BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA
The spokesman of Tiko chief’s conference, HRH chief Ndike Richard has pleaded to the adhoc commission members on behalf of the Tiko population to resettle those who have encroached into Tiko airport.
He was speaking on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 at the Tiko airport premises during an inspection visit by the Governor of the South West Region, BenardOkaliaBilai and commission team to follow up the rehabilitation and building of the Tiko airport.
“We are happy and welcome the move by the Head of State in strong terms and hard terms because we know that it will accompany a lot of development across the region”,
“Our first worry is that we are advising the government of Cameroon through the governor of the South West Region, who knows the people of the South West Region and knows what we are going through at this time, we suggest strongly to the commission that there should be resettlement area for displaced people who will leave this area.” HRH Chief Ndeke Richard said.
Addressing the stakeholders at the Tiko Council Hall, the Governor of the South West Region Benard Okalia Bilai explained that the Head of State has ordered the immediate rehabilitation and building of the Tiko airport which came as one of the resolutions of the Major National Dialogue held in Yaoundé three years ago.
“As you all know Tiko airport used to be an international airport with great reputation and equipped with all the facilities with a world known surface area which unfortunately has been encroached by neighboring population with houses and other projects” Benard Okalia said.
He explained that his presence at the working session was to give the historical importance of the state infrastructure and to sensitise the population on the need to facilitate and collaborate positively with the commission by keeping aside their personal interests and focussing on the rehabilitation of the airport.
Benard Okalia opined that this project will go a long way to foster sustainable development of the region and grass-root population.
On his part, the Mayor for Tiko Council Peter Ikome Mesoso II said the rehabilitation of Tiko airport is a long awaited project the Tiko population has been waiting. He added that the population of Tiko is willing to embrace the coming of this airport.
He opined that it is one of the factors that affirm that decentralisation in Cameroon is practical. The Mayor called on his population to collaborate with the commission team for a smooth rehabilitation of the airport.
The contractor of the project Wilson Dacosta said the current Tiko airport is classified as D airport, but will be build as C airport with a runway of 230 meters. “If not of all the encroachment, we are willing to start soonest but we’ll experience delay due a lot of houses inside the government land.” Wilson Dacosta explained.
He added that, the project is estimated to last for 24 months from the initiation of the concrete work to handing the keys back to the Governor with the complete airport.
It should be noted that, members of the adhoc commission are to sensitise the population and evaluate properties and update the files to secure the Tiko airport.
The commission members consists of SDO for Fako Chairman, representative of the Governor member, D.O Tiko member, Divisional Chief of State land, Secretary, Mayor for Tiko Council member, among others.