Executives of the basic organs in the troubled North West and South West regions, elected in the last reorganisation process have a daunting challenge ahead – fighting for peace to return.
It remains an accomplishment of the election committees and coordination commissions that elections into the basic organs took place in some parts of the two regions. Few areas could openly carry out the exercice in the crisis-affected regions. New executives of the party in these restive regions should know the context under which elections took place and fight hard to bring back peace that seems to have receded the regions for close to five years.
Fallouts of the crisis will add to the yoke of the new executives. Militants have fled the armed conflict and are residing in parts of the country considered safe. The crisis has rolled back the economy of some sections (subdivisions). Each day comes with hardship. Children are out of school for the fourth day in some areas. Locals are caught between the cross-fire of government forces protecting property and territorial integrity, and non-state armed groups who say they are fighting to create the putative state of Ambazonia – government has called the fighters terrorists.
However, some communities have earned some stability and are a searchlight to areas grappling with volatile security situations. “We will continue to preach peace as mothers. We will do our best to fish out our children [combatants] from the bushes. President Paul Biya has promised forgiveness to fighters who drop their guns, and their reinsertion into the society after some time spent at the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Centres,” the new WCPDM Section President of Bui II (Mbiame) Hon. Ngah Estela said. “Until the last child leaves the bush, we will not get tired, we will not give up” she added.
William Banboye, Section President and Mayor of Mbiame says residents of his municipality have crossed to the Noun division in the West region. “It is our duty to take care of our population wherever they are found. More so, those that have been forced to leave Mbiame. We will continue to support them and when we think it is safe, we will encourage them to return to motherland (Mbiame),” Banboye said.
Some areas that have had peace like Nkambe Centre would continue to fight and maintain the state of affairs, and help their neighbours to prevent insecurity from crossing into their section.
Jude VIBAN
