La Republique du Cameroun (LRC), presently exploiting and expropriating huge resources in Ambazonia, has cried foul of haven lost circa 4 billion FCFA, amidst a 5-day roadblock imposed on the Buea-Kumba road, by the Ambazonia Restoration Forces.
This estimate is contained in a classified document sent to the office of the colonial Governor of the Southwest Region, from the office of the colonial Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) of Meme. The communique further stated that LRC will lose even more, if special measures are not taken.
According to the document, the Colonial SDO, Chamberlain Ntuo’ou Ndong, said in the course of the block, economic activities in Meme came to a halt, as many business premises shut their doors, due to lack of supplies. He confirmed that such incidents led to the skyrocket of the prices of basic commodities.
“Over 3 billion worth of goods could not enter Meme because the road was impassable. That caused many business premises to stop running because all their stock was either finished or limited in supply. That caused basic stables to become very expensive, given that the demand was higher than the supply,” the document read in part.
The colonial SDO went further to say that business persons who braved the odds to convey their goods to Kumba, were intercepted on the way by unknown men and their goods seized.
“Four cases of business men whose goods were seized was reported. Two of those business men had their vans burnt down by the secessionists who also carted away with goods worth several millions. A car was burnt in Barombi, and another in Muyuka,” the letter read in part.
Meanwhile, the colonial SDO decried the fact that given that the restoration forces have placed a ban on some vehicles plying the Buea – Kumba road, things could continue for the worse, if special measures are not taken. Such measures, as opined by the colonial SDO, will be to provide economic operators will special military reinforcement, to help them bring their goods to Meme. He also suggested that the Buea-Kumba road needs more checkpoints, to evade any incursion from the restoration forces.
It should be noted that, preceding the voyage of that classified document, a crisis meeting grouping economic stakeholders, municipal and administrative authorities, was organised in the office of the colonial SDO. During the meeting, business persons decried the fact that colonial forces as well as some municipal authorities have been harassing them, hence, fueling huge losses in their businesses. Others say, prices of goods will continue to rise in Meme, if LRC government doesn’t step in to moderate the already dilapidated situation. The economic operators are calling on LRC to compensate business persons for huge losses already incurred, and also to stabilise security.
By Lucas Muma,
Managing Editor – BaretaNews
