Warrant of Arrest Issued for a Bad Contractor in Momo Division

Warrant of Arrest Issued for a Bad Contractor in Momo Division

Members of the Momo Divisional Participatory Follow-up Committee for the evaluation of projects executed from the Public Investment Budget have resolved to prosecute all contractors who've collected state money for no work done and that because of their bad faith, no contract should ever be awarded to such again. They came to this conclusion during the second quarterly meeting that took place on Thursday July 7 2022 in the conference hall of the Divisional Delegation of MINEPAT.

In his opening statement, the new vice chairperson of the committee, Mr. Ngwe Obed Musong who doubles as the Home Coordinator of the Meta Cultural and Development Association (MECUDA) said "As we are together, I'll learn from all of you since I'm new". He was addressing members for his very first time since gaining the new position as vice chair.

Committee Members on Field Visit to Project Site, Renovation of Mbengwi D.O's Office

Members in Session

While evaluating 2021 uncompleted projects, it was disclosed that but for Widikum subdivision that recorded a 100% completion, each of the other four subdivisions has at least an uncompleted project. The construction of classrooms at Government School Bonatu, SAR/SM and an Agric Post, all in Andek are yet to take off same as the Rural Electrification of Kulabei in Batibo, Bessi Fomukong in Mbengwi and Rehabilitation of Kutin Health Centre in Njikwa are some of the yet to be started or completed projects in the division carried over from 2021 into 2022.

Worried about the non execution of their project, the Kulabei Cultural and Development Association in Batibo has filed a complaint to the Momo Divisional Follow-up Committee against the contractor, Fombako Company Limited, noted for taking government contracts, collecting money for the work but never doing anything. It is the same situation with Bessi Fomukong in Mbengwi and its own rural electrification project as the very Fombako  Company that won the contract to send light to the village has done nothing in this light, yet money has been cleared from the state coffers. It is even rumoured that at moment, the company founder is in Yaoundé struggling to be awarded the multimillion contract of rehabilitating the Acha-Tugi-Njikwa road. 

MINEPAT Divisional Office, Momo

Members on Field Visit to Project Site, Mbengwi Council Market Stalls

During deliberations on such contractors pulling the development of the  division behind, the mayor of the Mbengwi Council disclosed that before kicking the bucket some months back, the late state prosecutor (counsel) for Mbengwi, Narcis Ekwelle Ekana had issued a Warrant of Arrest for the founder of Fombako Company Limited. As it stands, he is wanted and has all this while been avoiding the region. Going by statistics presented to Mbengwi Online by the Momo Divisional Delegate of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and and Regional Development (MINEPAT), in 2021, Momo division was awarded a total of 59 projects and by the end of the year, 49 were completed, 3 uncompleted and 7 not even started, giving a financial realisation rate of 82.10% and 82.34% physical.

For the new present financial year 2022, the division gained 61 projects expected to cost one billion, four hundred and fifty million, one hundred and fifteen thousand (1.450.115.000) FRS. More than half way gone into the year, only 5 have been completely executed, 12 ongoing and 45 not yet started out of which 2 haven't even been awarded. As at moment, this gives a physical execution rate of 15.67% and 0.07% financial, a record that is far below average and expectation.

These projects involve rehabilitation and construction of roads, community halls, palaces, schools, integrated health centres, supply and equipping of offices, solar and hydro electrification of communities, digging of boreholes and extension of water supply schemes in villages, provision of assistance to the vulnerable population just to name these few. Most have been signed and awarded but effective execution yet to begin.

3-Phase Electricity Line Going to Ngie

Teze Oil Mill, Now Electrified

According to a staff of the Andek council that was present at the follow up meeting, the construction of an Integrated Health Centre at Nkon was disrupted following an attack by non state armed fighters in the area that resulted to the previously existing structure being burnt down. According to him, the council is presently negotiating on transferring the project to another safer area also in dye need of an integrated health centre. He further confirmed that a MINEPAT sponsored contract that was awarded since 2017 for a 3-phase electricity supply from Mbengwi to Andek has finally seen the light of day this 2022. As a result, the Bonambufei Common Initiative Group shall this year benefit a project that will see them being provided support for the production, processing and marketing of palm oil and kennel oil. At long last, the Teze oil mill now fully go operational and sustained thanks to this latest development in Ngie.

While reviewing the recommendations that were made during the first meeting for the year, the committee members appreciated the little improvements so far made but insisted there's need for intensification. Amongst some of the resolutions were that authorising officers (mayors) have to hold meetings with contractors that have projects in their municipalities before work begins, trenches for water projects should be deep enough, at least 60cm, king poles for roofing projects should be stiff enough to prevent subsequent leakages, donor ministries should be contract managers and be involved in the installation and reception of contracts via their delegates, site selection of projects and environmental aspects of studies when constructing the D.A.O must be done so in consultation with the delegate of environment, no project less that 5 million FRS should be deposited on MINDEVEL credit and by the end of the financial year, no credit should be blocked. The committee also recommended that the state should intensify the decentralisation process so that contractors can follow up their documents only at the level of the region not Yaounde all the times.

Committee Executive 

Mbengwi Council New Modern Slaughter House in G.R.A

As has always been the case during all such meetings for the past two or three years, only the mayor of the Mbengwi Council, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam will always be physically present. In presenting a situational report of his municipality, he said the council will soon be demolishing the old slap near Abbi Fall Resort as last strategy to force the butchers into the new slaughter house at G.R.A, the giant nursery and primary school constructed behind the Gendarmerie post by GPDERUDEP will go functional come September 2022, all the solar street lights the council obtained have been installed across the municipality, a borehole has been dug in the Mbon main market to arrest the water crisis in Mbengwi, completion works on the slaughter house construction project in Njaah that was suspended due to insecurity will soon resume and that on a general note, his municipality is fairing well.

On the situation of the abandoned Ngwokwong bridge construction project, it was disclosed that procedures towards the suspension of the contractor are ongoing but according Anoh Pascal Nji, a technician from the divisional delegation of public contracts, their minister has instructed them that it doesn't just suffice to suspend a contractor but the ideal is to get another that will do the work so that there's continuation.

Regrettably, going by regional rankings during the last regional follow up meeting, Momo division came out last in terms of physical and financial realisation of public investment projects. However, in the last national follow up meeting, the North West region occupied the fourth position. This information was disclosed by the MINEPAT divisional delegate for Momo who in turn suggested that to change this record, mayors have to must put projects only where they can be executed with ease. In her words, "It is better to have one part of your subdivision more developed than nothing at all."

Mbengwi Council Old Slap

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor, Mbengwi Council

Before closing the meeting, members paid a brief visit to some project sites in Mbengwi beginning with the Divisional Officer's office where renovation works are ongoing. While on site, they assessed the work being done and made recommendations to the contractor. They'll later visit the Mbengwi Council market stalls constructed at the entrance into the Mbengwi district hospital to ascertain usage and challenges being faced by tenants already doing business in the stalls.

While closing the meeting, Madam Mary Akene, representative of the Momo Senior Divisional Officer (S.D.O) thanked all for braving the odds to attend the meeting. She wished decisions arrived at be fully implemented so that the living conditions of all and sundry in the division be improved upon by fully realising all the earmarked projects.