Is Sun Power the Solution to Manyu Energy Crisis?

Solar Street Light NEPAD, Africa’s development blueprint calls for countries in sub-sahara Africa to boost access to cheaper and reliable energy in order to achieve the desired social and economic prosperity for their nations. It is estimated that in some African countries, fewer than 5% have access to electricity with the figure falling to less than 2% in rural areas where the majority live.
Indeed, Africa posses some of the world’s largest watercourses –hydro potentials as well as worlds’ largest oil, coal and gas reserves. In order to move forward, African nations must find cheaper power sources to ensure sustainability and minimize environmental hazards. Experts believe that solar power, clean and renewable is the way forward for energy consumption in Africa.

Solar Technology

The sun is free, priceless and inexhaustible. Solar technology therefore converts the sun’s radiation directly into electricity with no pollution or harm to the environment. Solar panels generate enough power to run appliances such as televisions, radios, stoves, water pumps and produce light for households. Basically, the solar panel itself is a battery charger. When exposed to sunlight it produces direct current (DC).
The solar charge controller regulates the amount of energy that the panels put into the battery. Once the battery is fully charged it opens the circuit to prevent damaged caused by overcharging. After using some of the stored energy, it automatically closes the circuit and starts to recharge the battery during sunlight hours. Solar panels are rated in watts. For example, a 12 volt 15 watt panel averages about 15 watts per hour of sunlight. Multiple panels can be wired together in most cases. Another component used with solar panel is the inverter. It converts 12 volt DC energy in the battery to standard 220 AC voltages found in homes in Africa. Finally, batteries used in Solar systems must be deep cycle types. A standard car battery will be damaged quickly. The two common types of batteries used in Solar are sealed lead acid deep cycle and standard marine.

Case study – Ethiopian and Zimbabwe villages

According to BBC news, two years after the installation of a solar power project funded by international aid groups, villagers in northern Ethiopia now say the sun’s energy has turned their lives around. Rema, 150 miles north of Addis Ababa is home to Ethiopia’s largest solar project with every house in the village powered by solar lighting systems amounting to over 2100 homes. Village roofs are dotted with solar panels and one panel provides power for four lamps as well as energy for radios and tape players. Villagers now don’t have to struggle with smoke from wood or other biomass such as crop waste dominant fuel for cooking. Gas lamps are now something of the past, kids can do their homework and local businesses have seen an increase in night time activities. As in Ethiopia, some numerous villages in Zimbabwe turned to solar power in the 1990’s, a project supported by UNDP through the global environment facility (GEF). This project installed 9000 solar power systems throughout the country in a bid to improve living standards and curtail land degradations.

Bringing Sun Power to Rural Manyu:

Solar projects like those implemented in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe villages did not happen by some divine intervention. These projects were developed, initiated and forwarded to international organizations by stakeholders of those areas. By this we mean the indigenes and there lies the challenge and task in front of groups like MECA USA , MEDWC and development minded Manyuans.

Despite substantial amounts of money invested in the energy sector, only a minority of Manyu rural households are able to enjoy modern services provided by electricity. The majorities of people in our villages have no grid based electricity, and will not receive nor use it in their lifetime. In most of our villages, solar will make sense because households do not consume much electricity, at least initially. Village household usage is limited to a few lamps (2-3), a radio and or TV equivalent to 30-50 KWh per month. These services can easily be provided by low cost solar systems. Better access to electricity would definitely make a big difference to the quality of life in rural Manyu.

Solar panels mounted on the roof of a Village house.Although our people sometimes consume conventional modern energy, they do so in small amounts and pay dearly. Imagine dry cell batteries, they provide electricity but expensive. A candle or kerosene wick lamp does give light but a house will need much more to obtain same amount of light emitted by a single 40 watt incandescent lamp or 12 w compact fluorescent. Those who use candles and kerosene limit themselves to using enough light points to walk around the house. Hence the rural Manyu man has limited access to energy because of cost and accessibility. The levels of service our rural households enjoy now are only barely distinguished from that of medieval Europe. The Manyu rural household will never obtain a level of service, and improvement in social and economic conditions comparable to urban dwellers unless they get access to electricity - other than wood, dry cell batteries and biomass.

Future action:

For decades, kerosene lamps and sore eyes are the routine for children in Manyu villages to study and do their home work. Imagine painful eyes and headaches from fumes, not to mention the long term health impact of mothers cooking with firewood and inhaling smoke. How about impact on life span, aging and not living long enough to see their children grow? The Manyu land is blessed with plenty sunlight all year round. We can tap into this free and clean energy source to light up our remote and isolated villages that will never be linked to the national electricity grid. It can be done one house and one village at a time.

We owe it to our people, for economic prosperity and better living to explore the solar option. Bringing solar energy to a Manyu village is now conceivable than ever before. The average price of a one watt panel including electronics runs $7-$10 or 3500cfa - 5000CFA. With $500, we can light up a village hall.

Energy Crisis in Mamfe: Who is to blame?

High tension power line - Mamfe through Bamenda
For many years, the population of Mamfe town in particular, and Manyu in general has been plagued by constant power disruptions due to inadequate electricity supply from the power company. The economy of Mamfe, and Manyu division continues to suffer from frequent power cuts, thus retarding economic growth and social development. In many occasions, prolonged shut-offs have lasted several weeks, bringing commerce to a total halt. The population is often left helpless and exasperated as electric households appliances falter, night time attacks and burglaries increase. Some businesses have managed to operate for a few hours a day with the help of generators but the high price of fuel makes it cost prohibitive to run these machines for a prolonged period. It is safe to say, the common man can barely understand why Manyu continues to suffer blackouts despite privitization.

Electric Meter - the bills keep coming: After privatization, AES/SONEL promised a grande scheme to ease access, and improve the quality of electricity service by increasing power production capacity in the country. If any improvements have been done by AES, it has not filtered to Manyu. The question therefore is where do we go from here? Is there an alternative plan? Maybe, just continue to wait for the management of AES/SONEL to someday remember - equal treatment of all its customers is paramount to success. It is true energy business is about technology, rehabilitating dams, developing power plants but it is also about operations and good customer relationship. For one thing, electricity is a utility that tends to spur economic development and where there is monopoly customers suffer.

Is Sun Power therefore the solution to Manyu’s energy crisis? We will discuss this topic in our next write up.

Rural Development Projects in Manyu: Focus on Manyu Rural Radio.

Vehicle for spreading information to our community

Rural development in Manyu Division can best be described as having a retarded growth. This is because since independence and re-unification, the cry of the Manyu man and woman has been that their division has been neglected by government. By this they have often referred to their poor road infrastructure.


In spite of this cry of the Manyu citizens, it requires only a cursory look at the division to arrive at the conclusion that if government has indeed neglected Manyu Division, the teeming population of Manyu for nearly four decades neglected their division themselves.


Manyu is blessed with highly educated intellectuals, vast forest resources, a big river running through the length and breadth of the land, a big population with a high literacy rate, and to name but a few, a large capitalist oriented market as a neighbor. Nigeria, a country which up till date gulps a big share of Manyu’s forest and agricultural resources and so likely to pump billions in currency into the economy of Manyu, if commercial interchanges had been properly arranged all these years.


Before the Manyu radio project came up, (around 1996) when the administration got wind of it and stepped in to endure its materialization), no project had ever been introduced which engulfed the active participation of the entire division’s population and which was significant and challenging enough to test the collective will of the people, asses their readiness to sacrifice or evoke their patriotism for the division native to them.


What people had been engaged in and not even successfully all these years had been individual self subsistent farming with little attention paid to the need to develop even those food – crop farms to the dimension of a serious economic venture. For those who owned cash crop farms, their ambitions before the eighties did not rise to a high commercial level either. Nobody thought of developing the fishing industry despite the vast water resources and to date, there are still traders who travel hundreds of kilometers to buy fishery products and sell in Manyu Division.

Groups such as Common Initiative Groups (CIGs) have existed in our neighbor North West Province for over two decades. Their activities have created a flourishing rural development spree that has given birth to extensive dairy products, cottage industries, communal rice, potatoes, animal husbandry ventures and even arts and crafts works, while in Manyu CIGs are still a novelty. It is only today that people’s eyes are opening to the existence of loaned and grants from international bodies for agricultural development.


ENTER VOICE OF MANYU (V.O.M.)


With the rash of CIGs, NGOs and co-operatives in Manyu came the one project that could help galvanize all the fledging macro and micro groupings into a veritable development oriented entities – the Manyu Rural Radio project.

Typical Community Radio Studio in Rural Africa

The radio station better known as the Voice of Manyu (V.O.M.) is a gift from La Francophonie, spearheaded by Canada. It was installed in September 1997 and hit Cameroon’s airwaves for the first time on September 20, 1997. For the equipment to come to Manyu, it was mandatory for the people of Manyu to build the station. At the level of the division, as a result of the absence of a well co-ordinate body that could mobilize the population for much needed development, the administration had to step in before even the construction work could be effected. A loan of 3 million FCFA was contracted from a local Manyu co-operative bank, Solidarity Savings and Loans (SSL) and a levy of 200 FRS, per person was imposed on the population.


As usual, if construction depended only on contributions from the population, the project could have failed. A substantial amount to build the structure came from Manyu’s external elite, MECA branches of Yaoundé, Douala, Limbe, USA and Europe; but by far what clinched the job were the contributions of Mr. Johnson Agborsangaya (late) who not only lent blocks, iron rods and other materials but worked physically day and night (with a chantier lamp) for two weeks to raise the building from foundation to completion. Other Manyu businessmen like Mr. Isaac Enowkpa (late) lent building materials and also supervised work. Mokoko and some others are still being owed. The Kembong community worked hardest, one might say, perhaps because the station is situated in their village. They also supplied zinc.

Modern Community Radio Studio

So it can be seen that for a Division – wide project to succeed in Manyu, some individuals must be ready to sacrifice. There is no gainsaying the fact that staff who have voluntarily given their best since 1997 without remuneration to speak of, now need to be looked after, as the success of any project lies in the people who work there.


The station itself needs furnishing, painting, a fence, toilets and repairs of equipment. V.O.M. has become symbol of Manyu solidarity. Let us keep it alive.

Radio Station Antenna - needed for Voice of Manyu

Addendum by Simon Etta:

When MEDWC USA last visited the station in December 2008, it was still alive but limping. The radio house relocated from Kembong a few years ago when the main transmitter got bad, and the signal could barely reach most of the listeners beyond 8 km. It is currently operating in the Mamfe town hall occupying two small offices.

Management has also changed hands with Cyprian Agbor - pioneer Manager retiring. Voice of Manyu is badly in need of modern equipment to operate effectively – transmitters, microphones, DVD players, tape recorders, mixers, just to name a few. There is also a need to construct a 50M antenna to help with better signal penetration across the division. The previous 30 m antenna was damaged by thunderstorm.

Whereas similar community radio stations are functioning well in other parts of the country, V.O.M has been a dismal failure. The lack of communication throughout the vast region of Manyu is a major barrier to sustainable development. The vision for a community radio is to spread information to our community whether related to education, health, agriculture, women or children's rights.

Once again, we are challenged to build a community spirit and learn how to work as a group/team. We are reminded that human life in common is only made possible when a majority comes together. As we seek achievements for ourselves, we must not forget that prosperity and progress calls for community development. It is time we rescue VOM from life support and rebuild it as a community effort for the young generation.



This story was originally published by AGBOR Cyprian Agbor - Pioneer station Manager for Voice of Manyu (V.O.M).

MEDWC (USA) Kicks off Akwaya - 2010 Fundraising:

These young Akwaya girls need your help:



Akwaya, the divisional headquarters of Akwaya sub-division is known as an under-developed enclave municipality. Basic infrastructures such as electricity, water and health centers are lacking in the area. The development of Akwaya in economic and social terms is further hampered by lack of earth roads despite the region having 99 villages and by far the largest sub-division in Manyu. Lately, there has been an earth road project from the South heading North. It has been reported the project is currently half way completed and in future will ultimately disenclave Akwaya as we know it today.

Although there are a few secondary and high schools in the subdivision as well as health centers, they still lack modern facilities. The development challenges of Akwaya are therefore many and urgent. They will certainly not be solved overnight but something must be done in the short term. With no infrastructure, how do families generate income activities, produce and market food crops or improve the quality of life of impoverished children? There is a growing need to promote long term sustainable economic development to break families out of the cycle of diseases and poverty. Children need educational opportunities to reduce illiteracy and develop their God given potentials for greater economic independence and sustainability. It has also been recorded that girls in some particular Akwaya tribes such as the Olitis, Yves, Assumbos and Becheves tend to get married too early. This practice deprives the girl child of an opportunity to attend school, achieve an education and be able to make informed life decisions due to lack of awareness.


Fundraising Kickoff for Akwaya 2010 in Burstonsville, Maryland USA


Within this backdrop of challenging development issues, the Manyu Economic and Development World conference (MEDWC) USA, kicked off its 2010 Akwaya fundraising campaign in Burtonsville, Maryland on Sunday July 5, 2009. The event took place at the residence of Mr. /Mrs. Cletus Ayuk former President of MECA Washington with a goal of raising $20,000. The occasion was presided by MEDWC USA Coordinator Sesekou Dr. David Tambe from Dallas Texas. Sesekou Tambe announced the Akwaya economic conference will be taking place in April 2010 on a soon to be established date and called on all sons and daughters of Akwaya in the Diaspora to help lift the sub division from neglect and under development. He additionally appealed to Manyu elements the world over to donate generously towards the success of Akwaya 2010 and help put a smile on the face of a young Akwaya boy or girl in need of an education or medicine.

In keeping with the mission of MEDWC, the Akwaya conference follows the footsteps of Mamfe Central in 2003, Tinto 2005 and Eyumojock 2008. It is geared towards putting Akwaya subdivision on the economic development map of Manyu and highlighting the enormous potentials existing in the area.


Akwaya village women - backbone of the family:


Akwaya 2010 will be the first event of such Magnitude in the history of the subdivision to promote grass root development, bring elites and interested stakeholders together to take stock and develop a road map for economic prosperity and empowerment of the Akwaya people. In brief remarks, Sesekou David Tambe summed up the mission of MEDWC and hence Akwaya 2010 conference as a means to empower the Manyu people by encouraging and facilitating the creation of small business and hence jobs, promoting investments and business initiatives, alleviating poverty by promoting sustainable grass root self reliant development. For Akwaya 2010, MEDWC aims to improve the health care delivery system by providing medical assistance to local clinics, conducting a major health fair with free medications and increasing awareness on issues such as HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation and empowerment of the girl child. The conference will promote education with assistance to schools in the form of financial aid and modern technology equipment. This will encourage students and teachers to work hard in producing citizens with self confidence, capable of tackling rapid scientific and technological changes of the 21st century. As a short term project delivery, the conference will also assist schools and local clinics with generators to address sustainable energy crisis.


MEDWC Short term accomplishments:

In less than six years, the Manyu Economic Development Conference (MEDWC USA), has raised over 20 million CFA in contributions and provided financial assistance to well over 250 Manyu students in Secondary and high schools. As short term projects, electrical generators and modern computers with software have been donated to local government offices, hospital/ health centers and schools to assist with lack of energy as well as improve educational standards. With the support of Manyu medical professionals, health fairs are conducted during conferences providing free medication and consultation to women, children and the elderly. The Manyu participatory development fund (MAPADEF) was initiated in Tinto during the (2005) conference. Mapadef is tasked with building partnerships and creating access to resources. In 2006 after its official launching by H.E. Hilman Egbe, Mapadef raised approximately 21 million CFA. Some of the funds raised have been allocated to projects within the four subdivisions. One such project was assistance rendered Mamfe rural council to repair the roof of the town hall after a devastating thunder storm. Another extension of MEDWC is the Manyu government action committee (MGAC) created in 2008 at Eyumojock. MGAC serves the role of a supervisory watchdog team for all state funded projects within Manyu division through contractors or otherwise and to ensure such funds are fully utilized for the intended projects.



Donations for Akwaya 2010 are currently being accepted and can be mailed to:



MEDWC USA
P.O. Box 865002
Plano, Tx. 75086
Email: Davetambe@yahoo.com

For more information about MEDWC activities, visit http://www.medwc.org/

Peter Agbor-Tabi - Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency:

Professor Agbortabi listens to speakers at the 2008 Eyumojock Conference.
Born in February 1951 in Mamfe, South West Province, the new Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency, is an Associate Professor who among others obtained a Ph.D in International Studies, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA in 1982 and a Fulbright Scholar in Residence-Spellman College, Atlanta, GA, USA between September 1983 and May 1984.



Peter Agbor-Tabi has held several positions in the administration including post of Deputy Director of the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), Director of IRIC, Chancellor, University of Yaoundé, Rector, University of Yaoundé, Minister of Higher Education and Pro-Chancellor, University of Buea. At the moment of his present appointment, he was Head of Department International Economics and the Board Chairman of the University of Yaoundé II. He is member of the Central Committee of the CPDM.

Relatives and friends came spontaneously to greet the news of his appointment almost a few minutes after it was released. The celebration was calm and disciplined for reasons one could imagine. After 12 years off government, it was almost becoming clear; he had been "forgotten". But the Head of State in his usual style dismissed such hypothesis by bringing him back and even closer to himself.



Peter Agbor-Tabi himself in his reaction immediately after the appointment stated inter alia how grateful he is to be remembered 12 years after. "I am grateful but it is a very difficult moment and I do promise that I will use all my energy to assist the Head of State and the Prime Minister, Head of Government to achieve the goals and the policies of the President", he said. In this light, he promised to work diligently with everything the President assigns him, with the belief that his role is to assist the President to succeed in his mission.








Contributed by Lukong Pius Nyuylime. http://allafrica.com/stories/200907010361.html

Professor Agbortabi recognised for contributions towards Manyu Development by Manyu Development club (MDC):

The association that has embarked on development projects in Manyu such as the donation of laboratory equipment to Eyoumojock Hospital, organisation of orientation seminars for Manyu youths in the university and donation of sport equipment to Government High School Tinto etc, recognised the Professor recently.

As an innovation this year the association decided to launch the man of the year award for members and for an outstanding personality from their community. The club whose entry qualification is at least a first degree and being employed, in recognising the contributions of one of theirs, selected Prof Agbor Tabi as Man of the Year 2008 for his relentless services to Manyu people.

He was singled out for having opened a farm and built a hotel in Manfe and has helped many young people get jobs. To the MDC, their model understood the impact of developing human resources and did everything for his people.

Agbor Tabi was handed the award at his residence in Yaoundé on January 17, during a colourful ceremony spiced by choral singing and the Manyu traditional dance. Agbor Tabi, while addressing his guests, said he was impressed and surprised to be chosen as Man of the Year. "I tried to invest in Mamfe and in young people to grow, not for compensation.

But if from my quiet corner I have been recognised it is an encouragement for people to be development oriented," he said. Acknowledging that development is not the sole preserve of government, he maintained that the MDC can make Manyu Division an important place.
He said the time has come for people to know that development can only be achieved through synergy and not individually. Agbor Tabi, who was recently appointed as the Board chairman of the University of Yaoundé II, talked of himself as one who cares about people, and regretted that some decisions he might have taken in good faith might have hurt some people.

Success, he said, is from God, adding that hard work can change destiny. One of the guests at the occasion, Prof. Martha Ayuk, said Prof. Tabi`s award is well merited, for, according to her, he represents a dedicated person to the development of his community and worthy of emulation.
She said Manyu needs linkages and partnerships towards development. While all the Manyu people agreed that lack of good roads is a major problem, Prof. Ayuk exhorted them to do what is in their power to render the roads accessible by building the earth roads and cleaning gutters.
As priority project the MDC that ushered in a new executive announced the creation of a micro-finance scheme with the contribution of members.

This story was written by Leocadia Bongben.

MAMFE GETS SHARE OF $61 MILLION FUNDING FOR WATER AND SANITATION BY ADB:

Children scramble for Rare
Water: A Basic life necessity.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group Board of Directors has approved a loan of 40 million Units of Account (UA)*, equivalent to US$ 61.6 million, to help finance a Semi-Urban Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation project in Cameroon.

The Project, to be financed by the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessionary window of the AfDB Group, will cover 19 councils in the Central, Far North, Littoral, West, South and South-West provinces of the country.

The project aims at improving the living environment of the communities through better access to drinking water and sanitation in 19 council areas: Akono, Bafia, Ngoumou, Kousseri, Loum, Manjo, Mbanga, Nkonsamba, Bafan, Banka, Bana, Banganté, Bangou, Bansoa Penka-Michel, Foumban, Ebolowa, Sangmélima, Kumba and Mamfe).

Lack of drinking water and sanitation services in the areas was highlighted in the 2008-2009 Country Strategy Paper (CSP) approved by the Bank Group after a mid-term review conducted in September 2007. The CSP underscores the need to improve access to drinking water supply and sanitation. The ADF loan falls under the second pillar of the CSP relating to infrastructure development to combat poverty.

The Cross River In Mamfe:
Source of water when the taps cease to flow.


The Project will benefit 1.15 million residents of the cities, 51% of whom are women. It will also benefit the Cameroon Water Utilities Corporation (CAMWATER), the Camerounaise des Eaux - Cameroon Water Company (CDE), the Directorate of Water Resources and Hydrology branch offices, municipalities, SMEs, women’s and youth associations that will be involved in its implementation.

The Project is expected to increase the average rate of access to drinking water in the towns concerned from 24% to 80% and access to sanitation services from 13% to 40% by 2013. The average prevalence rate of water and sanitation-related diseases are expected to decline by half during this period. Furthermore, the project will create employment during its implementation and after its completion in the form of micro-enterprises in the water and sanitation sector.

The total project cost is estimated at UA 45.58 million. The ADF loan accounts for 87.76% of the cost. The government will contribute UA 4.48 million while beneficiaries (urban communes) will contribute UA 1.10 million.



Source: http://www.afdb.org/en/news-events/article/cameroon-us-61-million-funding-for-water-and-sanitation-4275/

MANYU VILLAGES TO ENJOY NEW TIMBER ADVANTAGES

A tripartite meeting aimed at addressing pertinent issues concerning forest exploitation in Manyu Division, was held recently in Mamfe, headquarters of Manyu.

It grouped traditional rulers along side the elite of 41 villages, the forestry administration and the forest exploiting company, Transformation REEF Cameroon (TRC). All these stakeholders finally agreed to bury their differences and turn to a new leaf in forest management.

Addressing the meeting participants, the Senior Divisional Officer of Manyu Mr Patrick Simou Kamsu, called for the creation and proper functioning of village forest management committees as a way to solve what he termed a "misunderstanding among various actors in forest management". The SDO said, according to the forestry law No94/01 of January 20, 1994, the management of the forest is participatory. As such, the administration initiates the management units, the local population is custodian of the forest and the exploiter is chosen by the State. Otherwise, the government lays down rules, prepares the log book (cahier de charges), chooses the exploiting company, collects taxes and gives forest rebates to beneficiary communities.

But what triggered the Mamfe meeting? Tende Augustine Ashu, Manyu Divisional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, said he is aware that some of the rights and obligations of the different stake holders were not totally fulfilled due to diverse reasons. Village heads said some of their rebates had not yet reached the 41 villages where timber is exploited since 2006. A total of 103,510 hectares of forest are under exploitation. The three subdivisions of Manyu are subdivided into three forest management units (FMU) by Transformation REEF Cameroon, in partnership with SEPFCO, EFFA and SEFECAM. How do the villages get their rebates or royalties?

The Manyu meeting styled as "Information and Sensitization Meeting on Forest Exploitation", was the first of its kind and the explanation came from the Manyu chief executive that "assistance comes to the community through forest rebates but a good understanding between local villages and the exploiting company can lead to additional advantages which will be included in the log book for definite concession". The SDO Simou Kamseu, promised to work with TRC for additional advantages in favour of the villages concerned. He also reminded the villagers that the royalties paid cannot be given to them in cash, adding that they should prepare projects and send to the council where this money is paid to sponsor the project.

This Story appeared on http://allafrica.com/stories/200906230254.html and posted by Asong Sylvester - Cameroon Tribune June 23, 2009.

THE ROLES OF MEDWC, MAPADEF AND THE MANYU GAC BY DR. DAVID E. TAMBE

Sessekou Dr. David Tambe

I will like to start by thanking you all for your continuous and relentless dedication towards the affairs of Manyu economic revitalization. It is indeed my pleasure to be here as coordinator and to bring you warm greetings from the Manyu family in the USA. Despite the difficulties that have plagued this conference, we do hope that we will be able to make substantial progress towards our anticipated targets by the time the conference is over. My report is three parts. In the first part, I have tried to shed a little more light on the confusion surrounding MEDWC and MAPADEF. In the second part, I am proposing the creation of another subsidiary of MEDWC devoted specifically to the activities discussed in that section. Finally, in the third part, I will like to officially thank our host sub-division Eyumojock for having us here despite the difficulties that usually surround conferences.


The Challenges of Manyu Community Development:

The current state of decadence of Manyu Division can be attributed largely to the lack of sufficient/significant capital investments within the division. To date, most of the efforts at developing Manyu have relied primarily on uncoordinated individual adventures, as well as the efforts of non-profit philanthropic groups like MECA, Manyu Solidarity Foundation, Efokuyu, NOMA, etc. just to name a few. Despite their hearty intentions, none of these organizations really has the backbone to raise and to invest the type of resources needed to develop Manyu division. Community development is the process by which local people build organizations and partnerships that interconnect profitable business with other interests and values - for example skills and education, healthcare, housing, employment, transportation, the environment, etc. In community development the various stakeholders typically get involved, describing how the community should change, while the associated organizations seek for avenues to make their actions and investments reinforce the wishes and intentions of the whole community. Business becomes not only a means to accumulate wealth, but an avenue to make the local way of life more creative, inclusive, and sustainable now and in the future.

Effective community development requires a multi-functional, comprehensive strategy of sustainable on-going activities, in contrast to individual economic development projects and/or isolated attempts at community betterment as is evident with our current struggles. Effective community development also requires the integration of both economic and social goals so as to achieve far-reaching community revitalization potentials. Sustainable communities recognize that their economic and social structures, and the health of the local environment are intertwined. The community development process is thus guided by strategic planning and analysis, in contrast to opportunistic and unsystematic tactics. Additionally, sustainable community development seeks to empower the people by providing them with the tools necessary to effect change in their own communities. This is achieved by increasing the political, social, and economic strengths of individuals and groups of individuals.

It is thus evident that the vitality of any vibrant or aspiring community/economy depends on the ability of its community leaders (i.e. community development practitioners) to identify and to attract the resources necessary to achieve development. Experience has shown that small and medium size businesses often account for up to 90% of all production activities in these striving economies, and Manyu division will be no exception. The future of Manyu development thus resides on our ability to attract the pertinent stakeholders and to lure much needed financial resources into Manyu division. The pertinent stakeholders in this case will include the business community seeking for business opportunities and the associated profits, potential investors seeking for returns on their investments, non-profit organizations, healthcare organizations, etc.

The Roles of MEDWC and MAPADEF:

Given the challenges involved in effective community development, it is anticipated that MEDWC will provide a structure that will serve as platform for Manyu community development. MEDWC was created in December of 2003 (after restructuring the former Manyu World Conference) in an attempt to better integrate the efforts of the different organizations involved in the multiple facets of Manyu economic revitalization. MEDWC thus serves the role of an umbrella organization, seeking to work in conjunction with non-profit organizations, the business community, the local government, and the Manyu people to develop and to implement more efficient and profitable Manyu economic development solutions.

The Old German Bridge (Mamfe)
To be successful, however, MEDWC will be expected to put in place some of the essential infrastructures necessary to achieve and to maintain a vital community. These will include, but not limited to, a social infrastructure, an economic infrastructure, and a physical infrastructure. A social infrastructure usually includes access to adequate medical and social services, while the economic infrastructure is intended to ensure a sustainable quality of life consistent with available resources, community goals, living standards, expectations, and aspirations. On its part, the Physical Infrastructure assures the existence of transportation systems, healthcare facilities, housing, public facilities, water systems, technology transfer systems, etc. The task for MEDWC will thus be directed primarily towards creating the right partnerships so as to attract the appropriate infrastructures to the communities, as well as to improve and secure the communities’ access to resources. To that effect, MEDWC needs to create concrete structures with specific community development targets.

The Manyu Participatory Development Fund (MAPADEF) was initiated during the MEDWC conference in Tinto and subsequently launched in Mamfe town in April of 2006 under the distinguished patronage of H.E. Hillman A. Egbe. The creation of MAPADEF fits appropriately with MEDWC’s tasks of building partnerships and creating access to resources. When fully functional, MAPADEF will serve as one of the financial branches of MEDWC. As a financial wing, the activities of MAPADEF will be geared primarily towards raising funds and executing approved projects for MEDWC. On a larger scale, MAPADEF could also serve as a financial resource for small business entrepreneurs desiring to establish or to expand a business in Manyu division. Furthermore, the funds secured by MAPADEF could also serve as collateral to attract investors, solicit for community development funds from foreign organizations, or to initiate business partnerships and joint ventures with other businesses seeking for opportunities to make profit. Finally, MAPADEF can also serve as the ‘Manyu NGO’, soliciting/biding for projects into Manyu division. We are thus very hopeful that MAPADEF will play a very crucial role in Manyu development.


Proposal for a New Subsidiary of MEDWC- The Manyu Government Action Committee

Another potentially beneficial extension to be considered by MEDWC is the creation of a Manyu Government Action Committee (Manyu GAC). This will be a recognized non-partisan committee devoted exclusively to lobbying and/or pressuring the state government for the interests of Manyu division. Public interest groups have been shown to work constructively and positively to impact the development of local communities. Manyu needs to create and maintain such a group. The structure of Manyu GAC could be similar to the model adopted by MAPADEF, consisting of a representative general assembly and a board of directors. The creation of a government action committee or its equivalent will ensure that the issues of interest to Manyu division are consistently being evaluated and presented to the appropriate channels for funding considerations. This committee will ensure that funds allocated for projects in Manyu division through contracts or otherwise are fully utilized for the intended projects. The committee could also serve the role of a supervisory/watchdog team for all state funded projects within Manyu, such as the yearly maintenance of roads, so as to ensure that contractors/subcontractors are meeting their contract obligations. Creating and maintaining a public interest group is certainly a more efficient approach to accessing available state resources than spontaneous actions that tend to have negative connotations.

Good roads when properly monitored by (GAC)

In summary, with the right support from the Manyu community, MEDWC, MAPADEF, and other subsequent extensions, such as the proposed Manyu GAC, possess the potentials to set up a Manyu development structure that is consistent with sustainable community development. Finally, I will like to use this time to thank the entire Eyumojock family for hosting the conference. I will like to specifically extend very warm greetings from the Ndep Nju family group. The Ndep Nju family group USA has been very supportive both morally and financially to my efforts as USA coordinator to raise the funds necessary to finance various aspects of this conference. I will also like to thank all the other Manyu brothers and sisters in the USA who have been very supportive. A complete listing of the sponsors of this conference within the USA is currently on the internet. The list can be accessed through www.medwc.org. A copy of that list will be available for the conference proceedings.

As a token of appreciation for hosting the conference, MEDWC agreed to provide the following services and/or make the following donations to the host subdivision.

- A free health fair with free medications and medical supplies at a designated health
centre.
- Donate 6 new computers to selected educational institutions and health centres. These computers will be used for record keeping and processing, disease tracking, accessing the information super highway, and other essential functions.
- Donate 3 new generators to serve as backup to select educational and/or health institutions. We hope that these will serve very vital roles especially given the frequent blackouts experienced within the local area.
- Provide financial aid of up to 1.8 millions FCFA to students of the sub-division.


As I close, I will like to invite you to take a look at the newly created website for MEDWC. The URL is www.medwc.org. We hope that this site will serve as a vital source of information for the past, current and future activities of MEDWC.

Sessekou Dr. David E. Tambe is the USA Coordinator for MEDWC. Email: Davetambe@yahoo.com

DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY SPIRIT AS A GATEWAY TO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.

Manyu people at home and abroad need to develop a community spirit which is a prerequisite for economic empowerment. A community spirit entails working together as organized groups to realize projects or solve problems that plague our community. A community spirit suggests a sense of reciprocity, reaping from the benefits that come from working together. Empowering the people is enabling them to become self sufficient, alleviating poverty.

Poverty is a state of material, intellectual or moral destitution which prevents one from properly assuming responsibility for oneself and from integrating in the social, economic, cultural, or political life of the community or nation. Such a state can be partial or total, but never beyond remedy. Every individual must find ways and means to break away from this state.

As an individual, one can be very rich and self sufficient but if the one is surrounded by poor family members who depend solely on him; they all drift towards the poverty line. It is therefore very important for us to put our heads together, diagnose the causes and look for appropriate solutions.

The fight against poverty can be seen as a wealth generating activity undertaken by the poor or the poorest sections of the population. This means that people interested in their welfare, instead of providing them with materials goods (rice, drugs, clothing etc) for a limited period of time, it is better to teach the poor to generate their own income. Giving aid to people is just an accident, but ownership is more permanent and it leaves the whole population richer. In order to reduce poverty, in our Division, a number of issues have to be addressed.

Building a community Spirit: encouraging team work

Many of us like to work as individuals probably as a result of past experiences we have had working with other people. If your first child dies of malaria you will not stop giving birth. Working in organized groups will enable us to:
* attain economic self sufficiency faster and share the risks involved,
* have a new insight into challenges around us and stimulates the search for solutions.
* mobilize enough resources to solve our problems.
* save and invest wisely as individuals and as groups to reduce poverty.

The fight against ignorance (Education)

Creating awareness in the population of other possibilities or opportunities available to them is of primary importance.

Teaching them: various ways of production and conservation, how to plan for the future, carrying out ongoing education on programmes that lead to economic enhancement will reduce poverty and create new jobs.

The schools should therefore aim at producing an all round citizen that will adapt without self-negation to scientific and technological change, to maximize his or her chances; to be grounded in the customs of his or her environment; and to face unavoidable competition in and out of their immediate environment.

The fight against subsistence agriculture

Over 70% of our population is engaged in subsistence agriculture. We need to go beyond this and start creating large farms and estates that will be of economic importance. This can only be possible through Common Initiative Groups which can attract us other sources of finance.


This entails the implementation of a policy for the:
* Promotion of the production and processing of all types of farm products (maize,
groundnuts,
cassava, peppers, pigs, poultry, palms, coffee, cocoa etc,)
* Promotion of improved seed variety
* Promotion of the organized sale of the surplus food produced.



Promotion small scale industries This implies developing activities which enable: Transformation of raw materials;
Promotion of specialized training in the sector;
Promotion of the sale and even the exportation of the products.


The fight against basic diseases (healthcare)

This involves: Giving the underprivileged access to quality drugs; setting up specialized medical units, especially in the hinterlands; setting up specialized training institutes, developing research and creating paramedical centres.

To achieve this, there must be a total mobilization of resource from external and internal elites and most importantly from the local populations.

There is a need for appropriate microeconomic financial institutions with a good legal framework; flexible regulatory framework; fair interest rates;
Consideration of socio-cultural values; forms of the guarantees tailored to socio-cultural values and needs of the poor.

Government Policy is encouraging private initiative and more and more she is using organised groups to promote its policy as seen in law N° 92/006 of 04/08/92 and decree N° 92/455/PM of 23rd November 1992, regulating the creation of cooperatives and Common Initiative groups. The government of Cameroon and many donor organisations are now using these channels to enable people to help themselves and overcome the devastating effects of poverty. Let us like other Cameroonians encourage our population to organise themselves and get these people with charitable hearts to help us.

There has been considerable effort in the past to carry out joint ventures with various degrees of success. We have had groups like Semosengo in transportation, various Cooperative Movements, financial institutions like SSL and NIS, Credit Unions etc. We say BRAVO to our illustrious sons and daughters who started these initiatives. In spite of any past set backs, we should not give up. These should instead give us the courage to move from where they ended. The important thing is to learn from their mistakes and do better.

There have been recent efforts to mobilizing group effort to reduce poverty and more are on the way. Some individuals, Dr Christy Mbi, Mrs. Ogork Susan, Mrs. Lydia Njike, Mrs. Bertha Eta, and all the share holders with the support of some prominent elites, have taken up the challenge to come up with structures that will empower more people, bring about poverty reduction and create more jobs in Manyu Division. Two of these structures are the Manyu Integrated Farmers’ Cooperative Society (MIFCO) and The Community Bank, Mamfe (MC²)

MIFCO was registered on the 13th August 2003, under Registration N° FWI CO/02/03/36/08 at Buea with the status of a Cooperative with over 50 members comprising of groups and individuals. The head office is at the old Total filling station Mamfe Town and Mr Philip ASSEM ASSEM is the Manager.

The mission of MIFCO is to bring out the development potentials of Manyu Division in Natural and human resources to improve on the life style of the population.

In 2004 MIFCO opened a demonstration farm of plantains and maize with the aims of educating young farmers on modern farming methods and supplying improve seed variety to interested farmers.

In 2006, the Cooperative started a piggery farm and this attracted HIPC funding from the Ministry of Livestock and Animal Industry in Manyu Division.

In December 2006, MINEPIA enable us to put up a Pig Multiplication farm at Ewelle with a technical staff appointed to supervise the project in the Division and a provincial Coordinator appointed for the South West Province. A subvention of 1.5 million francs has been distributed to 16 pig framers in April 2007 to enable the farmers improve on their farms.

Achievements:
1. We have successfully sponsored the feasibility studies of the 03 project: poultry production maize production, small animal and rodents mentioned above.
We sponsored over 10 maize farmers by supplying them with the maize seeds and fertilizer in 2007.

2. We have supplied over 40 piglets to pig farmers as subvention from MINEPIA in 2008.

3. We opened our office in Mamfe town have recruited 3 attendants since December 2006. More recruitment is on the way with opening of the feed mill.

4. We have organised five training workshop for Animal breeders between 2005 and in 2008 in
Mamfe Town.

Future plans

a) We plan to regroup according to their fields of interest e.g. poultry farmers, small
ruminants and snail producers, butchers, marketing agents etc.

b) We plan to install 110 pig fatteners in all the four Sub Divisions by December 2010.

c) We plan to install an Animal Feed Processing plant by December 2008 in Mamfe town.

d) We plan to install 03 pig multiplication Centres in addition to the one in Ewelle by December
2010.

e) We plan to build 02 warehouses in Mamfe town, and EKOK by 2015. SOWEDA has
promised to build us the first warehouse in Mamfe.

f) Feasibility studies shall be order for ‘The promotion Poultry Farming in the Division with
emphasis on multiplication activities.

g) Feasibity studies shall be ordered for the Building of the first warehouse in Mamfe own
immediately funds are available to harbour our Headquarter too.

h) Capacity building Workshops shall continue to be organised as funds are available.

i) We expect the membership to increase.

Membership
Open to groups and individuals.
Registration 10.000 francs and buy at least 03 shares of 10.000 FCFA each payable within 03 months.

All that has been realised could not have been possible without the collaboration of MC². MC² finances some of the activities of MIFCO farmers by way of loans.

It is common knowledge that the people of the rural areas hardly have access to credit from the traditional banks because of lack of security. The Afriland First Bank, recognising this particular difficulty, decided to create the MC², The Community Bank, putting in place conditions which can be flexible and adapted to the conditions based on existing social structure and personal relations of confidence and trust. There are 68 MC² panted all over the nation and MC² Mamfe is one of them.


MC² is a micro rural community development micro bank created and managed by members of the community where the MC² is based. This policy of MC² respects the social, cultural and religious values of the people. MC² is technically and institutionally supported by Afriland First Bank and ADAF, Appropriate Foundation for Africa Foundation. With the New COBAC Laws each MC² is autonomous.

MC² helps the community to mobilise savings and make money available too for its members to borrow and carryout micro projects on agriculture, commerce and industrial activities and also in the social domains. This enables them to improve on their life style and of course their health.

MC² Mamfe was created in September 2000 with 156 registered members. Today we count over 800 members. The management comprises of four organs: the General Assembly, the Council of Elders, the Board of Directors and the Executive Secretariat, which handles the day to day running of the institution.

Activities

* Makes funds available for people to carry out development projects as groups or individuals.
* Transfers funds through Flash Cash within the country.
* Acting as credit agents for some financiers.
* Training of small scale entrepreneurs.
* Using technical assistance for monitoring and evaluating project.

Achievements

* MC² Mamfe has acquired a piece of land to build its headquarters in the near future.
* It has mobilised funds and given over 500 loans to the tune of 160 million francs with recovery rate of 82.5%.
* MC² is working in collaboration with different financiers like Gatsby Loan Scheme which is to promote women’s financial activities.
* SOWEDA Loan Scheme to promote animal breeding and fisheries.
* HIPC funds to promote agricultural activities.
* This money has been given as loans to the target population.
* Studies for a Multimedia centre that will at the same time enable more efficient money transfer

nationwide and abroad.
* Studies for an Elite Fund to enable individuals or groups to sponsor development projects for specific purposes.
* Continue to seek for partners that are willing to provide fund for our target population.

The doors of MC² and MIFCO are open to Manyu people at home and abroad. Join us in this empowerment process. Manyu people have great talents and natural resources, if well developed through organised groups, they can attain rapid economic empowerment and thus become a force to be reckoned with in Cameroon and the world.

PRESENTED BY MRS. OGROK SUSAN AT MEDWC EYUMOJOCK CONFERENCE

A SPEECH PRESENTED BY CHIEF ENGINEER MBI ORUH MICHEAL ON THE OCCASION OF THE 3RD EDITION OF THE MANYU ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORLD CONFERENCE (MEDWC)

It is a unique privilege and singular honour for me as the President of the Manyu Economic Development World Conference (MEDWC) to welcome you to this two-yearly rendez-vous of Manyu sons and daughters living in the country and in the Diaspora. Permit me to seize this opportunity to welcome in a very special way, our brother, and World Patron of this association – His Excellency Victor Mengot Arrey Nkongho, Minister in Charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, who despite his tight schedule and exacting state duties, has found time to descend to his native soil to commune and participate during this great Economic Revitalisation Forum.We also acknowledge with great joy our brothers and sisters who have flown thousands of kilometres over seas and vast land masses to come to their roots to give aid to their less privileged ones and to give this occasion the weight it deserves. To those of you, who have been here at home stirring and kindling the fire of our homeland, I thank you for the concern you have for your beloved and cherished Division, Manyu.

Today’s conference shall be opened by the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister, Head of Government, who has always demonstrated his commitment to developmental issues. The Minister in Charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic who is the representative of the Prime Minister will open the conference. The Minister will be focusing on his vision for the Manyu people.

It is proper at this point to refresh our memories and inform those who are attending MEDWC meetings for the first time, the mission of our organisation:

1. Organise a two yearly Economic Conference rotating among the four sub - divisions to promote Economic Growth by encouraging and facilitating the creation of Small and
Medium-size Businesses to serve as the backbone of Manyu Economy.

2. Promote investments and business initiatives with potentials for profit to investors.

3. Serve as a think-tank to promote sustainable grass root self-reliant development concepts which can be implemented by groups, NGO’s or Entrepreneurs. Such concepts will be published in the conference proceedings and made available to the public.

4. Raise funds in collaboration with MAPADEF and stakeholders to undertake a project in the host sub- division. The project would have been identified before the conference and may be in the initiation or final completion phase.

5. Improve the health care delivery system within the division.

6. Provide technological assistance to the local communities, local secondary schools and the local hospitals to increase efficiency.

Dear conference participants

The theme of this conference, which is “Economic Empowerment for Growth and Poverty Alleviation”, will focus on ways and means of developing a viable oil palm sector in Manyu Division, where soil and agro-climatic conditions for oil palm growing, are among the best in Cameroon. Let me say it here loud and clear that MEDWC is here to work in partnership with the Council, the Government and Manyu Economic Stakeholders.

We will have Dr. ETTA Culbertson, a renowned International Research Officer in the oil palm sector to present a key paper on our strategy to create wealth and jobs through the development of the oil palm sector. Dr. ETTA works with one of the largest palm oil companies in Cameroon – PAMOL Plantations Public Limited Company based in Ndian Division.

The conference comprises of two sessions: the plenary and work in committees to be chaired by a conference Chairperson. We are expected to come out with concrete solutions to Manyu economic problems. I therefore appeal to participants to be precise in their deliberations for maximum utilisation of time. We have forty eight hours to x-ray our economic situation.

We will have altogether six distinguished speakers covering a wealth of interesting topics such as Growth and Poverty Alleviation, Impact of Socio – cultural Attitude on Development, Obstacles to the Promotion of the Cameroonian Women, Sourcing for Finances (MAPADEF plan of action), Developing a Communal Spirit as a Gateway to Economic Empowerment, and Effective Enforcement of the Wildlife Law.

On this occasion, MEDWC would like to thank all the eminent speakers who have graciously come on their own, and to some special doctors of the Manyu Solidarity Foundation, for their continuous sacrifice to the Manyu Community. It gives me the occasion to announce that some of them will be recognised tomorrow by MEDWC.

I would also like to thank all those who have contributed to the successful hosting of MEDWC 2008, irrespective of the odds, particularly the propaganda machinery which was put in place by some Eyumojock Elites to frustrate the event.

Appreciation and gratitude are also due to H.E. Chief Ephraim INONI, Prime Minister, Head of Government, for his generous decision to patronise the conference. I believe we could now look forward to an interesting and fruitful exchange of information in the next two days of the conference, which is to be closed at 5.00 pm by the Minister in Charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic, H.E. MENGOT Victor ARREY-NKONGHO.

Thank you for your kind attention.

MENGOT VICTOR's VISION OF HOPE PROJECT FOR MANYU ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The heroic efforts of Manyu Division to develop itself into a prosperous and fully integrated part of this Great Nation of ours have characterized our people over the years as being steadfast patriots, with unusual genius for excellence and fraternity.

Mamfe Division, as it was then called did not play second fiddle in Political, Economic and Social transactions with its contemporaries. Mamfe town with its Inland Port fascilities at the Cross-River Confluence was second only to Victoria Sea Port Town, and played host to multinational giants such as THE UNITED AFRICAN COMPANY (UAC); CADBURY AND FRY, JOHN HOLT,THE INTERNATIONAL INLAND HOTEL, with their Social and Industrial Infrastructures. One cannot forget local entrepreneurs such as Confidence Company, AKPE ANDEYOH with consumer depots and distribution complexes. Situated at the gateway to the largest Economic block in West Africa (ECOWAS), Mamfe town enjoyed the fall outs from her strategic emplacement at this triple junction between the greater western region and the southwest.

Manyu exploited her comparative geographic, human and economic advantages to the optimum and became a regional economic center. This peak in economic development brought along with it the BESONGABANG International Airport; whose futuristic navigational beacons (still functional today), continue to give direction and azimuth to global air traffic and activity.

Since then, Manyu has remained steadfast and tenacious in wait for better posture to materialize her quest for prosperity, wellbeing and economic integration.

II.) VISION OF HOPE PROJECT:

If Mamfe had slumbered into enclavement and consequent economic down turn for a good part of our lives, there is every indication today that our yearning for better times has at last been answered. Two of the arteries that link Manyu to the Greater west (Bamenda, Bafoussam, Dschang, Foumban,) and to ECOWAS have at long last received funding for construction.

This gesture is laden with political goodwill and promise from His Excellency the Head of State, President PAUL BIYA to the people of Eyumojock in particular, to the Manyu people and the whole country at large; and we cannot remain indifferent to a Magnanimous act of this nature. On behalf of the people of Mamfe and on the occasion of this August Forum for Economic Empowerment, I would like to express our gratitude, for our problems of roads have at long last been brought to the personal attention of our Head of State.

From this point onwards Manyu needs to seize every opportunity to materialize her aspirations for prosperity and national economic integration by tapping from its genius, propensity for excellence and collective enterprise. We have therefore come forth with two projects which will galvanize our spirit of collective enterprise and fortify the nucleus and symbol of our Oneness i.e. (Mamfie) Mamfe:

i- Development of modern neighborhoods in Mamfe town
ii- Development of a Tri-Star Hotel Complex (at old Inland Hotel site).

1) MODERN NEIGHBOURHOODS:

This is a participatory project par excellence where modern new - layouts (neighborhood) sites are developed for procurement and ownership by Manyu Elements at affordable prices according to their financial reach. (See flyers).

Four cardinal and strategic sites have been identified for procurement and development at;
- Laterite pit (100 hectares)
- Okoyong Badi – bridge (200 hectares)
- Eshobi –G.B.H.S plateau (200 hectares)
- Baku – Antenna - Banya enclave (100 hectares)

a) OKOYONG BADI – BRIDGE (200 HECTARES)
Located at the entrance to Mamfe town from Kumba, Fontem, Bamenda, the area has a strategic emplacement which can be exploited to give a spectacular vista for the new city of Mamfe.

b) ESHOBI – GBHS PLATEAU (200 HECTARES)

Located at about 400 meters above sea level the Eshobi GBHS plateau stands on the skyline about 300 meters above the Mamfe old town, and is made up of a rolling platform of virgin land composed of savannah sandstone crust interspersed by oasis of luxuriant secondary forest, farms and grassland sprawling downwards to meet the northern banks of the Manyu river.

c) LATERITE PIT (100 HECTARES)
d) BANYA - BAKU - BADI ENCLAVE.

Design:

Prototypes shall range from well tailored bungalows, through moderate multi-floor construction to increasingly complex choices, articulated with the highest professional dexterity that will make the neighbourhoods the latest new layouts in our country. (See flyers). Cost range will be from 15 million to 25 million francs, 30 million to 50 million francs, and from 55 million francs upwards. The design will be picturesque, yet characterized by architectural simplicity, gentle green shaded surroundings, mosaic esplanades and visual amenity. The vision is to initiate a blueprint for modernizing the city of Mamfe through ownership and investment.

2) TRI – STAR HOTEL COMPLEX:

Is a joint venture, participatory investment project to put a befitting Hotel complex (3 stars) with amusement parks, shopping and commercial center, indoor and outdoor entertainment and multipurpose plazas. This hotel complex will be a meeting point for both recreation and business and conferences (see flyer) and will serve as a place of call to tourists and business entrepreneurs to and from the East and West.

III.) CONCLUSION:

The main thrust of our vision of hope having thus been achieved i.e. Consolidating the nucleus of Manyu (Mamfe town) so that the constituent elements (sub divisions) do not fall apart; our old spirit of rallying together (Nchemti – Ochem ) would spur us to greater heights and bring the fall outs of prosperity naturally back to our four sub – divisions.

We would by so doing all be rebuilding the walls of the biblical city in ruins and bequeathing monumental and indelible foundations for progress to our progeny.

MEDWC PATRON H.E. MENGOT VICTOR ADDRESSES EYUMOJOCK CONFERENCE

Dear Conference Participants,

It gives me great pleasure to have been given this opportunity to address this historic gathering of the Sons and Daughters of Manyu, in my capacity as Patron to the Manyu Economic Development World Conference – MEDWC, which is taking place here in Eyumojock, Eyumojock Sub-division.

Two years since we successfully organised the Conference in Tinto, venue and focus have constitutionally shifted to Eyumojock today.

H.E. Mengot Victor Arrey Nkongho (in blue suit)

You will agree with me that MEDWC now provides us with an incontestable rallying ground for the architecture of a modern Manyu.

This has not been without great sacrifice from pioneers and the well known difficulties of birth which plagued the founding fathers through 1996 until 2003, when dynamic and foresighted patriots were voted in to lay the foundations of what has today become the single most credible unifying force for Economic Development of our division, Manyu.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the development of Eyumojock Sub-division which is the object of our presence here today has regrettably been long overdue, seeing the enormous natural, human and physical resources that nature has bequeathed the people of this Sub-division.

At the centre of this shortcoming is the deplorable state of road infrastructure which has emperiled Eyumojock’s geographic advantage as the gateway to the second largest economic block on the African continent.

Notwithstanding the staudy steadfastness and heroic resilience with which the Eyumojock people have borne these endless ordeals, I am pleased to inform you that the Government of the Republic of Cameroon has concluded the signature of financing packages for the construction of a first class transboundary highway from Ekok (Mfoum) to mile 42 (Number) in the Upper Banyang Sub-division.

Such coincidence of events, where efforts of my predecessors have culminated into irreversible successes during my own tenure of office as Patron of MEDWC, does not leave me indifferent. So I would like to use this august conference setting, to express my gratitude to His Excellency the Head of State, President Paul Biya, for this exceptional gesture of political goodwill towards the people of Manyu in General, to Eyumojock in particular and the whole nation at large, for enabling me, soon after my appointment into his government, to carry back to my division of origin, tidings of tangible economic accomplishments.

Fellow brothers and sisters, my heart throbs with hopefulness that after decades of oblivion, our division will once again emerge as the unavoidable triple-junction of national and international business and cultural transactions; a privileged role that she played in the days of our forbears because of her strategic geographic emplacement.

And now that we have come of age, let us emulate with fidelity, the solidarity and fraternity with which our parents conducted business in Manyu of S.A. George and Manyu of A.D. Mengot. We would not be doing these visionaries the justice they deserve if we, equipped as we are with great knowledge, in modern sciences and the arts, depart inadvertently into a Manyu of discord, antagonism and acrimony.

For my part, our vision of the new Manyu should be a modernised Division, where the development potentials of its four Sub-divisions are harnessed to their optimum by the complete disenclavement of Eyumojock, Akwaya, Upper Banyang and Mamfe Central; through viabilisation of its five-axis communication network i.e. Mamfe-Kumba-Buea; Mamfe-Fontem-Dschang; Mamfe-Ekok, Mamfe-Bamenda and Mamfe-Akwaya-Ogbudu.

It was the late President John Fritzgerald Kennedy of the United States of America who asserted that “it is from the construction of roads that America derived its wealth and greatness, not from the contrary.”

It was precisely because of this causal link that the disenclavement of the four Sub-divisions of Manyu remains a priority policy in MEDWC.

In April 2007, MAPADEF was successfully launched in Mamfe and we are confident to say that the creation of MAPADEF is a tangible manifestation of the vivacity and momentum with which MEDWC intends to accomplish its goals. Today Manyu has, if anything else, a pre-financial institution to its credit, which we hope to modulate into the proverbial backbone of economic development in Manyu.

Let me therefore use this august moment in calling on all our progressive forces – Businessmen, Entrepreneurs, Cooperatives and Investors to rally behind MEDWC, our MODUS VIVENDI and our paradigm for collective enterprise and development.

By so doing, we will be creating a vision of hope for economic emancipation of our people from poverty and hopelessness. Let us therefore grasp this golden opportunity afforded to us by MEDWC to make dividend by unlocking the colossal intellectual, cultural and physical resource potentials of our four Sub-divisions, which if unleashed would give significant moment to regional and international development and equilibrium.

Dear brothers and sisters, MEDWC is not and will never be a surrogate of political hegemony, nor will it be allowed to be transformed into a soap box for demagogy. It is, and will remain a forum for translating our patriotic agenda into fruitful economic achievement.

It is in this light that I would like to announce once more that MEDWC has not come empty handed to Eyumojock; MEDWC has come to immortalise its economic vision in Eyumojock with a giant oil palm plantation project, the economic impact of which cannot be overemphasised. President of MEDWC, Chief MBI ORUH Michael, will present this project to the Eyumojock community later on.

Around this vast oil palm estate project, we would like our brethren to intensify their agricultural activities – cocoa and coffee estates should be revived along with food crop cultivation. Do not forget that Eyumojock Sub-division alone in Manyu is endowed with rich volcanic soils such as we find elsewhere in the South West Province. Do take advantage of this endowment and make agriculture a profitable livelihood.

From my understanding of things, Manyu is a riverine Division and does benefit from an extraordinary bestowal of rivers, streams and brooks, which should become farms for pisciculture and semi-artisanal fishing. Ajah, Ndepajah and Monajah should be leaders in this trade.

We have come to awaken you to the several alternative livelihood possibilities that present themselves in Eyumojock. Transborder trade with our neighbours in Nigeria and the advent of TINAPA are opportunities that would make Dubai look a far fetched destination. Women and youths should be assisted to get a foothold in these opportunities, while the council needs to work out an action plan for boosting the tourism sector in the Sub-division.

As we leave Eyumojock at the end of is conference transactions, I wish all Manyu Sons and Daughters to beam their new focus on to Akwaya Sub-division for MEDWC 2010 and to come out with a befitting Economic Development Agenda, I dare say a martial plan for Akwaya’s total disenclavement and rehabilitation

Again I will like to thank you all for your patriotism and sacrifices for the course of economic development and peaceful co-existence. I promise on my part to uphold these ideals and employ all the means at our disposal to make our dreams come true.

I wish you all success during the conference deliberations and travelling mercies as you go back to your various destinations.

HEARD AT EYUMOJOCK - Keynote Speakers

DR. ETTA CULBERTSON ENOW

Culbertson Enow Etta was born on the 15 April, 1964 in Victoria Limbe South West Province, Cameroon to the Enowmbeleke’s family of Kembong Village in the Ejagham Clan of Manyu Division.

After his secondary education, he enrolled at the then University of lfe the same year and graduated in 1988 with a B.Agric. (Hons) degree majoring in the plant sciences. Mr Etta Culbertson then proceeded to the famous University of Ibadan for his Masters degree still under the Cameroon government sponsorship. He enrolled in the Dept. of Agricultural Biology in 1988 and in 1990 graduated with an M.sc. in Genetics and Plant Breeding.

As a result of his brilliant display of erudition, he was given an offer to proceed directly into the Ph.D programme of the University of Ibadan and awarded another Cameroon Government scholarship to pursue the programme. In 1995, he graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Genetics, specialising in Transmission and Quantitative genetics.

Dr. SAMMY ENYONG, Board Chairman, MAPADEF

Sammy Enyong, BA, MA, PhD, FCP (London 1986). Dr. Enyong’s major field of specialisation is in Educational Administration & Management, Educational Technology, Research Methods and Statistics. Prior to joining Peace Corps, was a Primary School teacher in Cameroon; Secondary High Schools’ Principal/Teacher Trainer and University Lecturer Port Harcourt, Rivers State of Nigeria.

He became a Researcher in the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research upon his return to Cameroon in 1986. He has served Peace Corps Cameroon for 20 years since 1987 and took early retirement a year ago to do Consultancy.

He has attended over 30 workshops on Rural Community Development Projects, Volunteer Support, Administration, Programming and Training. Dr. Enyong was born in Mamfe Town in 1951 and is married with three daughters.

Dr. ENO ANNA ARET

Is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé I, where she lectures on pathogenic microbes and parasitology, at both the undergraduate and post graduate levels. Her research interest is in the molecular speciation of the malaria parasites (Plasmodium species), and pathogenic bacteria in concomitant infections. She is fascinated with the naturalness of the country side, and is thus intensely interested in the community outreach component of development,
towards the overall well being of the minority, underprivileged and underserved communities. The provision of a biologically safe environment remains a major challenge, both at the local and national levels.

Anna holds a PhD in Medical Microbiology from Ibadan, Nigeria, with a sub-specialty in bacteriology. She did her high school and secondary school education in Saint Augustine’s college, Nso and Queen of the Rosary, Okoyong, Mamfe, respectively.

Mrs. OGORK SUSAN

She is a holder of DES English, from Yaounde University and a Masters in Social and Counselling Psychology from Ball State University, Muncie Indiana, USA. Mrs. Ogork is presently a National Pedagogic Inspector for English in the Ministry of Secondary Education. She is co-author of Passport to English, which is being used by the Anglophone schools and First in English for the Francophone schools.

Mrs. Ogork believes in promoting self-help projects which improve on the lot of the masses and the underprivileged and has initiated many of such projects. She is co-founder of the CAMEROON Deaf Empowerment Organisation, founding member of MC2 (The Community Bank in Mamfe) and founder of the Manyu Integrated Farmers Cooperative.