Government restricts sale of machetes, iron rods across NW, SW

The purchase of cutlasses and iron rods of 6, 8 and 10 inches in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon will henceforth be done upon presentation of an authorization from a divisional officer, DO.

In an order signed by the minister of territorial administration Tuesday August 11th, he calls on governors of the two regions need to take stock of parking stores and shops selling building materials and other objects .

To Paul Atanga Nji, sellers of these materials should get a photocopy of the national identity card of the buyer, his or her telephone number, plan of residence and ensure that the buyer is a farmer or building a house depending of what he or she wants to buy.

The minister of territorial administration insist that sellers should jealously keep identification documents of the buyer for future verification if an evil act is committed using what is purchased in the shop.

The order of the minister of territorial administration states that recent cases of beheading and Killing innocent people in the anglophone regions of Cameroon have been done with the use of machetes, hammers, iron rods and other related objects purchased in local markets by people who pass around as good citizens but later use the objects to commit acts of terrorism.

The decision has been criticised and rated cosmetic by those who think frank dialogue between the government and separatist fighters is the only way for permanent peace.

Mimi Mefo Info.