The Minister of Territorial Administration, MINAT, Paul Atanga Nji, has warned that any attempt to disrupt the smooth hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, as recently threatened by Prof Maurice Kamto of the MRC, would be dealt with severely.
He dished out the warning while opening the second bi-annual conference of regional governors, in Yaounde yesterday. Though the MINAT boss didn’t mention Kamto’s name, keen watchers of the polity have said it was an indirect reply to the leader of the opposition Cameroon Renaissance Movement, MRC party.
Kamto had last December 3, threatened that if government fails to release those he described as political prisoners, he would organise protests to disrupt the continental football fiesta.
Talking to reporters after opening the governors’ confab, Minister Atanga Nji said government was aware of the outing of a politician, indicating he wants to fight.
“…I would also like to say that whoever wants to fight must at least have the hands and feet to fight. If he wants to serve us wind, we will serve him the storm. If he wants to serve us the storm, we will serve him the tsunami… any attempt to disrupt public order will be dealt with squarely,” Atanga Nji warned.
He warned that government will not exercise any restraint in the face of any civil disobedience that might be organised by the said politician. “We have told politicians that Cameroonians want a peaceful AFCON and that they don’t want any disturbance. During AFCON, politicians should be reasonable,” he said, noting that those who want to call for change on the electoral code should be those with a political base.
“One politician said that he will fight and fight because he wants that the electoral code should be amended…if you want to fight, then you need to have parliamentarians, senators, you need to have mayors. If you don’t have that representation, then you are not a politician who has anything to sell,” Atanga Nji stated while calling on all and sundry to respect public order.
He assured that regional governors have taken up the challenge to “promote peace, unity, tranquility and living together during the AFCON”. He enjoined all Cameroonians to give the best image of the country duringAFCON. "Be Ambassadors of the competition and rally behind President Biya in order to make the tournament great".
Prescribes vigilance nationwide
Atanga Nji urged his regional collaborators to step up vigilance and security throughout the end-ofyear festivities and AFCON. He equally tasked them to ensure the population of their administrative unit adhere to all prescribed antiCOVID-19 measures.
“We must fight against urban crime and drug trafficking, which are a permanent disaster for the youth because they are the most affected. We have insisted on the issue of urban disorder…we have to supervise all the activities linked to the game,” he insisted, while stressing on the need to put order in the motorbike sector.
Fight land-grabbing, random creation of chiefdoms
He harped on the disturbing issue of land-grabbing and rampant creation of chiefdoms by administrative authorities. He said the issues topped worries raised in parliament by lawmakers. “…people still build on government land without permission while hectares of land are still bought under dubious conditions.
Third class traditional chiefdoms are still created in total violation of legal provisions. Governors should take appropriate measures to fight against these problems of land-grabbing and random creation of chiefdoms,” he instructed.
The confab which is expected to end today is being staged under the theme: “Administrative authorities and security guidelines for end-ofyear-feasts and African Cup of Nations, Total Energies 2021”.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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