Awudu Mbaya Resurrects Abandoned Projects in Nkambe Fear of CONAC, Supreme State Audit Or Electorate?

Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, SDF MP for Nkambe Central constituency who doubles as Questor in the Cameroon National Assembly, and is also Chairman of the follow up committee for Public Investment Budget for the NW, has unexpectedly metamorphosed and in an unprecedented move resurrecting all projects he abandoned in Donga Mantung Division in general and Nkambe central in particular. In what most consider as feeding chickens on the day of the market, Hon Awudu Mbaya who is variously accused by most villages of his constituency of neglect in the execution of micro-projects has suddenly become Father Christmas in his Nkambe Central Constituency. What is interesting is that Hon Awudu has embarked on completing abandoned jobs on the heels of recent moves by Operation Epervier indicting some vote holders to cough out what they have unduly robbed the state and the people of. Hon Awudu Mbaya as Questor is supposed to follow up and ensure that the micro grants dished out to MPs are properly used for the upliftment of the population of their constituencies. Equally as chairman of the follow up committee for the execution of the public investment budget, PIB in the North West, Hon Awudu is also supposed to ensure the strict execution of the PIB and call delinquent contractors to order. By all indications Hon Awudu Mbaya is himself a living example of what he has been mandated to fight. He seems to have an unpalatable legend of uncompleted and abandoned contracts in his own constituency.

Unbelievably Hon Awudu Mbaya is upbeat about resurrecting all abandoned contracts and completing them. Political analysts are quick to point out that Hon Awudu’s move to resurrect abandoned contracts has serious hidden ramifications. People are asking whether he is doing so because he has been tipped off that CONAC or the Supreme State Audit will descend to his constituency or because he is afraid of a sanction vote from his electorate who may vote him out and quash his dream of picking a fourth mandate as MP for Nkambe Central? Others are questioning where he who has always been complaining about poverty has suddenly taken money to execute projects he abandoned on the pretext of lack of adequate funds to complete them.

It appears that Hon Awudu Mbaya is cornered and is either caught up or being haunted by his past misdeeds and the embezzlement of micro project funds meant for his constituency and the Ako Constituency after the death of Hon. Chemo Sama. However, Hon Awudu has always dismissed all embezzlement accusations on grounds that they are attempts by his political adversaries to soil his image. What is pellucid is what has certainly come over him to resurrect abandoned projects and make much noise about them.

It is on record that the people of Tabenken Vilage, one of the most populated in Hon Awudu’s Constituency at one time rose up like one man and sent a strong constituted delegation to Fru Ndi to complain about Hon Awudu whom they said nonchalantly neglected Tabenken, the most populated and strongest hold of the SDF in Nkambe Central. The complaint by the people of Tabenken like other numerous complaints from other villages of Nkambe Central Constituency did not mean anything to Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian until recently. Precisely on February 24, 2012, Hon Awudu Mbaya in a highly mediatised event invited Fru Ndi to Tabenken Village to witness the official handing over of two bridges he constructed there. The event boomeranged as even bike riders known for their generosity in escorting convoys out of excitement refused to escort Fru Ndi and Awudu Mbaya to Tabenken. To add salt to injury, the population of Tabenken on their part instead of expressing joy lamented that the two bridges being handed over though seriously belated were still uncompleted. They did not hide their anger about Hon Awudu Mbaya who they claimed for 15 years has been able to construct only two uncompleted bridges and an uncompleted market stall in Tabenken Village. If Hon Awudu’s aim was to win the hearts of the population of Tabenken, then he greatly missed the mark as open annoyance was exhibited by the population of Tabenken towards Fru Ndi and his entourage, who they claim has been pocketed by Awudu Mbaya. Yet, it is alleged by Awudu’s supporters that Tabenken Village alone has benefited more than 60% of Hon Awudu’s micro-project grants for 15 years. “If two bridges and an open market shed for the past 15 years constitute 60% of Hon Awudu’s micro projects then the other villages must have been crying in the wilderness” an analyst quipped.

If the youths in Nkambe Central are seriously aghast with Hon Awudu Mbaya, it is because of the Nkambe Sports Complex that Awudu Mbaya coerced Mayor Mangoh Jones Tankoh to give him as a contract. The Sports Complex has been abandoned and both Mayor Mangoh Jones and Hon Awudu Mbaya have maintained sealed lips on repeated questions to explain the whereabouts of funds voted for the Nkambe Municipal sports complex. The youths are equally annoyed that Hon Awudu Mbaya does not follow through with his political promises. Most of the youths consider him as a bare face liar and schemer promising that they cannot be fooled again by him this time around.

Another school of thought holds that if Hon. Awudu Mbaya is resurrecting abandoned projects, it is perhaps because of the drastic decisions taken by the Budgetary and Financial Disciplinary Council of the Supreme State Audit to descend to all sectors of public spending and fish out embezzlers. The same school of thought adds that this is more so as CONAC recently held a workshop to update the skills of officials of the Supreme State Audit, the Ministry of Justice, Public Contracts, Gendarmerie, Police and the Public Contract Regulatory Board, ARMP on methods of tracking down those who have unduly defrauded the state and the population. This school of thought holds strongly that Awudu’s belated move is to preempt what happened to some elected officials like the Government Delegate to the Limbe City council who was ordered alongside some of his collaborators to cough out what they took from the Limbe City Council coffers. And that he is afraid that his name would be read over the radio thus exposing him to public disgrace like the names of those found guilty of financial impropriety by the Supreme State Audit.

Nevertheless, others are of the opinion that Hon. Awudu Mbaya like a Spartan that dies but never surrenders wants to woo the population on the eve of legislative election by resurrecting abandoned projects and constantly being in the field to show that he is working for their interest. And that this has become very imperative given that the monopoly he had over the Nkambe Central Constituency where no serious challenger within the SDF or the CPDM emerged to challenge him is gradually fading away with new aspirants combing the field on daily basis. The media outings of Bang Bullet and the philanthropic trappings of Gerard Ngala, who not yet an MP is doing more than Awudu is said to be sending hot sweat running down the spine of Awudu Mbaya and his supporters, especially as the youths have fallen behind Bang Bullet and Gerard Ngala. That apart, Tabenken is threatening to put up a candidate just like other villages who rightly or wrongly argue that the seats of MP and Mayor were not made for particular people. It is alleged that these other external forces coupled with the strained relationship between Hon Awudu and Mayor Mangoh is giving Awudu sleepless nights and he is bent on doing everything to go back to parliament, reason he has resurrected his abandoned projects.

Whether to woo the electorate or escape arrest by the Supreme State Audit by resurrecting abandoned projects, Awudu Mbaya has a battle on many fronts to fight. The Supreme State Audit can still charge him whether elected MP or not if they descend to Nkambe and found him wanting in the execution of contracts tendered for and won by him. This is becoming more apparent as the lies Hon Awudu Mbaya told the people of Donga Mantung that he personally fought for the Rural Electrification scheme for the division have started collapsing under startling revelations by some village development associations like that of Mbipgo. Hon Awudu lobbied for the electrification projects and won the contracts but has failed in a greater part to realise the contracts through his CAMITEX Company. Chances are that the Supreme State Audit acting in tip offs like that from Mbipgo village may descend to Nkambe and Hon Awudu Mbaya may be found wanting. If that were to happen what a dishonourable way to exit from parliament after 15 years?