The Senior Divisional Officer of Momo Division in the North West Region of Cameroon, Absalom Monono Woloa has been assessing life in his area of jurisdiction after the last presidential elections. In an exclusive interview granted Mbengwi Online, Monono presented a balance sheet of the current atmosphere reigning in Mbengwi, the divisional headquarters in particular and Momo in general. Prior to the October 7 2018 presidential election, just like in many other parts of the two restive English speaking regions of Cameroon, Momo Division recorded lots of skirmishes that resulted to deaths, burnings, looting, kidnaps, tortures, arrests just to name these few.
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| Absalom Monono Woloa, Momo's Senior Divisional Officer |
On the pre-election atmosphere, the seasoned civil administrator said his administration observed that before the election, tracks were circulated in various villages and on social media calling on the population to leave and not take part in the election. The call was heeded to by many of the inhabitants of the major towns in Momo Division. However, with the security measures that were taken to assist the elections governing body ELECAM in the electoral process, it was noted with satisfaction that the elections were held in a serene and secured atmosphere.
On the post election atmosphere, to the S.D.O, there wasn't any major incidence that was recorded and because of this, the population that had left saw the need to return. "If you go now to our measure commercial centres, you will realise that the business men and women are going about their normal activities" he said, citing the examples of the Guzang Market in Batibo, Tad market in Mbengwi, Wudikum market and others where business has fully resumed, a good indicator of the return to normalcy in his area of command. He continued with his assessment by revealing that his administration has noted with satisfaction that civil servants are effectively working in their offices in rendering service to the public and in executing government programs geared at improving on the livelihood of citizens. Monono will later express hope that with this trend of events, thanks to the collaboration that the administration has had with the traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society leaders, forces of law and order, the population has come to understand that we all need to put in place measures that ensure serenity, security and normal life for all inhabitants of Momo Division. In his words, "From Widikum, Batibo, Mbengwi, Njikwa and Ngie, the information we are getting from the Divisional Officers indicates that the population is back and going about normal life."
Away from pre and post election atmosphere to security concerns, the Prefect said he noticed that some individuals had made his prefecture to look like unhabitable but this trend according to him is dying down thanks to all measures being taken by the government to ensure that some of the problems that were raised at the beginning of the crisis are resolved. "As the Head of State promised, we are hopeful and confident that most of the issues raised will be resolved peacefully without us continuing to have loss of human lives, property and that we live together as Cameroonians in a peaceful, serene and prosperous environment." said the administrative officer. Absalom Monono Woloa used the one on one session to thank the population of his division that has been collaborating with the administration and forces of law and order to ensure that normalcy is reestablished. Having said this, he went ahead to call on others who are still very skeptical and frightened to return home and enjoy normal life as those on the ground have been doing.
Before ending his assessment, he talked about back to school. He opined that because of the crisis, many parents that have relatives out of Momo especially in the cities of Douala, Yaounde, Bafoussam, Ebolowa, Bertoua took their children to these towns for them to pursue their education. "With things coming back to normalcy, most of these children should be brought back so that they can easily go through with their education." he insisted. He passed across a clarion call to parents still having their children back at home to make sure that they send them to school especially as some of the schools within the sub division have opened their doors. Monono also reechoed the Head of State's message during his last swearing in ceremony for compatriots that picked up arms to express their grievances to down such arms. With the help of the administration and technical services, they will receive psychosocial support and reintegration into the society.
Monono signed his report card by throwing some light on the Humanitarian Assistance Program of the Head of State that was introduced to provide emergency relief aid to victims. He explained that "We have have also noted with regrets that many of our population became internally displaced, some even became refugees in other countries but we did receive from the Minister of Territorial Administration, assistance to some of our IDPs especially those in Widikum and Mbengwi Sub Division." These two occasions were used to sensitise those who are victims to identify themselves at the level of the Divisional Offices so that they could be registered and their needs taken into consideration, he ended
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| Ngwanyi Harry Lanyuy, S.G at N.W Governor's Office |
And so it happened that on Tuesday December 4th 2018, the Secretary General at the North-West Governor's office, Mr Ngwanyi Harry Lanyuy, personal representative of the Governor of the North-West led a an entourage accompanied by a team of media persons and security officers to the esplanade of the Momo S.D.O for the donation of items to IDPs, second phase.
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| Madam Mbeng Enama Desirée, Chief of Service for Civil Protection at the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Handing Over Items to a Beneficiary |
According to Madam Mbeng Enama Desirée, Chief of Service for Civil Protection at the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the support (of a mattress, blanket, soap, sugar, buckets, rice, vegetable oil plus "an envelope") has only come to relief the concerned of their short term challenges. In due time, government shall be seeking long term solutions to long term challenges like resettlement.
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| Some Items that were Donated |
Some 64 beneficiaries in Mbengwi went back home smiling from ear to ear with their booty on their head.
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