Teachers Petition CONAC to Probe SW Sec. Education Delegate

The decision by the South West Regional delegate of Secondary Education Mr. Ngundu Francis to sideline names of those who did not ‘compile documents’ required to be eligible for transports allowances has been described by the young teachers as a measure to “syphon” the funds.

Before beckoning CONAC to intervene, the teachers had taken a drastic move through a peaceful march to their the regional delegation of secondary education in Buea, where they were snubbed, to Governor Okalia’s office in Buea. After discussions with the Secretary General at the Governor’s office Mr. Clement Fon Ndikum, the teachers were reassured that their transport allowances would be paid. The twist in the issue came when some of the teachers were sidelined because they did not compile documents.  The teachers have maintained that in other regions, their colleagues where promptly paid irrespective of whether they compiled documents or not.

According to the teachers, “while other regions paid its En cour d’integration (ECIs) with no strings involved, the South West Region has introduced stumbliing blocks”.

The teachers ‘Awaiting Integration’ were posted to the South West Region on December- 5- 2014 and re-deployed to the various colleges across the region on March 2015. With the recent crisis the young teachers say they are left with no option other than seeking the timely intervention of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, CONAC, to probe into the accounts into which payment of the said transport allowances were made.

A teacher who preferred to be called Buh Mai Stanley, regretted that “No ministerial text compels ECI teachers to compile any documents before  their payment is done but as a measure to embezzle the funds some regional delegates like Mr. Ngundu Francis of the South West Region have resulted into illegal instructions”,.

In one of the instances caught on record by the media an official of the personnel office room number 19 at the regional delegation told the ECI teachers “Look at your name down stairs, just come and tell me your school and your number, for administrative reasons we don’t paste out information that has money, so when your friends were making all that noise there it was uncalled for, you find the same file, for administrative reasons you don’t know who are those passing around”.

The lists of names pasted at the notice board of the regional delegation were photocopied with the column for amount deliberately streaked off. The needy ECIs expressed the wish for a prompt action from CONAC before things run out of hand.

The teachers cry is coming at a time when Minister Ngalle Ernest of Secondary Education is barely 7 months in office and what the teachers refer to as unethical habits being manifested they say its time, it is time for him to set a learning example for subsequent lawbreakers to copy as they say this might just be one among several lapses in most of the regional delegations.

The delegate is accused of vehemently refusing to pay teachers who didn’t ‘compile documents’ their rights to transport allowances which are statutory to all government ECI teachers.

This batch of ECIs posted to the South West it should be recalled were the last to be re-deployed country-wise to the various schools.

To Curb Corn Importation, MBASMAGRA Engages in Massive Corn Production

The project to increase maize production in Cameroon by Mbasmagra cooperative was an initiative and agreement signed with Agricultural Investment and Market Development Project (PIDMA) on April 24 2016 to produce 240 tons of corn to feed industries and groups in Cameroon that depends on imported corn.

 

PIDMA executive Samuel Yen and Mr. Stephen Song Mbatang signing contract

To materialize their dreams of Cameroon and its industries being independent of imported corn that has now been outlawed, PIDMA provided one and half ton of quality pannar12 seeds said to be high yielding. The seeds will be planted in 60 hectares of land, and according to experts, it will produce over 240 tons of corn. Speaking to reporters after signing a deal with Mbasmagra, Mr. Samuel Yen, the regional coordinator of PIDMA stated that, as oppose to the local seed whose production capacity ranges from one and a half to two tons per hectre, the hybrid pannar12 seeds imported from South Africa can produce at least four tons per hectare, double what the local seeds produces.

According to the PIDMA, MBASMAGRA contract, 500tons of maize to be planted in three shifts will be done using the Pannar12 quality and chemically treated seeds to be planted in 60 hectares of corn in Koke, Kombo in Mbonge Sub division of Meme in the Southwest region.

On his part, the president of Mbasmagra cooperative, Mr. Stephen Song Mbatang outlined that some of the problems they have faced comprised of difficulties when it came to financial contributions, inputs meant for the farm being carried away by some members, amongst others. To restrain the difficulties faced, Mr. Stephen Song Mbatang announced that an administrative unit alongside a good storage facility would be built in their farm to ease control and enhance better management of the cooperative and its members. According to Mr. Stephen Song Mbatang the cooperative feeds at least 500 families.

Mr. Stephen Song acknowledged that the Cameroon government provided 50 percent of the funding they received through the World Bank and under PIDMA. He stated that with the funding received, their farmers now have some hope. He noted that their cooperative is made up of young farmers most of whom have had training in agriculture.

Commenting on the president’s call  for youths to engage in Agriculture, Mr. Stephen noted that the idea is a good and very important one but noted that that for farming to be made reasonable and productive, the pattern needs to be changed, so that those engaging in the field have good training. To him, engaging in the soil business needs to be done in an intelligent way in order to guarantee good results. To him, president Biya’s speech should be accompanied by training of youths in the sector and not just a verbal call. The Mbasmagra farm spans over 500 hectares used mainly for cultivating maize and cassava.