By Bakah Derick
Blogger@hilltopvoices
Last August 17, 2015 the National Chairman of
the Social Democratic Front John Fru Ndi led a protest against the Bamenda City
Council on the non-respect of Land Tenure laws in the city. The protest which
took John Fru Ndi to Mile Four Nkwen was based on the non-respect of the 25m
distance expected to be kept from waterways in case of any construction work. Worst
still the land being developed by Fokou enterprise is said to be marshy and
hitherto the construction work it carried a sign board saying no "land
reclamation."
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| Bamenda City Board in Session |
However, in trying to
justify why he issued a building permit on the site the Bamenda City Council
Delegate Vincent Nji Ndumu during a council session told councilors that the
company here Fokou had fulfilled all technical specifications required for the
development of such places with respect to the law reason why he awarded the
building permit. With no signs of preparedness to withdraw the certificate or
regret about his action, the Delegate blamed Chairman Fru Ndi for making the
issue political when he learned that the Chairman was on the site.
How
everyone was misled
Following a crisis
meeting that was convened by the Mezan Divisional Officer Nguele Nguele Felix,
it was established from minutes of the Bamenda III council Session and other
documents that the documents issued were in conformity with the law but the
situation on the ground was different. The documents actually spells out the construction area keeping the required 25m away from the stream but as
construction is going on what is kept is less than 25m. The crisis meeting
attendees were very quick to conclude that it was an agreement between Fokou
enterprise and technicians of the City Council to allow the company disrespect
the law. Others opined to the Guardian post that money had exchanged hands.
It was thus resolved
that a commission will be created to visit and measure the land with clear
dimensions respecting the 25m distance from the waterway.
Worthy of note is the
fact that floods have become a common occurrence around the area with
councilors of the Bamenda III Sub divisional Council blaming it on Fokou
enterprise for narrowing the waterway. The Fokou owned construction site has
been sealed repeated by the Bamenda III council and the Senior Divisional
Officer for Mezam has on several occasions ordered the unsealing. Before John
Fru Ndi came in councilors of the Bamenda III Council have been warned
severally not to continue with the protest with the Mezam administration saying
that their actions could attract a law suit from Fokou enterprise and that will
cost them so much money.
Many have been
wondering why the Mezam administration became so protective of Fokou without
taking time to visit the area. What will happen to the technicians for
uncovered forgery is in the hands of the Government Delegate who has been blamed
for negligence and refusal to listen to councilors of Bamenda III Council on
the matter.
Facts
Fokou enterprise holds
a land title which they got from the initial land owner dating as far back as
the 80s bearing the name Chi Simon. With this and their technical ability they
got a building permit.
The Mayor of the Bamenda
III Council Fongu Cletus Tanwie say they were not protesting his documents, “we
are contesting the non-respect of the law which demands that 25m be kept from
the waterway. If that is done our people will be happy.” He said.
Barister Fon Abenego
told the Guardian post that “the action was to create public awareness and that
is legally founded for the councilors.”
On his part Barister Fon
Counsel for Fokou enterprise says his client has been functioning in all
legality and so if the council thinks that it’s marshy land and should not be
developed any further, they should apply for the withdrawal of the title and
the permit then my client will present a bill for settlement and once it is
settled they will leave the area.
While neighbors to the
said construction site are busy complaining of the appearance of snakes and
overflow of water since the waterway has been blocked by the Fokou
construction, Bamenda city dwellers have continued to question the rationale of
the boards carrying the “No Land reclamation” label doted here and there in the
city as land is reclaimed just under the sign boards.
As the demarcation commission
is preparing to go to the field work has continued on the site ignoring Chairman
Fru Ndi’s submission that work will have to stop till the situation is regularized.