By DOH JAMES SONKEY
North West elite and Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Prof Wilfred Gabsa Nyongbet has vehemently rejected claims by some people that the announcement of an all inclusive national dialogue to seek for lasting solutions to the sociopolitical crisis in the North West and South West regions came late.
According to Prof Wilfred Gabsa, “Nobody can claim that the announcement of national inclusive dialogue is coming late. We should not talk as if nothing has been happening in Cameroon since the start of this situation in these two regions. Don’t forget that it all started with lawyers of the Common Law extraction and they were received by Minister of State for Justice and Keeper of the Seals and a report was forwarded to the Head of State, H.E President Paul Biya. During the outburst of the situation, former Prime Minister and Head of Government, Philemon Yang was in Bamenda and consulted many stakeholders in the same direction and his report went through. Also, the Goghomu Commission held several meetings with education ministers and teachers’ trade unionists and reports were equally forwarded to the Head of State. Let us not also forget that the Musonge Commission equally toured these regions and held consultations with the population at the end of which, reports were also forwarded to the highest authority of our land. Recently, the Prime Minister and Head of Government, Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute, shortly after his appointment went and met with the population of the North West and South West regions, this time around with a special message from the President of the Republic informing them that he is ready for dialogue. So we cannot say it came late because other measures were taken such as the creation of some departments in higher education institutions in response to reports sent to him, special recruitment made in ENAM based on instructions from the Head of State etc.”
Prof Wilfred Gabsa says “the national dialogue is therefore has a right timing because a lot of thinking and classification has been done. He has opened it up as much as he can to include even those who are carrying arms against their fatherland. This move is to make sure that all sons and daughters of this our great nation who have ideas on how the system can be better and more prosperous should come as one and raise it at the national dialogue table by September ending as announced by our Head of State, H.E President Paul Biya.”
Reacting to what a delegation from the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF party led by its First Vice National Chairman, Hon Joshua Osih told PM Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute who, on the previous day, met with members of government from the two English speaking regions, Prof Wilfred Gabsa as a political scientist said, “It is a bit embarrassing when we make some kind of statements in our country today such as calling for a ceasefire, withdrawal of forces etc. It is true that the situation is very preoccupying in these two regions but that does not mean that we don’t have brothers and sisters living their lives normally there. We have students going to schools, workers going to work on daily basis, families living there etc. We cannot be talking as if we are living in an opened civil war situation which is not the case here. We cannot talk of withdrawal of forces when we don’t have two constituted forces in Cameroon. Forces of law and order are in these regions to protect the people and ensure that laws of the Republic are respected. If they withdraw, will those fighting for independence not declare one immediately? ”