The social and print media have recently been inundated with news and commentary emergent from a ministerial decree that evokes possible commencement of work on the Limbe deep Seaport. Signed by the Minister of State Property, Lands and Surveys, Henri Eyebe Ayissi, the decree delineates land and sea coast from Bobende in Limbe to Idenau, including Tiko, that must be evacuated by their current occupants to give way for imminent government intervention, as part of a grand design to give teeth to the Limbe Autonomous Port project. While some observers are jubilant, in the hope that this feat, heralds the actualisation of the much trumpeted but never fulfilled Limbe Deep Seaport, naysayers ascribe non-event status to it, on account of earlier unfulfilled promises that are now a recurring decimal. The optimists believe that such a missive could not have been flown just to tickle the minds of the principal beneficiaries-that is the English speaking part of the country that has not forgiven the government for prioritising the Kribi Port to the detriment of Limbe Deep Seaport project. The doubting Thomases, on the contrary, hinge their wariness on the slow-paced approach to bringing the project to materialisation, that has seen steps grudgingly taken only during the advent of elections.
Issuing from the above, it does not require rocket science to bring out the necessity of having such an economic bonanza project, particularly in Limbe. Reliable, even if, unofficial sources are unanimous that Limbe port area is next only to Walvis Bay in Namibia, in terms of depth. This means that unlike Kribi Port that is 30 kilometres from the main town and requires 4000 horse power thug boats to bring ships to berth, less money will be required to establish and manage it. In terms of sustainability, there is a very huge unexploited market, represented in our next door neighbour Nigeria, with close to 200 million people, to ensure cargo availability. In addition, the Industrial Shipyard project that had been underway but stalled after the arrest and incarceration of its principal architect, Zacheus Fonjindam, would, if resuscitated, be a bonus to the project through attraction of foreign interest from the many multinational oil exploration and exploitation companies around the Gulf of Guinea and beyond. Repairs and building of oil rigs that was already in progress would have ensured employment for our teeming unemployed youths. Unfortunately, there seems to be total variance between what conventional wisdom from elementary economic principles enunciate and the perspectives of our governing oligarchy.
This feet-dragging attitude put up by the government in relation to the Limbe Deep Seaport project, has fuelled suspicions that there is a grand design to ensure that the English speaking section of Cameroon remains underdeveloped for as long as possible, even as the resources from oil located therein is what lubricates our overtly mismanaged economy. Those driven by this mind-set lean on many other examples of unredeemed promises by the head of state, especially, in the English speaking part of the country. Their misgiving posturing towards the government is the outgrowth of an uncanny coincidence that mostly links the promises to electoral campaigns. Within this context, the Bamenda Ring road project readily comes to mind. After a visit to Bamaenda that culminated in Mr. Biya being accorded the rare privilege of becoming a Fon without a fondom (remember he was crowned fon of fons), the head of state, probably as a sign of gratitude, promised to personally supervise the tarring of the Bamenda ring road that was supposed to link all the seven divisions of the Northwest region and also, open up some key sub divisions to tarred roads.
It is more than 30 years since that promise was made but the road project is still to come to fruition. The Etoudi landlord has even shamelessly travelled to Bamenda to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the armed forces. How he faced those people he had kept wallowing in misery for all the while remains a moot point. This same promise was transposed to the people of Ndian Division when he came to Buea for the 50th anniversary of the unification of Cameroon in 1961. His speech that was highly applauded by those who cared to be at the Buea grandstand announced to the hearing of every one present that –, the Loum- Kumba-EkondoTiti-Mundemba- Akwa road shall be a reality very soon. Unfortunately, that soon is taking ages and the people’s patience is waning. The argument put forth by the government that work had started on the Ekondo titi-Kumba portion only to be halted by separatist militia is untenable. It is indefensible because the same government has decided that the military engineering corpse will take over execution of the assignment. If this alternative existed all this while, why had it to take another five years for the recommencement to be flagged off? By the way, this is still a promise with no concrete action on the ground.
Is it not shameful that the number two personality in government, even if not in state protocol, cannot go to his village? Recall that some years back, the same highly placed government functionary had to abandon his vehicle and trek for close to two kilometres to his house in the village because the road was impassable. Worse still is the fact that Ndian Division that accounts for most of the country’s oil wealth does not have even a single kilometre of tarred road. Unfortunately, over the past 40 years that president Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon, the same refrain of tarring the road from Kumba to Akwa has been drummed up to the people of Ndian and they keep returning Mr. Biya and his local representatives to the helm of affairs in our polity. Are we daft? Certainly not! There comes a time when even the blind person reacts to perceived injustice because injustice is not only seen – it is felt and when the pain becomes unbearable there must be reaction that may take any form. It is hoped that government will not push the citizenry to add another dimension to the already worsening security challenges posed by the current crisis in the Northwest and Southwest regions by inciting revolt through its nonchalant attitude to the welfare of Cameroonians as represented in fake promises.
There is already enough drudgery inherent in the absence of basic necessities like water, light, food and decent housing. The toiling masses cannot evacuate their produce to markets because of lack of farm-to-market roads. The misery stares every Cameroonian from Kouseri to Mouloundou, Batouri and Ekenge. There is no exception, save those who happen to be under the table, picking crumbs from the masters’ dishes. In all of this, we are still called upon to support our oppressors on the grounds that we are better off than many other countries. Foul talk! Must we always be looking at those who are below us on the misery ladder? Why do we not strive to be like those countries that have attained commendable levels of development that has brought ease and comfort to the lives of their citizens? We have been fooled for a very long time and the time for action is imminent. Government should cease preying on the gullibility of Cameroonians. Promises are meant to be kept. They are signs of indebtedness to the people who have surrendered sovereignty to the governing class. The least they deserve is responsible and responsive governance ridden of all forms of alienation and highhandedness. Lom Pangar, Memvele, Memkim, Nachtigal have all been constructed but we lack electricity.
The day of reckoning is at hand. The earlier the rulers of Cameroon begin to take on board the plight of ordinary Cameroonians in their scheme of priority issues, the better for all of us.