Nkor-Noni Mayor now Empowered to push through with Development Projects

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

The Mayor of the Nkor- Noni Council in Bui Division Dr. Nchanji Germanus Ndi has been empowered by certain key decisions taken by Counselors of the municipality to persue the development goals of the Council. This took place recently during a meeting with Counselors of the Municipality in Bamenda.

Dr. Nchanji Germanus Ndi, Mayor of Nkor-Noni

Among other things the mayor was authorised to acquire land and create a Council Forest. The main purpose of the Council Forest Project some Council Officials explained was to fight Climate Change, enhance reforestation, create jobs as well as revenue from logging activities. 

Dr. Nchanji Germanus Ndi was also empowered to acquire land and funds to construct a Cattle Ranch. The ranch in question will involve all existing grazers in the Noni Subdivision. Following a heated debate concerning the feasibility of the Council Ranch Project, it was explained that neither the Farmers nor the Grazers would be negatively affected by the project.

Another decision arrived at was the creation of a Council Cemetry. It was also agreed that Feasibility Studies would be carried out for the realisation of projects in the Council Development Plan CDP. 

The mayor was further empowered to acquire land and funds to create and develope a Palm Plantation in the Subdivision. It was equally agreed that a Triennal Development Plan be crafted for the Council.

Meantime, it was agreed that a Council Logo should be created as well as a Standard Telephone Line. 

Considering that Transporters in Noni do not yet have Official Transport Rates, the mayor and some Council Officials emphasised on the need for this issue to be looked into. 

Also present at the meeting were some development stakeholders from the Subdivision as well as the Second Deputy Mayor Shey Doris Beri.

Edev Newspaper: Tel: +237696896001/+237678401408/ email: edevnewspaper@gmail.com/ francoeko@gmail.com

HUMACARE CEO calls for Support in efforts to combat COVID-19 among IDPs

Laisin Joachim Afoni, the Chief Executive Officer for HUMACARE has called on well wishers to support his NGO in its efforts to take care of those that circumstances have pushed to the fringes of society. HUMACARE is an NGO founded since 2005 to help the destitute and the depressed. Speaking recently to Edev Newspaper in an exclusive interview, Laisin Joachim Afoni said he was pushed into the initiative by the situation of the less privileged children. He intimates here that the experience of children in orphanages particularly touched him. He begins this interview by stating how he concretely started his Human Care activities.

"I noticed that children in the suburbs could not afford to go to school. I felt I had to do something so I organised classes under trees. I bought pencils and books for some of these children. This continued for some time until I decided to do things officially. I got an authorisation in 2005. My purpose was to help children from poor areas to attend school."

..............

You certainly have had challenges along the line. Can you spell out some of these challenges?

............

 2005 to 2020 is a long time for an organisation like this one to have remained in the sidelines. When I started, the idea was to give some of the children school bags, books and food to eat in school. All of these came from my little salary. Two schools were created in Yaounde for the purpose of these poor children. It was not easy for people to understand my mission and a good number of people looked at it in a different way. I had to leave Yaounde and when this occoured it looked like an end to my dreams.

............

Despite the difficulties you sailed on. How did you do it?

............

Back in Bamenda with the onset of the crisis I told myself that I could not sit around and do nothing. Seeing all the suffering orphans and the great number of Internally Displaced People I decided to do something. I continued and I think the first outing I did was on the World Humanitarian day during which I attended to 75 Internally Displaced People in Bamenda. Since then HUMACARE has been lucky and I have called on people to help us in what ever way they can.  Thank God people have been chipping things in and this has been helping IDPs. At the moment, HUMACARE takes care of about 850 IDPs and 1500 IDPs have registered at the NGO.

............

What are your immediate future plans?

............

An NGO like mine is registered for a periode of 99 years span and can serve in Cameroon and beyond. As at now, we are focused on Bui Division. At the moment we are covering Mbiame, Kumbo, Kom, Djottin and our seat is in Bamenda III where we receive our IDPs.

............

We've noticed that you have thrown your weight behind the anti COVID-19 Fight and that you've focused much more on IDPs.

............

The fight against COVID-19 is a fight for everybody since the Pandemic is a reality. IDPs cannot be left out of the fight. I happen to have been lucky to have received some gifts from well wishers which constituted of Bucket taps, Soap and face masks. For the past four days, I have been able to give 500 bucket taps, face masks and 880 pieces of savon. About 250 IDPs have been attended to. Because the IDPs do not live together, I had to space them in different days over a periode of four days. They grouped out in groups of fifty. Yesterday we had two groups. Fifty were attended to in the morning while the other fifty were attended to in the afternoon.  

............

You certainly should have a message for those out there who are prepared to take part in such lofty Humanitarian gestures.

............

You see HUMACARE has as its logo a Peace Plant. One of its goals is the promotion of peace. For those who want to participate in the promotion of these goals, HUMACARE is one of the best place for them. It is a place for them to come so that we can join hands in taking care of thousands of IDPs who are out there. Sooner or later children will have to go back to school and many of them will not be able to afford the necessary uniforms and books. I call on people to look through HUMACARE and see the faces of these children who are languishing in poverty.

Interviewed in Bamenda by Francis Ekongang Nzante Lenjo

"Amba Fighters Should Join Fight Against COVID-19" - Mayor, Nkor Noni Council.

Dr Nchanji Germanus Ndi, Mayor of the Nkor-Noni Council has amongst other things called on Non State Armed Groups NSAG in the Noni Subdivision to join the fight against COVID-19. He was speaking recently in Bamenda during a briefing with the media. He begins by stating what the Nkor Council been doing so far to fight against COVID-19.

..........

"My Council has done a lot so far to fight this COVID-19. Nkor-Noni Council started by making the people to be aware that this virus truly exists. We therefore wanted the people to understand that since it is real they have to fight against it. So far, we purchased 506 bucket taps, 356 tablets of savon, Hand Sanitizers and 500 face masks. We distributed this to almost all the villages. Unfortunately some villages have not had it due the situation presently prevailing in the field. Villages like Djottin and Din have not had because the Amba Boys have been a stumbling block to us but other villages with the help of the Divisional Officers and the forces of Law and Order that are in place in Nkor received their own packages."

............

How have you been sensitizing the people on the preventive measures so far put in place?

............

I have personally with one of my Counselors resident in the village moved to"Njangi" Houses and talked to them on the necessity of washing their hands regularly. We've gone to "Kwifon" Houses and "Nfuh" Houses and insisted that they should put buckets with water for the washing of hands. We've also gone to market areas where we talked to people in groups of three or four and sensitized them on the importance to put on face masks in the market. 

..............

You certainly have a message for the Noni people and Cameroonians at large in relation to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

............

My message to them is that this COVID-19 virus is real. It has killed many people and so all the citizens in Noni and all over the country should take precautions against this virus.

............

Any message to the Non State Armed Groups?

..............

When I purchased these items and was taking them to the village, they stopped the vehicle, searched it and when they saw the Hand Sanitizers they took theirs. This indicates that they know the importance of Hand Sanitizers. We are appealing that Amba Fighters should also join in the fight against COVID-19. And I think those in my place have accepted and are working with us. 

Interviewed in Bamenda by Francis Ekongang Nzante, Raymond Dingana and Chifu Edward.

Edev Newspaper: email: edevnewspaper@gmail.com/ francoeko@gmail.com/ Tel: +237696896001/678401408

Ngufor Peter Njontor Throws Weight Behind Anti COVID-19 Efforts!

- Equips Bafanji with necessary Anti COVID-19 Gadgets 

By Francis Ekongang Nzante

Against a backdrop of the Presidential Grant of FCFA 2 Billion given by His Exellency President Paul Biya to help in intensifying the fight against the New Coronavirus COVID-19, Ngufor Peter, the CEO of Farmer's House, one of the leading Agro-industries in the Central African Sub Region has thrown his weight behind the dreaded virus. The donation which constitutes a first step in a series of other donations that will follow was made up of 900 Cubes of Soap, 50 buckets and 500 face masks was earmarked for the Indigenes of Bafanji in the Bali kumbat Subdivision.

Speaking during a brief ceremony to mark the occasion at the Head Quarters of Farmer's House in Bamenda, Ngufor Peter Njontor said, "With the New Coronavirus that is attacking the whole world and in particular Cameroon,  we heard that the Head of State instituted the Solidarity Fund so we felt that we have to come together to help him to help the country and to help our population to fight the Pandemic. This is my own little contribution to fight against this Pandemic. This package is to help the people of Bafanji. I hope that others should follow suit and do something like this or even better. Fighting this Virus is more or less like a war and its not a joking matter. Its not a fight meant for a single person but rather its a collective one. The fight is going to be a long and tedious one because the virus will not be going away anytime soon.

 So we've got to fight using every means possible. Many people have done greater than what I did today but this is my own little effort."

Explaining why he chose to start with Bafanji, Ngufor Peter Njontor said "I have started with Bafanji village because that's where I come from. I am not limited to Bafanji and I plan to move to other communities like the area where I stay in Bamenda. I will certainly do something in Nkwen and you should understand that it has to do with means available."

Cognizant of the difficulties that could occur at the level of distribution of the gadgets, he explained that "the Traditional Council to which these goods are addressed will use their discretion in the distribution of these items.

 They actually asked for it. They said they needed support in the fight against COVID-19. They already have their plan on how they are going to distribute them throughout all the quarters of Bafanji so that the population has access to these facilities." 

Edev Newspaper: email: edevnewspaper@gmail.com / francoeko@gmail.com/ Tel: +237696896001/+237678401408