At swearing-in ceremony: SW Regional Assembly executive council members cautioned against self-service.

The judge was speaking in Buea during a solemn swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected members of the Executive Council of the South West Regional Assembly. The ceremony was organised on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

“…leadership is an extraordinary privilege to better the lives of others not to satisfy personal interests. It demands service, justice over expediency and leadership and learning are inseparable from each other,” he said.

Addressing the executive council members before the swearing-in ritual, he reminded them that the “oath is not a mere formality or a ceremony lacking substance, but a sacred oath to which the holder binds his honour and conscience with legal responsibilities because an oath violated attracts serious consequences”.

On his part, the Chief Justice of the South West Court of Appeals, Justice Paul Ngute, advised the officials that the oath taken should guide their decisions to ensure no public resource is mismanaged. 

He reminded them that any form of mismanagement of public resource would meet the full arm of the law, thus the need for them to “work with integrity, humility and a deep sense of service”.

The team include Zacchaeus Bakoma as President of the Regional Assembly, Chief Ndike Richard Kombe as Vice President, Nsame Samuel Mesape as Commissioner for Economic Development and Itoe William Elangwe as Commissioner in-charge of Health and Social Development. 

Others include Ayuk Takang Walters as Commissioner in-charge of Education, Sports and Cultural Development, Efoe Limunga Becky as Secretary of the House of Divisional Representatives, Chief Ojong Enow Cyprian as Secretary of the House of Chiefs and Ntemngwa Fomenky as Questor. 

Speaking to the press after their swearing-in, Bakoma Zacchaeus Elango, said the experience garnered during the first mandate would enable the team to work better to serve the population of the region.

With such experience, he said the team has no reason to fail the population and the electors who voted them into office. 

“We want to assure the population that we will be at their service. They should remain assured that we will continue the construction and equipment of classrooms in secondary schools and regional and district hospitals. Since last year, we have been engaged in building pedagogic blocks in schools and we will continue throughout this mandate,” he stated.

He revealed that the institution would rehabilitate the roads from Tombel to Bangem and Three Corners Ekombe towards Dikome Balue. 

The project, he said, adds to the construction of the head office of the South West Regional Assembly, whose funding was already available.

On his part, Chief Ndike Richard Kombe, promised to give his best in service to traditional rulers and the population of the region. 

“I assure the entire public that I will give in my best every day in service to the population of the South West region and ensure that Traditional Rulers feel the presence of the state in this region,” he continued.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3692 of Tuesday February 03, 2026