By NOELA EBOB BISONG
The technical commission recently created by Prime Minister Head of Government, Joseph Dion Ngute to probe into the SONARA disaster and come out with findings within 30 days, has been installed.at the premises of the National Refining Company. The commission which is headed by the Minister of Water and Energy Resources, Gaston Eloundou Essomba was installed in SONARA on June 25, 2019 in SONARA, in a brief ceremony attended by Minister Eloundou and other members of the commission, South West governor and other administrators.
visits SONARA’s disaster site
It should be recalled that the commission was created last June11, following instructions from the Head of State, President Paul Biya, to identify the causes of the fire and propose measures to prevent the risk of such a disaster in the future. It is also expected to establish responsibilities inherent in the fire and evaluate the management of the fire as well as make any relevant proposals. The commission has the duty to conduct investigation and hear any person likely to contribute to the investigation, and establish the truth on the causes of the fire and its management. It is also permitted to seek the services of any national or international supplementary experts if necessary.
The technical commission has 12 members including a President (Minister of Water and Energy), ten members from the Ministries of Water and Energy, Mines Industry and Technological Development, Environment and Nature Protection, the State Secretariat in charge of the Gendarmerie, the National Security and the General Directorate for External Research, as well as two Secretaries from the Ministry of Territorial Administration.
The Eloundou commission gets to work at a time when investigations and arrests are already characterizing the SONARA working atmosphere, being led by the judiciary commission installed last June 7 by South West governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai. Both commissions are said to cohabit in the ongoing investigation process which has so far been yielding some harvests.
The latest of such harvests is the arrest of one sub director in charge of short term maintenance in the department of Maintenance, by name, Arthur NANA NGONGANG. Following his arrest on Monday, June 24, Ngonganga is said to have collapsed at the gendarmerie legion in Limbe. He joins the other five directors arrested last on June 20, 2019.