Meta Clan Head Addresses New Year Message to His Children

H.R.M T.T. Tabi Teghencha X (Clan Head of the Meta People) & H.R.H Mbakwa of Tugi (Putting on Red Cap

AN ADDRESS BY THE CLAN HEAD OF META, HRM T. T. TABI TEGHENCHA X, ON THE OCCASION OF THE NEW YEAR 2022.

H.R.M T.T. Tabi Teghencha X (Clan Head of the Meta People) & H.R.H Mbakwa of Tugi (Putting on Red Cap)

- Their Royal Highnesses Fons of Meta Clan,

- The Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA),

- The citizens of Meta at home and abroad,

- The good friends of Meta,

- Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured, humbled and inspired by those from our ancestral origin, Gwokwe, Zang-Mbeng of Zang-Tabi, who have gone before me and the gods of our land to address this message of peace to the loving people of the Meta Clan during this period of the year.

This is a rare and challenging moment in the history of the Meta Clan, yet with conviction, we affirm old traditions and make new beginnings.

As a matter of fact, many are Meta people in the different villages  of our land who feel their lives have been on pause while we face the most dangerous challenges of our lifetime. The COVID-19 pandemic, the ravaging conflicts and poverty are human calamities with severe health and socio-economic consequences. 

Despite these challenges, I wish to compliment the efforts of Meta children in the health care domain. Thanks to their kind hearts, they provided health assistance to their brethren during various health crisis situations as well as to the orphans of our Clan. This spirit of sharing and looking after each other is important in rebuilding our Clan.

I equally wish to thank the Bongob Meta International (B.M.I), who in their own way, have been insistent and persistent in fostering development in our palaces. I cannot also cite all the educational institutions of higher learning and various agricultural outfits and entrepreneurs being created, promoted and led by sons and daughters of our Clan. I am indeed very grateful to all of them.

On a different note, We will all agree that, the Meta Clan has a recognised place, in all of our hearts.  History has it that, once the Meta people were united we defeated all our adversaries: anger, diseases, extremism, hate speech, lawlessness, resentment, violence, etc. In addition, UNITY is a concrete lifesaving service. Now is the time for unity. This is my solemn pledge.

In essence, our unity, our union is the serious work of our Fons, quarter heads, family heads and citizens. It is a principle we must teach our children to uphold in every generation of our hamlets now called villages. It requires a change of heart in people. We can right the wrongs.

Meta Clan has never been united by blood shed or distortion of who we are, and it will never be.  We are not digging the soil under the feet of the government while hoping to be better. No. We have learned that each Meta person’s freedom is safe unless every person’s freedom is equally protected. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our hamlets or villages, project us above our interests and teach us what it means to be good citizens.  It is our hope. It is the hope of the New MECUDA in the making. 

For the first time in MECUDA elections, we seek the interests of nominees in serving the people and will give them the opportunity to choose what they can do better. I urge the EleCom organization to work diligently and independently to ensure we elect a new MECUDA Exco that will bring dignity and respect to Meta Land. 

Accountability is important. I am wishing the MECUDA/MEFU audit bench to speed up their work and come forth with their findings and debt recovery plans to restore faith and hope in the Meta man.

“Thank You” Pa David AYABA Esq, for standing the tests of time at the helm of MECUDA. You did your utmost in spite of all the odds.  As MECUDA has begun, MEFU will certainly follow suit with its reorganization.

Together let every Meta son and daughter from the homeland and diaspora participate and support MECUDA in building the Meta Clan again. History, faith, love and reason will show us the way to peace and justice.

May God bless the Meta Land and the People of Meta.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year 2022.

- Long live the Meta people,

- Long live MECUDA,

- Long live Their R.Hs Fons of the Meta Clan,

- Long live the Meta Clan

Church Turned School with No Desks, Fon's Organisation Steps in to Help

An organization known as Fon's for Health, Education and Development (F.H.E.D) has donated 8 new benches worth FCFA 200.000 to Presbyterian School Annex Ku, a village in the Bome zone of the Meta clan, Mbengwi on Tuesday December 7 2021 in Presbyterian Church Ku where the school is temporally operating.

Tracing the history of the school, Rev. Mrs. Ndoh Rose Injoh, the Head Mistress said "It was on the 6th of October that I deemed it necessary to open the school because I found it unsecured and too far for the children to leave from here and go school in Mbengwi central town. As we started, some parents bought the idea and though some kids are still trekking to Mbengwi central, we are happy with the enrolment we have now."

Donors, Parents, Pupils & Teachers Pose for Family Picture with the Benches

The 8 New Benches Donated by F.H.E.D to P.S Annex Ku

Barely about 2 months in existence, the school as at moment has an enrollment of  60 kids with 3 teachers handling all the classes (1 to 6 plus nursery 1 & 2). Makeshift classrooms have been carved out using plywoods in Presbyterian Church Ku and it is here that all the classes are going on. The teaching and learning process is very unfavourable especially as it is just a section of the church that's been carved out as school but nothing separates one classroom from another and it's the pews the kids sit on to receive their lessons.

Informed about this, F.H.E.D immediately came up with a plan to reach out to the budding school. Mr. Fomumbod Derrick is the coordinator  of the organization. Speaking to Mbengwi Online at the end of the donation exercise, he said "I am very satisfied with the turn out of the people from the community and the presentations from the children. We are overwhelmed with all they said about our organization, an indication that what we've done has left a mark in the Ku community." He confirmed that such donations will continue in other communities because the organization's goal is to reach out to all communities in Meta as needs arise.

Fomumbod Derick, Coordinator, F.H.E.D

Rev. Mrs. Ndoh Rose Injoh, Head Mistress, Presbyterian School Ku Annex

Speaking earlier on during the donation ceremony, Pa Awasum Simon, former president of the Ku Cultural and Development Association (KUCUDA) said "I want to thank immensely our Reverend Pastor who's the initiator of this project. I'm very gratified that with the experience she had where she worked before and initiated such a project there, she's also brought it to implant here. What would've happened to these children? Others have escaped with their parents. These ones who cannot escape, what would've happened to them? And so I doff my hat to her and say the rest of the people in this community should wake up from sleep and do something to support this lofty project which is for our interest."

Pa Musi Joseph is the quarter head of Wumfi, Ku. Seating in for the Fon of the village, during his own address, he revealed that when he was growing up, there used to be a Catholic School in Ku that was later closed down after about a year of existence. A Basel Mission School was opened and later closed too and present day P.C Ku is erected on the the exact spot where the school was built. Moris Tagyen Fokob, the acting chairperson of the Parent's Teacher's Association (P.T.A) of the newly created P.S Annex Ku in his speech extended sincere appreciations to the donor organisation. He said "My words alone on behalf of the parents, kids and pupils cannot adequately express our profound gratitude for such an institutional support. To us, this gesture stands taller than our words can describe taking cognizance of the adage which states that 'Anyone who educates a child educates a nation"

Moris Taghen Fokob, Acting P.T.A Chairperson of the School

Pa Musi Joseph, Quarter Head, Wumfi-Ku, Fon's Representative

He also addressed the parents, telling them there's still a lot to be done to ensure that their children have the basic requirements to study  such as procurement of furniture like children tables and chairs, text and exercise books plus prompt payment of their fees which will in turn be used to pay teachers.

Ever since the establishment of the school, the beneficiary population has been very happy but paying of fees has been a great problem according to Head Teacher. "We asked them to be paying in instalments. Some are doing so, others aren't but I like the teachers because they're patient" said Rev. Mrs. Ndoh Rose Injoh. She made a clarion call to Ku sons and daughters at home and abroad to copy the example of the organisation, Fons for Health, Education and Development. In her words "It'll be needless for them to be educated meanwhile their children back in their village are roaming about without any education. They should come to our aide maybe by assisting us to pay the teachers or offer any didactic materials."

Each of the teachers is on a meagre monthly salary of 20.000F that's not even constant while school fees has been levied at 20.000F per child yet many parents still find it difficult to meet up with such even as it is believed ignorance is more expensive than education.

Children Playing During Break

Section of the Church Carved Out as School

Fons for Health, Education and Development (F.H.E.D) is the new name of Fons Against AIDS, created in 2003 with H.R.H Fomuki Patrick Nji of Guneku as founding president. The name was changed because the former was solely to fight HIV/AIDS. The reborn organisation now seeks to not only fight AIDS but other pandemics as well as champion education and vocational training of especially children and needy persons, fight poverty and hunger just to name these few. These, the organisation does through community sensitisation, provision of care and support, development of community libraries and training opportunities, engagement of communities in sustainable income generating activities like market gardening, livestock farming, large scale mechanised farming, small scale business ventures and promotion of social cohesion plus provision of support and care to internally displaced persons (I.D.Ps) and returnees for peaceful coexistence. 

The recent donation to P.S Ku thus fell in line with the second objective of the organisation whose desire is to see that the kids sit and study under favourable conditions. "We saw the pictures and how stressful the children were struggling to learn and we could not remain indifferent" said the organisation's coordinator, Fomunbod Derick.

H.R.H Fortu, Fon of Njimetu

Pa Awasum Simon, Former President, KUCUDA

Fons for Health, Education and Development is an initiative of the Meta Fons with H.R.H Dr. Fomuki W. Ticha of Guneku as President, H.R.H Prof. W. Mbacham of Funam-Bome as Vice President, H.R.H Mukom Daniel of Chenam as Secretary General, H.R.H Dr. G. Fah Fombo of Njindom as Treasurer, H.R.H Njokom A. Awah of Mbengwi as Technical Adviser and Barrister Tamon Olivia as Legal Adviser. The organisation is headquartered in the Guneku palace.

Attendees at the handing over ceremony  were thrilled with intellectual exercises like songs, rhymes and other recitations from the kids to portray what they've been learning. In their welcome song, they sang that "When you go back, extend our greetings to the elites of Bome. Tell them to remember that we need their help. May God bless you all." The lone full fletched fon present at the ceremony was H.R.H Fortu of Njimetu.

Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy Dreams of Americanising Mbengwi. Should He Wake Up?

"I've told my people that I will never want to leave Mbengwi. I'm somebody who will like to make an America in Mbengwi." These were the words of Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor of the Mbengwi Council as he granted an interview to Mbengwi Online's Fongoh p. Ayeh from the confines of his office at the end of the Mbengwi Council's 2022 Budgetary Account Session held on Wednesday December 8 2021 in the Council Hall.

While welcoming the councillors and the rest of attendees to the session, the mayor explained that a budgetary session is not an exercise to decide on what to spend out of existing coffers but rather a target setting exercise that requires individual and collective efforts from all municipal actors like councillors, staff and technical services of the state.

He further drew the attention of all stakeholders directly or indirectly involved in the execution of the budget to take active part in the recovery of approved revenue especially the delegations of commerce and taxation whose loud silence and armchair practices have  had devastating consequences on the execution of adopted budgets in previous years. According to the mayor, "It is regretful to think that Taxation has chosen to pay close attention unto taxes owed by the council to the neglect of local development tax and global tax assessment and recovery in the field which are their legitimate professional activity"

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor Mbengwi Council

More still, he advised the councillors and members of the public present that it's not enough to adopt a budget and come sporadically only for sessions to assess what the executive has done or hasn't done but rather, it's unarguably the responsibility of the councillors to carry out civic education to orientate or affect municipal inhabitant's believes, commitments, capabilities and actions. Another key element in the mayor's welcome address that pricked the minds of many was when he fired back at those who engage in faking criticisms to discredit the council executive with one another and members of the public instead of forwarding constructive criticisms to their offices most especially as most of those who do such don't even live and work in Mbengwi as is supposed to be the case,  an attitude that's at variance with state interest and the principle of social responsibility.

In the various committee reports presented, the mayor and council executive was congratulated by the health committee for the purchase of a mini waste disposal van and reinforcement of monthly clean up campaigns, an initiative that's gone a long way to greatly improve on the cleanliness of the municipality though still somehow limited to Mbengwi central town. The Natural Resources Committee on its part sought to know if the exploitation of Calabar Chalk from Bessi Fomukong has in anyway been generating income for the council. They proposed that the council fire traces all her forests, organise an annual agro pastoral show and fine graziers that step out of trans humans zones.

Session

As remarked by the Works and Transport Committee in its own report, the council in the whole of 2021 didn't execute any single project using council revenue. Away from this, they recommended that the council feed mill be made functional. Reacting to the various reports, Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy clarified that every first Wednesday of the month is clean up campaign day and the exercise lasts for two hours (8am - 10am). In this light, the council is planning to organise a cleanest village competition meaning the clean up campaign is supposed to be carried too in all other villages.

About the non usage of the toilets in the Mbon market by traders, he too wondered aloud why a good number prefers to use nearby bushes than pay a token to use the toilets that were actually intended to generate income for the council like is the case elsewhere where individuals pay to pee or poo. However, as a way out, he gave assurances that a GP-DERUDEP sponsored project for the construction of new toilets out of the market precisely at the entrance into Mbengbagwa will soon be completed and put to use.

Talking about the issue of water scarcity in Mbengwi, the municipal boss regretted the gross level of abuse perpetrated by users simply because the basic utility, just like electricity is no longer being paid for because of the ongoing crisis. It's this abuse that's greatly contributing to the shortage according to him. He went on to answer the worries of the Embellishment Committee by promising that sooner, the original plan of the monuments at the Mbon park that were intended to be a fountain will be realised as work is already ongoing there. The statues will be repainted, re-fenced and water supplied there to beautify the heart of the municipality. He made other interventions about Christmas lighting, illegal exploitation of calabar chalk in Bessi Fomukong, illegal exploitation of the council forest in Acha, resumption of production activities at the council feed mill, resumption of work at the slaughter house construction project in Njaah, inability of council revenue collectors to go to the streets and collect taxes due to the current crisis etc.

New Stalls Being Constructed on the Earmarked Commercial Avenue

He ended his interventions by applauding the new executive for putting a final end to the old practice of owing worker's salaries. "For now, as we are talking, we are not owing any council worker even a dime" he said with full confidence. As tradition demands, during every of such sessions, there are often deliberations to be adopted. Amongst those adopted were that the mayor be empowered to reconstruct the Checkpoint in Mile 18, give out plots at the earmarked commercial avenue to potential business persons, mount a project on the construction of more stalls on the earmarked commercial avenue equivalent to the 40 million francs prize won as cleanest council in the region, train an old staff on secretarial duties or employ a state trained secretary to reinforce work in the mayor's Secretariat and that the executive be empowered to erect a befitting fence round the council and mount a new project for the rehabilitation of the stretch of road Checkpoint to Mbon to Africa Petroleum filling station with pavement bricks.

The budgetary council session also provided room for the validation of the Annual Investment Plan of the council for the year 2022 and Midterm Expenditure Framework. From the plan, projects earmarked for next year include the construction of a block of 3  classrooms in G.S Bessi Fomukong to the tune of 23 million, purchase/installation of 35 solar street lights in all village and community squares in the municipality, purchase of a hearse for the council mortuary and construction of a garage, construction of a bridge in Wumnemburg, rural electrification of Kai - Zang Tabi to the tune of 50 million, construction of boreholes in Njindom and Mbon park amounting to 44.700.000F, rehabilitation and extension of Ngyen-Mbo water scheme to the tune of 15 million, purchase of mattresses, blankets and other items to two orphanages in Mbengwi amounting to 1.5 million, rehabilitation of Njembeng Junction - Muswe - Mile 19 road amounting to 40 million among others not listed here.

Seating in for the Senior Divisional Officer of Momo as supervisory authority was the Divisional Officer for Mbengwi, Sakwe Jarvis. From time to time through out the session, he too stepped in to make certain clarifications and interventions like advising that rather than giving powers to one person to decide on issues of land that are technical, a committee be instead put in place to deliberate and conclude on such sensitive issues.

When given room to present his speech to close the session, the D.O clarified that the vision of the council as per the law is not good living and development for some specific people or most people but for all; old/young, rich/poor, educated/illiterates, natives/non natives alike. He promised to spare no effort in improving on the safety of actors in the educational sector and in helping the council realise its plans. He also addressed words of encouragement to all sons and daughters of the subdivision and division that provided material and financial assistance to youths and students for the successful commencement of the 2021/2022 academic year. According to him, such contributions made Momo in general and Mbengwi in particular to begin regaining its prestigious position as a temple of knowledge and living together.

At the end of the session, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, the mayor of the Mbengwi council granted an interview to Mbengwi Online. Our first question to him was to justify why he described the session as one of the best ever. In response, he said it was because there were lots of deliberations and points raised by the councillors, leading to arguments yet he was up to the task to defend the questions that they asked. He went further to give great assurance that before his mandate comes to an end, every village and community in the Meta clan will feel the impact of the council because he is a representative of all the Meta people for there's no essence of giving water to Njindom and not to Munam or Zang Tabi for example because all are people of the same clan.

"I am doing all it takes to see that every community, every village at the end of my mandate should have at least a project." he insisted. The Mbengwi Council is the only out of the five in Momo division successfully holding her sessions within her municipality. Asked if there's any secret to this, Mayor Ndangsa said "There's nothing so secret about it. What's there is that from times immemorial, I used to tell my people that I will not want to leave Mbengwi. I'll be somebody who will like to make an America in Mbengwi and I believe in that ideology." He added that he's had several opportunities to travel abroad which he turned down because Mbengwi is his home town. "If I'm leaving Mbengwi who then do I expect to come and build the Mbengwi for me?" he   asked. "Again I usually ask myself, if an S.D.O is here existing, a D.O is here existing and these are persons that have come from other areas to work in my place, then I as a landlord leaving to go and operate in another area is a call for concern. I won't let it happen" he reiterated. 

As last words to councillors, municipal inhabitant's, sons and daughters of Mbengwi living in and out of the country, he said "To my councillors, I extend to them a motion of thanks for their maximum collaboration. To my people of Mbengwi, I want to let we all know that it's time to hold the bull by the horn to see our development projects sail through. Let's enable all the nukes and crannies of Mbengwi to be a green zone so as to attract these our development projects that are coming from Yaounde because the President of the Republic of Cameroon has the intention of sending projects only to areas that are green, same for any contractor that goes to execute a contract in an area and it turns out not to be conducive, that project won't be executed."

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam it should be noted was voted as new mayor of the Mbengwi Council on Tuesday February 25 2020 and sworn into office on Wednesday April 8 2020 after spending a month in Amba captivity as he was kidnapped after his election before beimg after released. His mandate and that of his two deputies plus councillors will end in 2025

Mbemi Villagers Offered the Biggest Christmas Gift, Water

Water they say is life. The living standards of the Mbemi people in the Medig zone of the Meta clan have been improved upon following the realisation of a community impact  project from the Public Investment Budget through the Ministry of Water Resources and Energy that saw the Mbemi community water scheme being rehabilitated.

The National Vice President of the Mbemi Development and Cultural Association (MBEDECA) is Injoh Foriben Ngang Prodencia who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Momo East Constituency, Mbengwi. Asked how she managed to secure such a mega project for her people, she said it was thanks to Minister Mbah Acha Rose of the Supreme State Control that used the influence of her high office to secure the project for the Mbemi people from Yaounde. Injoh Foriben Ngang Prodencia added that as development influencers in the subdivision, they expect more and more villages to come up with development projects that will go a long way to improve on the livelihoods of the Meta people upon realisation. 

Vice President of MBEFECA, Hon. Injoh Foriben Ngang Prodencia on the Ground to Supervise the Project

Mbemi Water Management Committee Being Trained in Mbengwi

To prevent misuse and abuse, a Water Management Committee has been put in place to ensure sustainability. On Wednesday October 13 2021, the committee was trained at the Momo Divisional Delegation of Water Resources and Energy on the technicalities of how to go about managing the scheme. After the training, they were later installed into office in the village and handed some tools that they shall be using for maintenance purposes. The beneficiary population was schooled on the Dos and Don'ts of the system.

Amongst some of the adopted rules were that any user caught washing dresses at a stand tap will pay a fine of 5.000F reason being that as explained, soap is very destructive to cement. Again, subscription fee shall be 25.000F while thereafter, an annual levy of 2.000F is expected to be paid by every household connected to the water system. 

On Monday November 8 2021, Mbengwi Online decided to undertake an expedition to Mam, a quarter up the hills of neighboring Nyen village serving as main source of the pipe borne water being consumed in Mbemi. Pa Tayong Oscar is the main technician (kingpin) of the Mbemi water project. Despite his age, he was still very strong to cover the over 2km distance up and down the hill on a guided tour with this reporter. At the intake in Mam, he explained that the first technician (now of late) that did the construction work made an error of not providing breathing space for the water which he, Pa Oscar later came and corrected. 

The Water Source in Mam

Intake Constructed With Provision for Breathing Space Through Vein Pipes

"Water breathes like human beings. You can't hold somebody's mouth and nose and expect the person to live" he explained. From inception, the early construction works at the site kept collapsing due to the error till when Pa Tayong Oscar took over as main technician, reconstructed the place, this time around making provision for easy air circulation at the intake through vein pipes. From the intake, the water gets to a filtration tank, divided into two, the first section for water to settle and drop the particles of sand it comes with from the source before moving to the first catchment. 

The Mbemi water project was initiated in 1995 and completed by 2002 but its functionality all these years hasn't been without hitches like shortage and non coverage of all quarters. In 2021, the Cameroon government awarded a public contract to rehabilitate the scheme. The budget allocated for its realisation aided the villagers in buying barbed wires, pipes, filters, floaters and other items. A new catchment was also constructed in Njinenung quarter from the funds, a quarter that was all this while facing water crisis. 

Newly Constructed 10.000 Cubic Litres Capacity of Storage Tank in Njinenung

Old Tank in Njinedeuh Quarter

From the filtration tank, the water moves into a  catchment nearby where it's again filtered before being sent to the storage tank. Here, using an inbuilt iron ladder, we descended into it to witness what goes on within. From observation, there was an overflow and our guide told us it indicates there's more than enough water coming from the source. The system is built such that while the required quantity flows through a pipe to the main reservoir, the excess is also conducted to flow out into nearby streams. 

As we descended from the main source, our next stop was at a break tank. In explaining its own role, our guide told us "Since the water comes from up there with speed, we have to limit it here so that it doesn't break pipes." He furthered that most community water schemes that suffer from frequent pipe breakages is often as a result of the absence of such break tanks on the water route. To him, the speed and pressure with which water flows from its source usually from up the hill to the village or community must be regulated along the way without which the pipes buried in the ground won't be able to contain such and so get broken, punctured or disjointed.

Pa Tayong Oscar, Regent of Mbemi Village, Chief Technician of Mbemi Water Management Committee 

Stand Tap in the Mbemi Palace

We will then continue our expedition from the break tank downwards till we came to the main storage tank (reservoir) located in Njinedeuh quarter on which we found the inscription Nyen/Mbemi Water Project, 19/2 - 30/5/2002, Thanks to Our Donors: Plan Cameroon, SATA (HELVETAS), MECUDA, COM. DEV. (MINAGRI). This has been the main tank supplying pipe borne water to Mbemi village from inception though in insufficient quantity as some three quarters weren't covered till 2021 that the Cameroon government stepped in to rehabilitate the water scheme with part of the work involving the construction of a second reservoir to cover the remaining three quarters that hadn't water. Pa Tayong Oscar estimates the storage capacity of the old tank to be 18.000 cubic litres. It's surroundings are covered by water friendly trees planted by the villagers to keep the water fresh. 

Along the track where transportation pipes are buried, peace plants have been planted, not for any boundary demarcation but as indicative factor that beneath are pipes in which water passes and thus in years to come, those to do any digging around or along the pipeline will have to take note. The tank is washed quarterly and the water treated too and since there are now two, when one is being cleaned, the other is supplying and thus there's water supply round the clock. 

Water Friendly Trees Planted Around the Tank

Beneficiary Community's Full Involvement in the Rehabilitation Project. 

From the storage tank in Njinedeuh, we then returned to the village and visited a stand tap near Government School Mbemi. It is one of the five constructed stand taps realised during the recent rehabilitation project. It is built with two heads such that two persons can fetch water at once. Our last stop was at the site of the newly constructed storage tank in Njinenung quarter. We were told it has a storage capacity of 10.000 cubic litres and supplies three quarters, that is, Njinenung, Njineteh and part of Tonmbemi. 

To Pa Oscar, our guide, the rehabilitation project has really been of great relief considering the sufferings the people had been going through for the past years has finally come to an end. But how was such a project effectively realised in such a remote area during a crisis period as such? A questioned we posed to Pa Tayong Oscar. In response, he said it was because of the strong involvement of the beneficiary population in ensuring its effective realisation. The villagers aided in transporting materials by head to sites that were inaccessible to vehicles like up the hills of Mam where the intake is. No unknown technician was brought from anywhere to do the work. All the skilled and unskilled labour force was gotten from the village. Despite this, it wasn't still a smooth execution. "We were attacked by Amba Boys who detained me for a night before later releasing me under bail" said Pa Oscar. He paid a ransom to regain his freedom. Despite all the obstacles, the villagers remained steadfast and determined till the project was effectively completed. 

Mbemi Water Management Committees Being Installed

Handing Over Day of the Completed Water Rehabilitation Project to the Mbemi Beneficiary Community

In terms of durability, we learnt the new tank will last longer than the old one considering the solid equipments used and new technology applied. "They built the other tank without using 'cicaled' but we've built this one using chemicals like 'cicaled' which has water resistance to let it last longer" he clarified. Pa Oscar is a renowned plumber and electrician in Mbemi, trained in the 70s. He's been provided a team of young boys in the village to pass on the knowledge in his head into theirs so that in his absence (like when he will no longer be alive) all water and electricity problems in the village will still be solved. 

On Monday November 1st 2021, close to a hundred villagers rallied in the palace hall on invitation from their Fon, H.R.H Mbabit. Though not resident in his palace for over a year now due to the anglophone crisis that at some point in the past almost cost his life, the traditional ruler of the Mbemi people just like many other Fons in the Meta clan has been administering his subjects from a distance. The recent meeting he called was to give room for his subjects to air their grievances and chart the way out as regards the development of Mbemi village. 

Overloading on Mbengwi-Bamenda Road: Passengers Cry Foul, Drivers Justify

The practice of overloading is back on the Bamenda-Mbengwi road. For over a month now, drivers have gone back into carrying two passengers in front and at times three, a style that's known as "armpiting" and four behind. The decision has taken many passengers aback considering that the fare has remained the same, 1.000F and they weren't informed to expect such.

Before the coming of COVID-19, this was the normal loading style but the fare by then used to be 700 or 800F. When it became compulsory for all to respect barrier measures like physical distancing, the drivers were compelled to start carrying just three passengers behind and one in front. They will then increase the fare to 1000F and it turned out that all the passengers were okay with this, considering the rapidity and comfort in travelling. Unfortunately, this lasted just for some months as they soon started adding one behind to make it four. As if testing the waters, since one could be added behind with no major resistance, then why not try additional one or two in front and that's what they've successfully done now.  

Mbon Motor Park, Mile 18 Mbengwi

With these recent additions, a lot of passengers have been castigating the move. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, they have no choice than to dance according to the tune being played by the drivers. Some have been proposing the transport fare is reduced back to 700 or 800F while others prefer it should rather be added and then the number of passengers loaded in a car reduced to 3 behind and one in front so that they seat comfortably and loading cars quickly take off.

Was the decision to begin overloading arrived at by all the drivers? If yes, for what reasons? Mbengwi Online went finding out at the Mbon motor park. Here, we met some of the drivers and some executive members of the Mbengwi Driver's Union to hear from them. Beginning with the Vice President, he said "We used to carry 1 in front, 4 behind, that gives us 5.000F. Based on the nature of the road by then, our cars used to consume 4 litres of fuel per trip (to and fro). We could use 15 minutes by then and reach Bamenda but now it's close to an hour and we now use close to 6 litres of fuel. Calculate that out of 5.000F, 3.500F goes for fuel, you settle control with 2.000F, that is Ngyen-Mbo 1000, Bamenda (Nitop 1) 1000. So you see that you can't make up to 4.000F per trip (allez-retour)."

Mbengwi Online also spoke to the Secretary General of the union independently. He admitted they know many passengers don't feel comfortable with the overloading but they just can't help it. Furthermore he wondered why the same passengers will never complain about fuel vendors when they add prices or go to ask the uniform officers why they're collecting 1.000 from them but instead tend to put all the blame on the drivers. "We also feel the impact of this because our families are using this road too. So it's not like we are not wearing the shoes of the passengers to feel where it pinches" he explained. 

Hospital Roundabout (Mbengwi) Park, Bamenda

The number of cars plying the said stretch of road hasn't really increased that much but the number of passengers that travel daily has drastically dropped and this is as a result of the crisis. The drivers claim before, they could make two or four rounds per day but now, to make just a round is so hard. They also blame the deplorable nature of the road and insecurity as some of the factors that necessitated the overloading. They observed that many road users in Mbengwi that own private cars drive to Mbon park, park their vehicles somewhere nearby and then come to use but public transport, why? So that their cars shouldn't get bad, they wont settle any control and in case of any unforseen, the driver will be the one to face it, not them the passengers. 

"Hardly does a week go by without us going to the garage for repairs" a driver lamented. "Imagine me going to give my 'patrong' 2.000F as 'check' after a full day of work. What an embarrassment" he added.  He too advanced the same points like his colleague and added that at the park, they pay 400F per loading to the loaders. Some of the drivers said the issue of overloading isn't peculiar only to Mbengwi. They proposed that those complaining should find out about Bamenda-Bali, Bamenda-Santa, Bamenda-Bafut etc, that it's same practice every where and they of Mbengwi were the only ones still carrying just one passenger in front. 

Some passengers have however rebuked this, saying the drivers can't use the wrong being done by their colleagues elsewhere to justify theirs for what's wrong is wrong, period. Statistics gotten from the Mbengwi Driver's Union indicate that at least 80 passenger vehicles ply the Mbengwi-Bamenda road daily. So at least 480 passengers must use the road per day for every driver to leave Mbengwi to Bamenda or Bamenda to Mbengwi and if they have to return fully loaded, then it means  at least 960 people should travel every working day and by evening every driver ought to return home with at most 5000F gain.  Now the question is what can such an amount do to someone that's a breadwinner having a wife, children, family, bills and rents to pay, "njangis" to play, cloths, food, medication yo buy and what have you. 

Considering this crisis period in which we are, this is practically impracticable. To overcome this, some drivers have resorted to specialising only in the transportation of goods for business persons and running of other errands than depending on passengers. The union executive from reports has educated its  members to politely speak to customers when they ask to know why the overloading rather than just quarreling them or giving no reasonable response. They've been cautioned to school their passengers to see reason with them considering that everyone is struggling to put bread and butter on his table. What we don't comprehend is why despite all these complains from the drivers about road, "settlement", no passengers, crisis etc, non is leaving the road to look for something else to do in life. With this, we can conclude that at the end of the day, it's not really that bad for no reasonable someone will stay in a profession that's not yielding him income for personal upkeep and that of their family.