Mbile Tapea Solomon: Rare people-friendly servant at service of community.

For her part, Helen Keller, American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer, said “alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much”.

Mbile Tapea Solomon, the General Manager of PAMOL Plantations PLC, has been living up to the billing of the ideals of servant-leadership and community development. 

Through his compassionate actions, Mbile has been transforming not only the company he heads, but also the lives of PAMOL staff, retirees, and members of communities in Ndian Division of the South West Region and beyond.

Since his appointment as General Manager of PAMOL in 2020, Mbile Tapea Solomon has taken people-friendly actions that have impacted the lives of communities, staff and retirees, among others.

As they say, one cannot light a lamp and hide it under the bed, the unmatched service to his community has seen Mbile showered with praises from across the board. 

Mbile has stood out as a beacon, blazing the trail as a true servant-leader at the service of the community and nation. 

The community service actions undertaken by Mbile has uplifted the lives of the community members who had hitherto been bearing the brunt of hardship, prompted by lack of basic necessities like electricity, potable water and even their retirement dues, after serving PAMOL for several years. 

His esteemed and pro-active actions, down-to-earth and compassionate nature, have endeared him, not only to workers of PAMOL, but the general public in communities were estates of the agro-industrial company are located and beyond. 

Ensuring constant salary of PAMOL workers

Due to his outstanding managerial savvy, since taking over at the helm of PAMOL, Mbile has ensured constant salaries of workers. 

When Mbile Tapea Solomon took over as PAMOL General Manager, the company was said to have had just about 450 workers. But since taking over, he has recalled over 1,000 workers, who are now at work. The corporation can now boast of about 2,000 workers. 

This has transformed the lives of these persons, who otherwise would have been redundant. Their livelihoods and those of their families would not have also been guaranteed. 

It should be noted that these workers, who are now receiving regular salaries, can take care of their families, send their children to school and attend to other needs. For this transformational action, the PAMOL General Manager is being praised. Some have even described him as God-given to the communities in Ndian. 

Recues PAMOL retirees

Meanwhile, former workers of PAMOL, who are now on retirement, have also been smiling. The General Manager, thanks to his compassion, could not have allowed retirees suffer when they were due retirement benefits after serving the corporation. He has ensured that every month, money is allocated to pay PAMOL retirees their dues.

Also, workers’ dues to the National Social Insurance Fund, CNPS, which had not been paid for a very long time before Mbile’s appointment as General Manager of PAMOL, are now being paid when salaries are paid. 

We gathered that from 2004 to 2017, the corporation had been deducting the CNPS dues from the workers’ salaries but not paying such money to the social insurance fund. 

But Mbile has put a stop to this and ensuring that these dues are fully paid to CNPS for the benefit of the workers in future.

Since Mbile came to the helm of PAMOL, the company is not owing any CNPS dues, we learned.   

Encouraging meritocracy at PAMOL

In the meantime, Mbile Tapea Solomon has been encouraging meritocracy among PAMOL staff through staff appraisal, which is making workers happy and ready to put in their best for the benefit of the corporation. 

We learned from reliable sources that the last time staff appraisal was done at the company was in 2009. 

But the administration of Mbile, in its bid to boost staff performance, has revived workers' appraisal and has been doing so annually. 

Some meritorious workers have received prizes such as motorbikes among other encouragements. We also gathered that over 75 percent of the workers have witnessed an increase in their salaries, due to their performances after annual appraisals.

To improve the welfare of workers, the General Manager recently announced the renovation of camp houses and other structures.

It should also be noted that since Mbile took over as PAMOL General Manager, he has also been clearing the debts the company owed to smallholder farmers. 

Not only that, Mbile has encouraged the setting up of Small Holder Schemes, from where he buys palm nuts and pays instantly. 

To better the condition of Small Holder Schemes, the PAMOL General Manager has offered the luxury of selling them quality palm seedlings at a very affordable price.

New generator to Mundemba

Electricity, being a problem in most parts of Ndian Division, the General Manager of PAMOL, recently bought a brand new high-power generator to light the Mundemba Estate Mill. He also repaired the previous generator that was available but less performant.

Mbile is said to have taken electricity as a priority social amenity. He has extended electricity and water to all the PAMOL camps in Ndian Division.

Equipment to boost performance

It should be noted that the management of PAMOL, under Tapea Mbile, has been providing equipment and working tools to boost performance. 

In May 2023, the PAMOL management handed motorbikes to some resilient and distinguished workers in Bulu oil mill. 

During the handing over ceremony, the General Manager reassured the workers of brighter days to come for the company. 

In what has been seen as fighting hunger in Mundemba, Mbile, has supported the donation of more than 75,000 plantain seedlings to farmers in the area.

Supports social, church groups

As a very God-fearing person, Mbile has also been extending a hand of fellowship to social and church groups. 

Whenever there is an appeal for support from such groups, Mbile, as a kind-hearted person, does not fail to do so. We learned that churches in Ndian Division, Kumba and Buea Dioceses, have benefitted from his largesse. 

His closeness to religious authorities was depicted when sometimes ago, the Bishop of Buea, His Lordship Michael Bibi, paid a courtesy visit to the PAMOL General Manager's office in Limbe.

Whenever he is in Mundemba, Mbile meets with various social groups, including women, the youth, widows, orphans and the underprivileged, to commune with them and share whatever little he has. 

He has thus also been supporting the community through various groups. 

Mbile has also ensured that when children from the community want to buy kennels and other products from PAMOL, they easily do so, for the community to also benefit from the corporation. 

The community outreach policy has endeared him to the grassroots people.

It should also be recalled that during an event on May 2, at Ndian Estate in Bulu Mill, the Ndian Agricultural Workers, Fisheries and Animal Breeding Farmers Union, NAWOFAU, lauded Mbile Tapea Solomon for his shrewd and people-oriented management style.

The president of NAWOFAU, Prince Henry Beseka, had applauded PAMOL management for efforts at returning the company to sustainability, since their appointment in 2020. 

This, despite the devastating effects of the socio-political crisis on the company.

According to NAWOFAU, there have been relatively improved security and resumption of activities in Ndian and Lobe Estates, causing an increase in production.

The trade union had also mentioned a steady and progressive recall of workers to work, a remarkably prompt and regular payment of salaries and smallholders’ proceeds, consistent efforts made by management to service CNPS debts, settlement of accumulated leave entitlements of workers. 

They also cited the regular provision of drugs in Lobe and Ndian pharmacies, engagement of a contracted Medical Doctor for Ndian Estate hospital, publication of the results of 2023 annual appraisals and the implementation of the results in April 2024.

Recognised with traditional title

For his outstanding service to his community, Mbile Tapea Solomon was, some time ago, conferred the prestigious traditional title of Nfoni Mobenganeri (which in English means the person who gathers all Oroko people and is in front).

He was handed the title for him to gather, not only all Batanga people, but also all Oroko people and bring them together to promote peace among all Oroko people and development.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3163 of Tuesday July 9, 2024