For those who attended the installation ceremony of the new Senior Divisional Officer, SDO for Fako on 9 July 2010 at the Manga Williams Avenue in Limbe, there is the strong impression that Francois Bona Ebengue is inheriting a division replete with problems, ranging from water crisis, insecurity, chieftaincy disputes amongst others.

Also it would require a lot of tact for the issues to be handled given that some of the worries of the people of Fako are more than half a decade old.

Prominent among the problems was that of water supply.

The Government Delegate to the Limbe City Council in his welcome address told the SDO to tackle the problem of water supply in towns like Limbe, Buea and Tiko.

To Andrew Motanga Monjimba, the problem is so much so that it can lead to a popular uprising.
Another issue is that concerning chieftaincy disputes. The new SDO was reminded of the problem of the absence of a first class paramount ruler for Limbe and most especially the chieftaincy disputes tearing apart villagers of the Biyuku, Upper Bova, Mukunda and Bonadikombo villages amongst others.
The Governor and the Government Delegate also raised the problem of high crime wave, given the recent killing of a Briish expatriate in her residence.

Andrew Motanga Monjimba called for the creation of a central police station in Limbe and for others in different districts. A strong appeal was also made to the SDO to stamp out ‘feymania’ and ‘money doubling’ which seem to have taken centre stage in some areas.

To Governor Koumpa Issa measures have been put in place to fight crime wave through out Fako but for its implementation by the boss.

The governor told Bona Ebengue to beware of the activities of armed bandits along the Fako coastline, not living out cyber criminality.

The new Fako SDO was also enjoined to tackle the problem of clandestine transportation and to put order in the commercial motorbike sector.

“You must ensure that circulation between the Mungo and the South West is always fluid as well as the road linking Mutengene and Kumba,” said Koumpa Issa. He added that tension usually arises from some trade unions and ‘other groups’ with obscure motives, which needs to be controlled using every means notably the judiciary.

On developmental issues the Government Delegate, Andrew Motanga called on the new SDO for Fako to work towards ensuring that the Limbe cement plant takes off and for the Limbe Deep seaport and shipyard projects to be completed. While calling on the SDO to ensure that the Tiko market is reconstructed he warned against unscrupulous land grabbing which is ongoing in Fako.

When the Governor called on the SDO to collaborate with elections Cameroon, ELECAM some political party leaders were very keen.

Talking to Eden on this issue, Federic Babila of the Alliance of Progressive Forces, APF, said “as he had earlier worked in Fako at a time when political activities were upbeat, I know he understands that if he makes a little bit of mistake there is going to be fire. When the governor spoke of collaboration, I want to believe the SDO remains the government arm to provide security. If the SDO does not supervise security there can be disruption in favour or against the government which we don’t want. But when it comes to issues of registration we want to say we do not need him.”

Prior to his appointment Bona Ebengue Francois was serving in the Logone and Chary division in the North of the Country.
(*NPB students on internship)