Thanks to the Modern oil Palm Plantation, brainchild of Francis Mungusi; CPDM Section President for Donga Mantung V, militants have been empowered in the production and commercialization of palm oil.
Workers in the plantation have testified that they are able to put bread on their tables and meet the school needs of their children thanks to the proceeds from the palm plantation. Raymond Bunyui, a worker in the farm and a militant of the CPDM says, “This project has been a salutary source of living for me and my family. When the crisis was at its peak, it was not possible for people to move around but I had little or no problem because the farm is just at a walkable distance from my home,” he said. “I am also very appreciative of the founder of the farm who always makes sure we have our salaries paid monthly and on time”, he emphasized. “This has enabled me to take care of my family well,” he concluded.
Temporary workers in the farm are mostly concerned with manual work; they are paid as per the work done. Meanwhile the permanent workers have a daily task of harvesting the palms. When this is done they gather the coons, ensure the picking and putting together of fallen nuts for transportation from the farm to the local oil mill where the palms are prepared, mashed locally to extract palm oil which they sell in Nwa and beyond.
According to the Section President “So far the results are very good and there are plans to expand the farm by renewing old palm trees”. There is also a need for the recruitment of many more workers, so partners are welcome to join the vision so together we can expand it. The project promises to open Nwa to the Cameroonian and Nigerian markets given the great quality of Palm oil produced and the high demand for the commodity.
Nwa is situated at the Cameroon- Nigeria boarders, and populations from both sides come to Nwa for the oil. The modern oil palm plantation project saw the light of day in 1997. It spans on a total surface area of nineteen (19) hectares. The farm is situated in Ntem village, Nwa Sub division.
Irene AWENEG
