The traditional ruler of Talaganyai in the South West region, Chief
Dr. Atem Ebako has never been frank enough.
Much to the surprise of many, the frontline militant of the ruling CPDM party told truth to power when he took the floor Monday at the national dialogue conclave in Yaounde.
Chief Atem Ebako who is also board member of state-broadcaster, CRTV told the PM to his face Monday that what fueled the Anglophone crisis is government’s greed for power. He said the Anglophone heritage has been killed by same greed.
He was blunt when he said “Your Excellency, Mister Prime Minister, how do you tell your people that, once upon a time there was a marketing board in Kumba and today it does not exist?, How do you tell your people that there was a West Cameroon Development Bank and today it doesn’t exist , how do you tell your people that there was GTHS Ombe where graduates could build bridges and roads and today it doesn’t exist, how do you tell your people that there was an airport in Tiko for International flights and today everything is gone?”.
He then questioned further “…Our children are deprived of huge opportunities because of language barriers. The laws and Presidential decrees are done in French and after some time in English. How do you implement decentralization when appointed officials are at the beginning, in the process and at the end?”.
“These appointed officials are everywhere. At the regional level, a Secretary General appointed controls resources of the regional council elected, at the Council level, an appointed SG controls resources managed by elected mayors. How then do you want them to responsible?” he said further.
