At maiden contact tour, Manyu SDO hails unity of Upper Bayang elite, urges population to embrace peace.

Awounfack was speaking in Tinto, Upper Bayang Subdivision, Friday June 28. This was on the occasion of his maiden contact tour of the Subdivision. 

It was in the presence of administrative, municipal, traditional authorities, Members of Parliament, elite and an enthusiastic crowd drawn from the 59 villages that made up the Subdivision. 

The SDO talked on a wide range of issues such as security, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence, amongst the difficulties faced by the population, especially in the aspect of massive school resumption in the Subdivision. 

Hails collaboration of Upper Bayang elite

Speaking at the ceremonial grandstand in Tinto, Awounfack hailed the positive contributions of internal and external elite of the Subdivision for making the tour a success. 

He also thanked the population of Upper Bayang for the peace and stability reigning in the Subdivision.

"The contact tour is an important aspect in administration because it permits the administrative authority to know the environment he is called upon to govern and know the worries of the people, so as to find solutions and better appreciate their welfare," the SDO said.

He added that the solutions to some of the grievances of the population can be found locally while others can be forwarded to hierarchy for action to be taken. “Upper Bayang is the bastion of Manyu Division with its rich natural resources and biodiversity. The Subdivision is also blessed with human capital constituting over 70% of the top elite in government from Manyu Division...they have to thank God, thank the President of the Republic for the confidence and give peace a chance," he noted.

Calls for massive, effective school resumption

Regretting that out of 22 secondary schools across the Subdivision, only nine are functional with over 608 students as compared to 2,300 students when the schools were all operational, Awounfack called on the population to send their children back to school next academic year. 

This, he said, will shame separatist fighters “who have brought nothing than destruction” to them.

The SDO presented some gadgets he had brought the vigilante groups. These included rain boats, rain coats, touches and over 180 whistles, which, he said, cost over one million FCFA.

Traditional rulers confer Sesseku traditional title on SDO

Meanwhile, as a way of paying gratitude to the SDO, traditional rulers of Upper Bayang conferred a traditional title on Awounfack Alienou, raising him to the rank of Sesseku in the prestigious Manyu Ekpe society. 

The SDO thanked the chiefs of upper Bayang sub division for the title and said he will be proud to sit amongst his peers now of the Ekpe society. 

Elite recount achievements, challenges of Upper Bayang

Speaking earlier, the Spokesperson for the elite of Upper Bayang, Eno Chris Oben, said the Subdivision has been greatly affected by the sociopolitical crisis. 

He called on their brothers and sisters in the bushes to drop down their weapons and follow the path of peace offered by the President of the Republic. 

The elite, through their spokesperson, urged the SDO to look into abandoned projects, some of which have been fully funded but not executed, the illegal sale of land by unscrupulous individuals, illegal exploitation of Timber and other forest products. 

They also urged the SDO to address the construction of the Bakebe-Bachou stretch of the Kumba Mamfe road, the tarring of the Bakebe-Tinto-Dschang-Fontem road, which they said will boost economic activities.

The elite promised collaboration with the administrative authority for the growth of the Subdivision.

Mayor hails SDO

Earlier in his welcome address, the Mayor of Tinto Council, Sesseku Etchu Joseph Eyong, thanked the SDO for coming to Tinto, 15 years since the last SDO visited officially.  

The Mayor continued that the municipality is blessed with natural resources like timber, cocoa, palm, and the Bayang Mbo sanctuary.

He called on the population to register massively on the electoral register to better participate in future elections and also desist from illegal sales of the forest and community land, illegal exploitation of timber.

The visit ended up with a working session with traditional rulers, elite and economic operators in the area. 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3155 of Monday July 01, 2024