It is a
picture of frustration and despair in the Bamenda main market this Thursday
December 21 2017 as many arrived the market for their regular business only to
see their shops sealed. Immediately no one could explain why the shops were
sealed with the seal notice directing all to see the City Delegate. Instead of
going to see the city delegate, the traders spent time in the early hours of
the morning speculating as to why the reasons could be particularly coming the
day the city has just been subjected to some timid resumption of economic
activities with the pretext of a ghost town. Hear one of the victims, “this
delegate want kill we. You open shop people burnam, you no open delegate
lockam.” According to this victim the City Council locked the shops because
they have obeyed three days of ghost town.
Like him and
others who stood by, this reporter developed the same feeling until I decided
to get in touch with the Secretary General of the Bamenda City Council. In a
telephone chat Jude Waindim told this reporter that “those whose shops have
been sealed have been are those who have refused to renew their tenancy
agreements.” While explaining that as a second party landlord the city council
had reduced the process to a minimal FCFA 3000 and payments are being done
particularly by those of the Food market and Nkwen market. He could not how
ever explain why the Bamenda main market tenants were proving stubborn.
From our findings the Paramount Ruler of Mankon
HRM Fon Angwafor III on whose land stands the Bamenda main market and the
Former Bamenda City Delegate Tazong Abel Nde himself a notable of Mankon are
owners of a good number of the shops sealed in the market. As to whether they
are the people behind the non-compliance attitude of their tenants remain an
issue to be investigated since the reasons for actions may not be known to this
reporter.
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