BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA AND ELAH GEOFREY M.
The Cameroon Development Coorporation, CDC and PAMOL Plantations PLc, Cameroon’s giant agric-businesses located in the restive South West region are suffering hugely due to the ongoing crisis rocking the two English regions of the country.
This was the assessment made by trade union leaders last Tuesday May 1, 2018 at the Manga Williams Avenue in Limbe during the commemoration of 132 edition of International Labour Day celebrated under the theme. “Social Dialogue A factor in the promotion of Decent work and social- economic progress in Cameroon”.
The President of the Workers Trade Syndicate, Gabriel Mbene Vefonge called on the government to institute a platform for genuine dialogue to end the ongoing Anglophone crisis which has become a permanent threat to lives, property, jobs and enterprises that generate wealth.
Gabriel Mbene added that, the commemoration of the Labour Day in Fako division is taking place when a very dark cloud is hovering the sky of the nation.
“As we speak, more than 3,500 employees of Pamol plantations in Ndian and Meme division have gone four months without wages. CDC workers in Tombel, Mbonge, and Illoani have also been affacted. The oil mill in Illoani has been sealed and declared unproductive.” Gabriel Mbene said.
He regretted the killing of a CDC worker in Tombel and another in Malende. Also, about FCFA 30 Million was collected from a CDC crew after it was ambushed on its way to pay salaries at Illoani.
While defining decent work as the possibility of everyone to access productive job with condition of freedom equity, security and dignity, Vefonge noted that this is not the case in Cameroon and especially the two English speaking regions of the country.
According to inside sources, the situation of Pamol Plantations Plc is dire as the crisis deepens, recently, two tractors belonging to the company were burnt allegedly by separatist fighters.
Our sources also revealed that the Ndian oil mill is full to capacity with palm oil which can not be evacuated due to insecurity in the area. A similar situation is reportedly facing the other mill at the Lobe Estate.
Workers have reportedly abandoned the estates because of persistent attacks allegedly by separatist fighters leaving most of the camps deserted. The only living camps still functional are those near the head office and hospital.
Due to the insecurity along the Kumba-Lobe road, many of the workers including top management staff prefer to use the sea as transportation means. Other workers are reportedly trapped in the area with no food, no salaries.
Also speaking during the event, Charles Mbide Kude, General Secretary of Fako Agricultural Workers’ Union, FAWU also regretted that there are good number of staff representatives who are only interested in their personal advantages and are doing very little to represent, defend and protect their co- workers at their place of work.
“We lay emphasis on politics rather than economic and social issues. Everything is viewed from the political perspective and we give political definitions to economic issues.” Charles Mbide said.
He added that, the political crisis rocking the South West Region has brought untold hardship to the economy divisions like Ndian, Manyu, Meme, Kupe Maneguba and Fako.
Mbide also regretted that, Cameroon has the lowest wage in central Africa region despite the fact that we pride ourselves as being the bread basket of the sub region.
He added that, the political crisis rocking the South West and North West Regions have started having a very negative impact on the CDC and to a large extend on the whole country “We have made repeated appeals to the government to remove CDC from the list of companies to be privatised but these appeals have not been honoured”. Charles Mbide said.
He however added his voice to his peers to call on the government to initiate meaningful dialogue to solve the Anglophone crisis.
The Senior Divisional Officer for Fako Engamba Emmanuel Ledoux thanked and congratulated all those who participated in organising the event and more particularly the workers representative, leaders of trade union, employers and the workers who had showed an exemplary conduct and patriotism despite the difficult socio-political and economic crisis.
“We will have to do everything so that Fako Division remains in peace, as you can see economic activities in our Division have witnessed a sharp fall since the advent of the so-called Anglophone Crisis. Turnover in hotels have dropped, just like in transport and commerce also leading to falling incomes in all other sectors of activity and thus financial difficulty in our councils.” Engamba Emmanuel said.
He added that, it’s necessary to explain to the workers that peace is the first condition of all activities development and wellbeing of people because nothing can be good in anarchy.
The SDO invited workers of Fako Division to be promoters and protectors of peace and development.