery of the PCC

Rev. Fonki Samuel Forba, the moderator through his message also reiterated the call the church had repeatedly made to every major stakeholder in the ongoing armed conflict plaguing the NW and SW regions of Cameroon for the past four years now to "end this senseless war of attrition" Distancing the church from the atrocities being committed, he said, "One unshakable truth is that those who do not value human life and protect it as sacred but destroy it are either murderers or oppressors of God's children." On the church's stance, Rev. Fonki in his message said "We shall not take sides in this struggle; we will stand strong against human rights violations, pursue peace and stability and protect the livelihood of the oppressed."

The post divine service atmosphere on the Wumnemburg ceremonial ground was filled with singing by the various choirs and church groups of the various congregations, saying of memory verses by Sunday School kids and parade by the Young Presbyterians. The highpoint of the activities was a drama on a happy marriage and a sad one staged by PC Barakwe. At the end of the day, heavy feasting greased the the anniversary celebration. 

To Rev. Mujem John, the Wumnemburg Parish of the Meta Presbytery is a workshop, this because every congregation is currently involved in a church construction project. PC Wumnemburg is currently roofing its new church house, PC Meh will soon start doing same, PC Barakwe is currently doing finishing touches of its mega church house while PC Wumnebit is at the foundation level of its own planned construction of a new church building. Work is effectively ongoing in all these project sites. 

Next year's PC Day will be hosted by Barakwe, the Rainbow village. There are already anticipations that lots of surprises will await the Christians, this because Barakwe is a tiny village in terms of land surface and population but when it comes to man power, development, hospitality and socialisation, they stand tall and strong.

The Feast

Roofing of PCC Wumnemburg Congregation

Mbengwi: Young Volunteers Headcarry WFP Aid to an Isolated Old Man

Mbengwi: Young Volunteers Headcarry WFP Aid to an Isolated Old Man

Chaa is an isolated farmland bordering two subdivisions, Bafut and Mbengwi. There lives a certain Pa Nji Munya in his sixties, visually impaired for 20 years now. He lives here in an ancient thatched house with his wife and some of his children and they are the only ones in the area. Their closest neighbours are about 1/2 a kilometer away, in Bafut. 

Young Volunteers Through Bushes to Chaa Headcarrying the WFP Aid

On Monday November 2nd 2020, a group of young volunteers headcarried material and food assistance obtained from the World Food Program to Chaa. The items were a bag of rice, a bag of koki beans, a bucket, a jug, cubes of soap, vegetable oil, water treatment drugs just to name these few.

For over one hour thirty minutes, these young volunteers trekked through hills and valleys, thick bushes,  crossing bridges and slippery grounds to reach their destination. Mbengwi Online, an online news platform through its administrator, this reporter, had earlier on made contacts to obtain the items after noticing the WFP was carrying out distribution of assistance to affected and vulnerable persons in the municipality. Having secured the items, he went on to get volunteers who excitingly engaged in the mission. 

Catching Fon on the Chaa Bridge Over River Mezam

While in Chaa, the team handed the items after explaining to the beneficiary the source and how they were obtained. He was at home with part of his family. Amongst the items was also an enlarged photo of the beneficiary, produced by this reporter cum photographer and handed on behalf of Mbengwi Online news platform and packets of sachet whisky sent by a concerned U.S based daughter of the soil.

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"I'm very glad. I didn't expect such and I pray God provides more to the World Food Program to continue progressing in reaching out to other hungry, needy and vulnerable persons in the world at large" said a very excited Pa Nji Munya and interestingly in good English. The volunteers will then spend hours of singing, dancing, snapshots, drinking, story telling etc in Chaa with the old man. He told the youths a story of how he travelled from Mbonge in the South West Region on a bicycle from 6am on December 22nd 1983 and arrived Mbengwi the next day at 11am. He came home to spend Christmas and for good after staying for 15 years in Mbonge.

Taking Selfie With Pa Nji Munya

In his narration, he said "Upon arrival in  Bafoussam, I lost my way and became stranded. So I had to pass the night there till daybreak. Then I saw a car whose number plate started with NW. I knew it was herding to Bamenda and that's how I started following it from behind, on my bicycle till we arrived Nkwen Park from where I took off to Mbengwi" His story got all his visitors marvelled. 

Attention, you can also watch this report on our YouTube channel by clicking on https://youtu.be/vUqLpEFahLQ

At the end of the visit, Mbengwi Online spoke with the volunteers to share their impressions. Tata Erasmus said "It was a privilege to join this solidarity team to help the needy. To all those who contributed in anyway materially, morally, financially or physically to help Pa Nji Munya of Chaa, I'll say thanks a lot." He wished a solar TV and radio could be installed in Pa's house for him to be following happenings in the world and also proposed a bridge be constructed over River Mezam leading to the very fertile farmland of Chaa.

Tata Erasmus