BaretaNews is getting information that negotiations are being finalized for the transfer of the head office of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC from Bota-Limbe to Yaounde.It should be recalled that presidential decree N° 2016/031 of 19 January, 2016, signed by Cameroon’s dictator Paul Biya recently transformed the corporation into a multi-engaging public utility corporation with the state as unique owner of all shares.

The decree transforming the CDC which floated in 1947 under the pre-independence British administration into a new statute has largely been criticized by Anglophone groupings who see it as a calculated attempt of destabilizing and killing the company as happened to POWERCAM, Cameroon Bank, and others. The CDC currently employs some 22,036 employees. It is yet unclear when the move will be implemented. It was revealed the transfer would take effect this November.

The Secretary General of the South West Elite Association, SWELA, Joseph Moki Etukeni shamefully described it as an “unfortunate situation.’’ The SWELA scribe observed, “You can remember that the moment the new status came out, I called a general secretariat meeting in Kumba during which we were very hard on the issue.” Part of the SWELA communiqué issued in January 2016 reads:

“That the nationalization of CDC, just like the National Produce Marketing Board which collapsed and liberalization came and left the farmers with mushroom conservative societies without personnel and follow up. CDC operations like Pamol are based on the Common Law System. That a decree already signed by the President of the Republic stipulating the implementation of the OHADA Law which indeed is an off-shoot of the Civil Law System and the possible movement of the Headquarters to any part of the country by the general assembly leaves SWELA completely opposed to the move. CDC remains the only legacy to the South Westerners and Anglophones at large, SWELA orders that CDC should be left in her old Status’.’

In the meantime, the new statute of the CDC transformed the corporation into a multi-engaging public utility corporation with the state being the unique owner of all shares.The change of statute, it should be noted, came with such portfolio-objectives as acquisition, creation, administration, exploitation and development of agricultural enterprises through production and transformation of produce. Governed by a 12-member Board of Directors representing government ministries and statutory the two governors of the North West and South West regions, the CDC is headed by a general manager and the current one was installed in January 2013.

The CDC has a new statutory social capital of 35,718,550,806 FCFA. Another super governing structure has been added to the existing two namely; the general assembly whose members include representatives of some five government ministries and whose role may be in an ordinary session to approve the audits, appoint, remunerate and revoke the auditor.

Anglophone Cameroonians. Sons and Daughters of Southern Cameroons, by November this year, the CDC Head Office will leave Limbe to Yaounde. Many administrative workers in Limbe will loose their jobs and they will be replaced by Francophones in Yaounde who pays allegiance to Beti Clan of Paul Biya. The process is almost done. Sons and Daughters from NW and SW regions and Cameroonians of goodwill who want to see a fair country, share this post, get your Fons, chiefs, politicians, lawyers, lecturers, civil society from your area to form a force and prevent this move. Rise on people, Rise and protect our legacy

Information produced by Mbom Sixtus, CJ.

God is still saying something.