Boyo division did not suffer major security threats in 2014-SDO

The Senior Divisional Officer for Boyo Oum II Joseph has said the year 2014 was a relatively peaceful one in his division, though not void of land and farmer-grazier conflicts, robbery attacks and the recent uprising of bike riders in Fundong subdivision which posed threats to the security of the division. He was speaking at the BADU hall in Belo on Wednesday 17^th December 2014, while chairing (presided over) the last security and administrative coordination meeting for the year 2014.

Oum II Joseph presented cases of threats to security in Boyo ranging from the Aku-Mbororo conflict in Bum subdivision with the Aku community opting for the creation of their own ardorate claiming they are being marginalised by the Mbororo, the conflict of land ownership between the Kichakwo village in Bum and Nkanchi in Missaje, Donga Mantung allocated for the construction of two classrooms at G.S Kichakwo, the robbery attack on cattle  breeders in Konene where the robbers shot and killed one cattle breeder, and minor cases of robbery in other villages in the division, as well as  number of farmer-grazier conflicts among others. This notwithstanding, he said measures have been taken by the administration to settle disputes and to ensure the security of the population and their goods.

The coordination meeting  featured four major presentations on; land management by traditional rulers, the creation of chiefdoms and appointment of chiefs, the importance of follow-up committees in the execution of public investment projects and collaboration between government deconcentrated services and council.

On the issue of land management by traditional rulers, the SDO warned that traditional rulers who sell government land and put money in their pockets because they are called custodians of the land will face the law squarely. All land belongs to government he said, while stressing that ownership of land must be backed by a land certificate. The arbitrary distribution of land in 2014 as we learned let to some 177 farmer-grazier conflicts.

Boyo mayors expressed the worry that unlike in other areas where a percentage of the money for land sales goes to the community for development, this is not the case in Boyo. They were also worried that the traditional rulers and mayors are not fully involved in the land consultative boards headed by D.Os, and this accounts for the recurrent land conflicts in the division.

It was also revealed during the Belo coordination meeting that the monthly remuneration promised traditional rulers in Cameroon by President Paul Biya in September 2013 is yet to be applicable in Boyo, because many of them are not recognised by the administration.

“The creation of chiefdoms and appointment of chiefs is solely a prerogative of the administration. Those creating villages and claiming to be chiefs appointed by the Fon of Kom, because they want to benefit from the presidential package are not recognised and their files can never be sent to MINATD for any remuneration” said Oum II.The SDO said he was disappointed with the attitude of those who are claiming to be traditional rulers at all cost because they want a monthly payment.