By NORBERT WASSO
The current efforts by PAMOL management especially the fearless general manager, to bring the company back to life, after very long months of inactivity, seem to have awoken some of his die-hard detractors.
It is no secret that since December 2018, the general manager, Chief Mekanya Charles Okon and his collaborators have been working hard to see that PAMOL Plantations, the life-wire of Ndian and parts of Meme Divisions, resumes activities. In effect, several meetings have been held with workers to encourage them to resume work, some roads within the plantations have been rehabilitated, impressive work has been carried out on the mills, heavy duty equipment, vehicles and buildings.
Last May 20 during the National Day celebrations, there was huge mobilization of the population in Ndian and especially in Mundemba by the General Manager who doubles as Ndian I CPDM Section president. It was an unprecedented show of force not seen in the past three years.
All was set for the company to really take off in June when on the eve the mill was to begin receiving smallholders’ crop for processing, separatists, apparently through the promptings of inside saboteurs, struck and destroyed the water dam that feeds the mill. It was a big blow to the courageous efforts put in by management, the engineers and other technical staff. PAMOL currently runs 2,000 smallholders’ scheme.
Above all, it was a huge financial loss incurred by the company. It should be recalled that management engaged in the process of bringing back the company to life following the disbursement of some funds by government which facilitated the payment of salary arears for a number of months and the purchase of spares to rehabilitate the mill, repair heavy-duty equipment etc.
Detractors wake from slumber
As if to celebrate the mishap of the company with about 2,000 workers and many dependents, detractors of the GM and the company went jubilating. That was not all. A few weeks after that, they put out a document titled ‘Intelligence Report’ in which they are accusing the general manager of “massive corruption, misappropriation and mismanagement of state resources”.
The four-page document is signed by a certain Njibili Morimo. Many in PAMOL see the handiwork of a former close collaborator to the general manager who was fired from the company for several misdemeanours and who is allegedly being backed by a certain elite whose quest to be appointed as PAMOL GM is an open secret.
The allegations contained in the document, from our investigations, are full of lies, half-truths and unbacked claims but more of vendetta and slander on the general manager, his collaborators, the media and even government to the extent that it indicts directly and indirectly controllers from CONSUPE.
Before becoming general manager in 2017, Chief Mekanya Charles while in an acting position came under a barrage of petitions, manipulation of workers, workers’ strife etc. This was all in a bid to torpedo his confirmation as general manager. The detractors’ plan did not work following his confirmation and the appointment of Mr. Okalia Bilai Bernard, governor of the South West region as board chair. Having lost the battle, the detractors coiled their tails and buried their heads in shame.
This was not for long though, as the crisis that sent the company into coma, got the detractors chanting. Reason why efforts to get the company back on its feet wasn’t good news for them.
GM undeterred
A natural go-getter and one who is not afraid to take on challenges frontally, Chief Mekanya Charles is unruffled by this other petition, one is a long series. His main focus is to bring the company back to life and save the jobs of thousands and in fact the livelihood of a whole Division.
But the GM is livid over what he perceives as a ploy by his detractors to divide Ndian Division into those from Ekondo Titi and Mundemba. “We have lived as one in Ndian Division without distinguishing whether some are from Ekondo Titi or Mundemba areas”, hammered Chief Mekanya, a bona fide of Mundemba. He continues “People are now digging up long-forgotten relationships from Ekondo Titi area to claim closeness to power and use it to denigrate others from other subdivisions in Ndian”.
The GM is also miffed by the fact that people condemn what they do or say because they are of the ruling party but hardly do so when opposition leaders make their opinions. “Why are we being prevented from making our political choices in a democracy? he quipped. “When you support government or do something in favour of government, you are blacklisted”, he lamented.
Challenges and realisations
As the company’s board meets this week, the GM is focused in uplifting the challenges facing the company. During the year the company had 42 accumulated cases of staff who are due retirement with benefits amounting to FCFA 79,875,068. The company has successfully liquated all except for four who are still owed FCFA 28,687,018.
The company has successfully insured its factories and buildings and is taking measures to weed out those who are security threats within the company. The company has carried out impressive work on its mills, heavy duty equipment, and vehicles. The overhauling and repairs carried out respected all norms and passed through PAMOL Internal Tender’s Board, contrary to what the uninformed detractors have been peddling. The health centre, research and security services have been functional during this crisis period entailing huge cost.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s share of FCFA 1.250 million for a PAMOL new mill has been approved by the minister and it’s now left with the treasury department at MINFI for disbursement. Another approval from MINADER PLANUT 2018 of FCFA 1.710 billion has also been registered.
However, the sale price of crude palm oil continues to be a clog in the wheel of the oil palm sector. That is why the GM is putting everything for a new mill to be constructed so that production cost can be brought down for the company’s products to be competitive.
In conclusion, the general manager says despite the security challenges, they shall push ahead under the risky conditions, which is their own contribution towards warding off the threats against the state.
Chief Mekanya Charles Okon, who has spent a greater part of his life serving PAMOL says “I count myself one of the luckiest for the fact that government made me part of those who have contributed in making Bakassi feel Cameroonian with the development of close to 500-hectare plantation and the building of 150 accommodation which have brought life to the area”. More than FCFA 3 billion has been pumped into that project.
With these and many more realisations, PAMOL Plantations is on solid ground and was already set to start making profits before the current crisis set in. All these as a collective effort of the board, management, staff, smallholders and above all government