Monday, April 21, 2008

FOMANTUM'S NEW FAMILY HEAD POISED TO BRING DEVELOPMENT TO THE AREA.

It is said that every positive action is enhanced by a positive vision.. This is the ambition of the New Family head of the Fomantum' s of Naka Village in Bali Nyonga when he spoke to the Bali Drum after the death celebration of their beloved father and brother Chief Fombolingong. The death celebration which took place on the 19th of January 2008 was massively attended by more than 7000 people and was a witnessed to more than 5000 gun salutes to say goodbye to the fallen hero. The presence of the representatives of the Fon of Bali Nyonga (Kinsmen and “Kong-Fon”) was very visible as well as most of the sub-chiefs in the Bali Nyonga subdivision.

Speaking to the new family head, the young, ambitious and pathfinder of the dynasty promised to consolidate and foster the unity of all his brothers and sisters.
TheHe posited to the Bali drum that as a new family head and conscious of the confidence bestowed on him by both their late father Chief Fombolingong and the entire family nothing short of peace, unity and love shall curtail his objectives.
Elated and coupled with vigour, Ba Fomantum promised to spearhead development initiatives to the village. Stating that the development of Naka village is unstoppable. He promised to work in close collaboration with the Lord Mayor of the Bali Municipal Council to bring water and electricity to the area. He is calling on all the sons and daughters of Naka village as well as Bali Elites in the Diaspora to invest in this village. He said that if Bali people join in the development of Naka Village, it will bridge the gap between Bamenda and Bali. Naka is a very strategic border village in the Bali Subdivision and thus need to be developed. Naka village is one of the many villages that make up the Bali Nyonga subdivision. Its close proximity to Bamenda, coupled with the fertility of the soil, has made Naka a first choice for any investment decision.

Ba Fomantum further showered praises to all Bali sons and daughters, friends and relatives who supported the family morally, materially and financially before and during the death ceremony of their late father, husband and and brother chief Fombolingong who passed away to the Lord in April 2007.
Ba Fomantum until now known as Eric Votmia Fomantum is 37 years old, son of late Dr Bah Tadoh Fomantum.He is a holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and a Masters Degree in Business Administration. (MBA). He works for Pecten Cameroon Company LLC in Douala.

Article Curtailed from Bali Drum ( Owner: Akam Eric.)

NAKA VILLAGE -BALI SUBDIVISION LAUNCHES FUND RAISING TO ELECTRIFY VILLAGE

Ba Mbonbani,

On April 25th 2008, the population of Naka Village in the Bali Nyonga Subdivision will be launching a Special Fund Raising for the electrification of the Village. This call for support comes in the wake of recent development projects in Bali Nyonga as a whole, an initiative fueled by the World Bank Sponsored project through an NGO called GP DERUDEP. However for any village to benefit from the grant, they must in addition of the submission of a viable project, contribute 10% of the value of the project. We of Naka have already contributed 1.300,000 FCFA and wish to raise this amount to 3,000,000 frs in order to electrify the entire Naka Village. The estimated value of our project is 30,000,000 frs CFA. For our project to be accepted, we need the sum of 1,700,000 FCFA to make up the difference. It is in this light that we are calling on all the sons and daughters of Bali Nyonga as well as friends and sympathisers to come to our support. Naka village is one of the only villages in the Bali Nyonga Subdivision without electricity, portable water and health care facilities. The entire village with a population of about 3,500 people is made up of the following quarters: Ngwatkan, Titam (Mile 88 ), Mali (Mile 86) and Nsang (Mile 8). Naka is only about 5 Minutes drive from Bamenda and 8 minutes drive from Ntafoang-Bali, yet it is one of the least developed in the area. Despite the tarred road that passes through Naka, it has not caught the eyes of people to invest or build beautiful houses in this area because of lack of basic necessities. Naka is the most strategic village in the whole of Bali subdivisions for the following reasons:1. It is the gateway to the Bali Nyonga subdivision. You can not enter Bali without passing through Naka except through Mbengwi or Mamfe. 2. As a border village that has witnessed invasion in the past from neibouring villages like Chomba, more people need to live in this area as soon as possible. More people can only do so with the presence of electricity, portable water and health facilities. 3. Naka is a major farming area that produces most of the food that feeds the population of Bali and Bamenda, yet it is paid the least attention. You need to see the number of people that leaves from Bamenda to Naka everyday to carry out farming. However serious agricultural projects cannot take place in this village because of the absence of electricity. Naka has the largest portion of fertile soil in the Bali Nyonga subdivision and could provide a source of wealth to many. 4. Living in Naka, is like Living in Bamenda. It takes less time to leave Naka to Bamenda, than it takes to live Nkwen or the Station Hill to Bamenda. Developing Naka will mean bridging the gap between Bali and Bamenda. In order to earn a division in Bali, small strategic villages like Naka need to be empowered and endowered with basic facilities. Uplifting this area may significantly contribute to the granting of a subdivision in Bali Nyonga. It is within this framework of social development, that the people of Naka are soliciting your assistance for Fund Raising. Your generous donation, in cash or Kind will be highly welcome. What ever you contribute, God will refill your pockets tenfold. Ba Tadoh FomantumOn Behalf of the Naka Community
Mbonbani,

Think about it l am sure the street lights were hung on existing poles if that was the case, then parts of Bali\pple going without electricity might be because the whole infrastructure has to be built from the ground up. This requires a process so l do not think comparing street lights and people going without light makes a good argument.What is being done now is part of that process. Stay blessed. NibabsDohmusi Fidelis Gana wrote:
Ni Goddy,We are thinking in the same direction. What I meant was that I have a problem with lighting the streets when other parts like Naka and even parts of Nsang and Etoma are begging for electricity extensions.GanaGoddy Fofang wrote:
Ni Gana,Our basic need is electricity and water and a motor able road. The majority of Bali Population is moving towards Naka though settled around Worsing. We now have a good road going through, and when you bring Electricity and Water more people will build in that area. We are not talking of lighting the highway which I don't have a problem with that either. We are talking of expansion of Electricity and water. Have you thought that River Naka could supply water to that area? Let's try to be positive here. Before any neighborhood is developed here, Water, Electricity and sewage comes first, why not Bali? You need to give Ba Fomantum kudos. NI Goddy

To: mbonbani@yahoogroup s.comFrom: dohmusi06@yahoo. comDate: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:01:10 -0700Subject: RE: [bonbani] NAKA VILLAGE -BALI SUBDIVISION LAUNCHES FUND RAISING TO ELECTRIFY VILLAGE

Ni Goddy,With the coming of the new mayor, someone proudly announced an achievement which was the lighting of the highway from T-junction to Ntan Ko'o. In response, I wondered aloud while the Highway should be lighted when many people in some parts of the sub-division lacked the opportunity to light their homes for kids to at least do their homework. Ba Fomantum's initiative highlights the bases of my worries. Such an initiative will make him forever remembered by the people of Naka. Its success is my wish.GanaGoddy Fofang

wrote:

Ba Fomantum,I salute you for your endeavors to modernize Bali Nyonga. You have taken us up for a challenge that will make a blind man see. When the current Mayor took office , there was an outburst of cries for help from this group and we had to wait for him to saddle on. I wonder what his plans for Bali -Nyonga is, now that the horse is galloping smoothly, if this is the right time to ask?I read your mail with keen interest and it touched my heart that we as sons of Bali may not understand your vision. For those who have a foresight, please read ba Fomantum's message and think twice. We are the ones who own land between Njenka Hausa and chomba and this area is where the Bali Nyonga city is expanding to. I suggested a few months ago that those who own land from T-Junction should be the touch bearers to push for Electricity and Water to be brought to that area. Little did I know what was in the oven. If Bali-Nyonga becomes a Full Division, Worsing will be a sub-division, since there is no land in Bali central for businesses to build or grow. Why don't we act now? In the name of development, we can join Ba Fomantum to make this dream come true.Ni Goddy fofang

To: mbonbani@yahoogroup s.comFrom: evotmia@yahoo. comDate: Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:57:38 -0700Subject: [bonbani] NAKA VILLAGE -BALI SUBDIVISION LAUNCHES FUND RAISING TO ELECTRIFY VILLAGE

Ba Mbonbani,

On April 25th 2008, the population of Naka Village in the Bali Nyonga Subdivision will be launching a Special Fund Raising for the electrification of the Village.

This call for support comes in the wake of recent development projects in Bali Nyonga as a whole, an initiative fueled by the World Bank Sponsored project through an NGO called GP DERUDEP. However for any village to benefit from the grant, they must in addition of the submission of a viable project, contribute 10% of the value of the project. We of Naka have already contributed 1.300,000 FCFA and wish to raise this amount to 3,000,000 frs in order to electrify the entire Naka Village. The estimated value of our project is 30,000,000 frs CFA. For our project to be accepted, we need the sum of 1,700,000 FCFA to make up the difference. It is in this light that we are calling on all the sons and daughters of Bali Nyonga as well as friends and sympathisers to come to our support.

Naka village is one of the only villages in the Bali Nyonga Subdivision without electricity, portable water and health care facilities. The entire village with a population of about 3,500 people is made up of the following quarters: Ngwatkan, Titam (Mile 88 ), Mali (Mile 86) and Nsang (Mile 8). Naka is only about 5 Minutes drive from Bamenda and 8 minutes drive from Ntafoang-Bali, yet it is one of the least developed in the area. Despite the tarred road that passes through Naka, it has not caught the eyes of people to invest or build beautiful houses in this area because of lack of basic necessities.

Naka is the most strategic village in the whole of Bali subdivisions for the following reasons:
1. It is the gateway to the Bali Nyonga subdivision. You can not enter Bali without passing through Naka except through Mbengwi or Mamfe.
2. As a border village that has witnessed invasion in the past from neibouring villages like Chomba, more people need to live in this area as soon as possible. More people can only do so with the presence of electricity, portable water and health facilities.

3. Naka is a major farming area that produces most of the food that feeds the population of Bali and Bamenda, yet it is paid the least attention. You need to see the number of people that leaves from Bamenda to Naka everyday to carry out farming. However serious agricultural projects cannot take place in this village because of the absence of electricity. Naka has the largest portion of fertile soil in the Bali Nyonga subdivision and could provide a source of wealth to many.

4. Living in Naka, is like Living in Bamenda. It takes less time to leave Naka to Bamenda, than it takes to live Nkwen or the Station Hill to Bamenda. Developing Naka will mean bridging the gap between Bali and Bamenda. In order to earn a division in Bali, small strategic villages like Naka need to be empowered and endowered with basic facilities. Uplifting this area may significantly contribute to the granting of a subdivision in Bali Nyonga.


It is within this framework of social development, that the people of Naka are soliciting your assistance for Fund Raising. Your generous donation, in cash or Kind will be highly welcome. What ever you contribute, God will refill your pockets tenfold.

Ba Tadoh Fomantum
On Behalf of the Naka Community

Re: [bonbani] forwarding a press release from communication unit of BRC

NI George
I could not go through your comments on the BRC projects when i read the section which reads ".....thank God we have the right person at the helm" Im sure it was just an aspect of humour you to spice your article .CPMDM ??? ahahahah. People who have taken out their own umbrella when "the rain" is over to talk development in their own village .We should not fail to understand that the pocket is never full of money no matter the the amount that is found in the source where it is being taken to fill the pocket . so let the 16million to construct twoclassrooms not suprise us.Well lets wait and see the quality of the classrooms
Clerkson.


Gebdinga George Waima wrote:
Mfed-Mfed
Looking at the projects many must have doubt because it's not the first.We all know.We have always remain to thrust but things still have divert courses.This is the right time to talk not to wait when the projects have a wrong then still us start pointing fingers and laying acusations.Good that we have the right person at the helm to pilot this through.

We should all have flash back on Koplap water project.How far did that go within the estimated time.Even now I'm still doubting it effectiveness. Many contributed financially, physically with tears and pain to meet it realization but many ills happened on the project.All tilting to mismanagement and squandering of fund.Some even lost their lives.The main initiator of the project being shifted aside.Thank God for that, else we would have missed him by now.

Notwithstanding, this is beneficial of the national cake.I hope and believe the project will go through without people knocking their heads becoming doubting Thomas.Money use judiciously too that's where the issue has questions.What have we, when we crook,swindle, deceive others to enrich ourselves for God's sake.Only an individual and perhaps GOD can give the best answer.If 2 classrooms or others cost 16m,then we expect to have a magnificient structure not the case of Koplap water project that cheap I mean cheap pipe water were bought.Every day water flow through the pipe line because of disjoin and explosion of pipes.Who is to lose,Bali neighbours?NO! Still us but we don't learn from our mistake.One saying goes"You do good you do for yourself,do bad you do for yourself" Everything on the said project is good let it be well implemented. We will have but Bali City nomore Bali Village. God being our helper.

Georgedobgima george taka wrote:
HI ALL

Just a few quick comments about the publication of budget estimates and expenditures for the Bali Nyonga rural council

My first observation is that one of the historic regions of our village has been left out of this development efforts of the mayor .I mean NGWATKAN .Hoping that we all know its geo strategic position within the municipality i want to observe that it has been neglected unfairly in the past and even now .It neither has a budget head nor is included in the contact tour organised my the mayor.I think that NGWATKAN needs a little bit of attention especially if we must develop a sustainable border town policy

Second,i think it is the inalienable right of the people to question things they can,t understand.It is no priviledge done to anybody by a simple act of publishing budgets and expenditures. I think it is an obligation and the mayor has simply done what is to be done .What is left to be questioned will be the realisation of these paper work on the ground

We seem to be overtaken by the notion of CAMEROON doing things its own way.If it is the right way or the wrong way ,sooner or later we will all know.We should stop hiding behind notions like that to do things the wrong way.One has the right to question how 2 classrooms in bali should cost that much.How large and with what kind of imported marble are these classrooms going to be constructed. ? We need some imagination and less logic here i think

STAY BLESSEDFomantum Eric wrote:
Mbonbani
.

I believe that what we need to do is first to appreciate the fact that for the first time we are being inform of what is going on in the village in terms of development plans and expenditure. The Mayor has a good plan for the village. It is time we join hands with him to bring about positive ideas on how to develop the village rather than questioning about the cost of building a classroom. I will personally not be bothered about how much it cost to bring electricity to Naka, but I will be bothered that the people of this village had gone for centuries without lights and thanks to someone's inititiave Lighting is on the way. Looking at the details, nighty gritty of everything will only give room for more criticism and less work. I will like to mention here that most of the money from the Public Investment Budget has only become a reality because of the Mayor's efforts and connections. There is nothing wrong in providing for contingency plan in budgeting. To be honest , though I do not belong to the ruling party, the Mayor is achieving a lot for the village. His plans are endless. Questions like these will only go against the detriment of the Bali People as a whole. What I expect from us are proposals on projects in Bali and not cost details. We have been backward for too long. Let's move on.

Ba Fomantum.




TITASAMA DOH wrote:
It is really a wonderful and transparent initiative from the communication Unit of the BRC to make public its budget. Howvever when one goes through the public Investment budget of about 225.9 million and how this money will be spent it calls for alot of questions how camerooun budget is spent. It is very alarming to realise 2 classroom in GS Beisen will cost 16 millions frs CFA, the same goes for GTC Bali and you name the rest. We all know that will not cost more than 5 million to build two classroom in Bali. Only God knows where the rest of the money goes to. This is exactly how the development of Cameroon is being postponed to 100 years from now. Imagine this happening in all the subdivisions in cameroon. How many schools and roads would have been constructed if transparent and objective budgeting was but in place.

It is high time the people who execute these projects begin raising objections to this kind of budgeting.

It is good to know that this how our country in govern. 'Le cameroun c'est le cameroun'

Thank you Ni Edwin for sharing this with us.


Tita Sama
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -------
PUBLIC INVESTMENT BUDGET
1) Mantum Electricity project 30 million
2) Njap Fotoh electricity project 35 million
3) Njap Fotoh water project 45 million
4) Support to agro/pastoral/ craft show 2 million
5) Workshop for GTC Bali 25 million
6) Two classrooms for GTC 18 million
7) Renovation works GNS Bali 10 million
8) Two classrooms for GS Beisen 16 million
9) Two classrooms for GS Kutadshi 16 million
10) Toilets for GS Fotoh/Mantum 3.5 million
11) Toilets GS Bali group 1?2 3.5 million
12) 60 desks for GS Naka 1.8 million
13) Two classrooms for GS Naka 16 million
14) 50 desks for GS Fotoh/Mantum 1.6 million
15) Staff room GS Fotoh/Mantum 2.5 million
Total 225.9 million
edwin fongod wrote: