By Bakah
Derick
Blogger@hilltopvoices
Buyers and
sellers who showed up this Friday June 12, 2015 for the regular weekly animal market
along the Bamenda-Bambui highway had to do business along the road instead of
the market where regular business is done. The reason for the relocation was
the blocking of the main entrance into the market by Councilors of the Bamenda
III Sub-divisional Council. Quizzed on why the blocking, Councilor Lucas Ngu
Afong councilor from Mbessi Quarter in Nkwen explained that they blocked the
market in a bid to arm twist the administration of Mezam to give a verdict over
the ownership and occupation of the land hosting the market.
According to
Councilor Afong corroborated by George Moforzah and others the animal market which
is controlled by the Tubah Council is within Bamenda III Subdivision and
consequently it should be property of the Bamenda III council and not Tubah.
The protest
which started as early as 5:30am calmed down at about 8am when the D.O for Bamenda
III Ayuk Taknang Walter invited the Protesting councilors for a meeting at the
office of the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam.
After
deliberations at the SDO’s office, The SDO Nguele Nguele Felix then lead the delegation back to the
site. After listening to the councilors on arrival on the site, the SDO in
response described the action of the councilors as illegal. Considering that
the issue was already tabled for examination by the Bamenda III council to the
administration, the SDO maintained that it was totally out of place for the
Councilors to take such actions.
The
councilors who took the decision to storm the market say they did so independent
of the Mayor who the claim was siding with the administration and delaying the
process of handing over their land to them.
The
councilors also argue that the old building that hosted Tubah council services
prior to the construction of the new premises is in Bamenda III and
consequently should either be property of the Nkwen based council or Tubah
should adequately pay royalties for the site.
Since no
body represented the Tubah Municipality, there was no argument.
The SDO for
Mezam at the close of the day created a special committee to look into the matter.
He however stated that the statuesque will remain as before” until a solution
is gotten.”
This
decision was not well received by the councilors as many argued that such
committee will only work as slow as the administration. They say while waitning
for the decision the market should be free with sellers not paying market
tolls. The market did not however function on its regular area but there are
signs that next week Saturday the venue will be occupied.