Eneo Re-energizes Mbengwi, Tongues Wag Over Supposed Minister's Influence

Eneo Re-energizes Mbengwi, Tongues Wag Over Supposed Minister's Influence

Despite facing enormous challenges in service delivery in the NW region stemming from the ongoing Anglophone Crisis,  Eneo Cameroon has reinstated constant energy flow in Mbengwi, Momo's divisional headquarters at least for now, after over half a year of unbearable constant hourly, daily and weekly incessant power cuts that hardened the already hard socioeconomic situation of the subdivision's inhabitants. At times, users slept in the dark continuously for months. 

Eneo Carrying Out Maintenance in Mbengwi

Since Tuesday the 18th of August 2018 till the time of this report, power supply has been stable in Mbengwi 24/7. With the situation seemingly regularised, the municipal mayor, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam took to a couple of WhatsApp groups hosting sons and daughters from the Meta clan (Mbengwi) round the globe and posted that "On behalf of everyone in Mbengwi and it's environs, I'm extending sincere thanks and gratitude to Her Excellency Mbah Acha Rose for keeping her words. She promised regularising the electricity situation of Mbengwi and I bet you, we have not had power cut for close to 5 days now. Bravo Mami. We are behind you"

The pronouncement set tongues wagging and provoked verbal commotion mostly in the MECUDA WhatsApp forum. Opinions became divided on the subject with some praising the minister like Injoh Foo Ngang Prodencia, the M.P for Mbengwi who posted that "That is the spirit of development. Thank you Your Excellency for always being there for your people. We say more grease to your elbows. This is just the beginning of many good things to come."

To others, the information didn't go well in their ears. A certain Cal rather quizzed that "Is the minister we are thanking the minister of energy? So villages with no minister will always remain in darkness?" His view was supported by Amboh Gordon who added that "This patronage politicking will not help us in any way" and seconded by John Ndum Fogwe who found it shameful that only a minister can provide light. 

Reactions culminating to arguments flooded the forum within hours. Commenting from the praising side, Asongwed Emmanuel said "We thank the Almighty God for giving us a minister. We are happy for her willingness in solving most of our problems." Cal on his part saw things from a different angle. "She is a state minister appointed to work for a country and not a tribe" he jerked and went further to inquire that "Who is going to give light in Ikiliwindi or Malende? Will they stay without light until the day they get a minister from their village?"

The debate went on and on with each person defending their sides while others stayed mute, just observing. Talking on the positive impact of the gesture, UK based Fonjong Derick  said "At least I have been able to talk to my mother and dear ones in Mbengwi these days with no complains of lack of current to charge phones"

The major worry of the few that saw the initiative differently from the majority was that Minister Mbah Acha shouldn't be seen as the brain behind any little good thing that happens in Mbengwi. Such persons are worried that even when the mayor or parliamentarian does something on the ground, they always end up giving credit to the minister. To justify his whistle blowing (watchdog) role, Amboh Gordon clarified that "No one won't be happy when the minister does something good and profitable to the community. But when the Mayor and MP keep on attributing any action they take to the minister it makes them infantile and shows that they can't stand on their own without the minister."

Schooling the rest on information management, Cal explained that not all information must come out to the public. Hear him, "If it is true that Mbengwi now has constant supply of electricity because of the intervention of madam minister, did we need to make it public? What is more important? The light or the influence behind it?" He ended his lessons with the take home message that when you have information about something, you have to decide which to store, which to share, how and when to share it, to whom and through which means?

Mbah Acha Rose, Cameroon's Minister of Supreme State Control, Supposed Brain Behind Stable Energy Supply in Mbengwi

The debate spread to other groups with a majority praising the initiative and pleading that as the minister has started, she should continue with her interventions to see that schools resume in Mbengwi and most importantly that she follows up to ensure the current project to rehabilitate the stretch of road Checkpoint to Mbon and from there to Africa Petroleum with pavement bricks is completely realised.

To better get clarified on what intervention Minister Mbah Acha actually did for regular supply of electricity in the subdivision, Mbengwi Online contacted the mayor, Ndangsa Kennedy. In response, he said "When the light situation in Mbengwi was unbearable, I went to Yaounde for a visit and by then, the minister was already aware of the reality on the ground. She told me she will contact the "Big Man" of Eneo. She did actually call him in my presence and he came, they discussed and I heard her telling him she can't have light in Yaoundé and her people back home are in darkness for months. I guess after that discussion, the "Big Man" called his regional subordinates to look into the light situation of Mbengwi. That's why we are having steady supply now at a time when even some parts of Bamenda keep experiencing interruption or low voltage." Mbengwi Online also contacted the regional office of eneo but they will not react on the subject.

During the second quarterly meeting of the Momo Divisional Participatory Follow-up Committee for the evaluation of public investment projects that held on Thursday July 16 2020, the electricity situation in Mbengwi came under review at the end of which the committee's president, Hon. Injoh Foo Ngang Prodencia said, "The problem is currently top on the table of H.E Mbah Acha Rose of the Supreme State Audit who is a developer and bulldozer that takes priority of her people's wellbeing in Momo division especially the headquarters. In no distant time, it'll be looked into as she's given assurances of having gotten in touch with the competent service for a fixed solution" About a month after, Mbengwi is now enjoying constant electricity supply night and day.

Mile 18 in particular, the economic hub of the subdivision had suffered the most as in the past, light used to be supplied for at least few hours yet Mile18 will never have. Economic operators became more impoverished especially those that depend on electricity to generate income for livelihood. All mills, saloons cold stores became grounded but for those who could afford generators or solar electrification. Even the lone radio station in Mbengwi, Rainbow Radio went off air because of the situation rendering its hundreds of listeners deformed as they hadn't again access to information, education and entertainment. 

With the situation now rectified, many users have been heaving a sigh of relief. While those out of the ground exchange on WhatsApp on whether or not credit should be given to the minister, the direct beneficiaries on the are now experiencing a betterment in their lives and a little improvement in income.