Prime Minister Philemon Yang five-day tour in the seven divisions of the Northwest Region in a bid to resolve the Anglophone crisis has ended with no positive result. Yang, who was on a mission in the region to ensure that absolute peace reigns, failed again to bring solutions to the crisis as schools are yet to resume in Cameroon’s two English speaking regions
In Mezam where he began his tour on March 6, the PM calls for parents to send their children to school met with outright rejections. Speaking on behalf of the North West elites at the Bamenda congress where the meeting between the PM and elites was taking place, Hon. Wilfred Fusi Naamukong, told Yang that schools can only resume when government release all Anglophone detainees, demilitarised Southern Cameroons and reinstate internet services. The MP said government claims of engaging in dialogue with the Anglophone community are completely false given how they keep taking the dictatorial tone.
In response to the MP’s remarks, Yang said the government had ordered the massive arrest of Southern Cameroonians and militarized the regions because of hostile attitude of some citizens.
Meanwhile in Fundong, many kom elites allegedly took the PM’s question of how many people use internet in Kom as a display of stupidity, ignorance and an unpardonable insult on the Kom people. Many inhabitants of Bamenda are said to have question why the PM bothers himself with the visit to the region. The population said the PM once mentioned he is not their PM some seven years ago: The MP is quoted to have said he was appointed Prime Minister of Cameroon and not the Prime Minister of North West”. The North westerners, media reports hold haven’t forgotten, hence see no reason to sympathise or listen to him.
For his part, John Fru Ndi, Social Democratic Front, chairman, tagged Yang’s trip as a successful failure. Fru Ndi said the government can’t use force to convince parents to send their children to school. “ The Prime Minister only ridiculed himself. He knows the problem and he just has to be truthful with the parents. They expected the head of government to come and talk to them and ask for what they wanted. He did not do it. He came to say what Biya wanted Anglophones to do, to invite the parents and pupils to resume classes. This is not the way to go. The Government must engage in frank dialogue. I must say that Mr. Biya knows the problem of teachers and lawyers, “said Ni John Fru Ndi the leader of the SDF.
The Prime Minister’s visit to the region comes after several unsuccessful meetings with education stakeholders in the Northwest Region since November 2016, all aimed at resolving the crisis which has crumbled socio-economic activities in anglophone Cameroon for close to four months .
