Cameroon: PM Cajoles Striking Ex-Amba Fighters With FCFA 3 Million For Upkeep

Government has once more cajoled repentant separatist fighters of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, DDR, Centre in Bamenda who recently protested government’s failure to fulfil promises made to them with cash for their upkeep.

The money was handed by members of an inter-ministerial delegation dispatched to Bamenda by the Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute. The delegation was headed by Gillete Nkwain Ngam, Charges des Mission at the PM’s Office. assisted by Issa Adamu, Research Officer at the PM’s office.

Other members of the delegation included representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Youth Affairs and Civic Education, Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industry and Territorial Administration.

The delegation assured the ex-fighters of the PM’s commitment to ensure that their welfare at the centre and future happiness is guaranteed. The envoys told the ex-fighters that the PM has taken note of their challenges.

The delegation head, Nkwain Ngam, handed the sum of FCFA three million from the PM to the leader of the ex-combatants for their upkeep and called on them share the sum with the assistance of the director of the centre.

Dion Ngute’s envoys also handed the sum of FCFA one million to the Director of the Bamenda DDR centre to facilitate the production of vital documents like birth certificates and ID cards for the ex-fighters who will soon be graduated from the centre.

The ex-fighters on their part used the occasion to re-echoed their grievances to the PM’s envoys among which were worries over the conditions under which they will be reintegrated into the society, the number of ex-fighters to be reintegrated, the number to be employed as civil servants, statistics of those to be handed capital for their desired businesses as promised by government.

They told the delegation that the previous batch of ex-fighters integrated made them to understand that FCFA one million was signed in Yaounde to each ex-fighter before their job offer into CAMTEL but shockingly they were only given FCFA 300 000 alongside issues related to the payment of their salary were they were offered jobs.

The called on authorities to regularise the situation before their graduation, in order that they don’t fall in the same problems. They said the monthly allowances that were promised them to assist their parents and love ones back home have not been met.

This, they said has forced many of their peers at the centre to be fleeing the in order to look for other means to sustain their families. They also complained of poor treatment as compared to their peers in the Buea centre.

The protest this week comes after that of their peers in Buea 1 February 2021 over similar demands. Sixtus Gabsa, Director of the Centre had weeks back organised a press conference during which he said all was well at the centre.