Oku Mayor & MT Draw Daggers Over 57 Million FCFA Shortage

By Tegha Otega

An emergency session of the Elak-Oku council in Bui division, the Prime Minister’s constituency held recently, confirmed the destitution of Elias Fuh as the Municipal Treasurer. The measure, Chronicle has been told, was arrived at, following intense pressure from the Mayor, Jerome Ngum over a 57 million FCFA scandal. Fuh Elias was thus sacked for what Chronicle gathered was for ‘incompetence’. His predecessor also faced same wrath. Implicitly, Chronicle was told that Ngum Jerome has caused two (2) Municipal Treasurers to be replaced, within 5 years as Mayor.

Last weekend, a source at the Elak council hinted Chronicle that Ngum Jerome has been boasting how it is thanks to him that an edifying structure has been erected to serve as the council chambers. He is said to have denounced allegations that it is thanks to Prime Minister Philemon Yang that development projects have been bestowed to his council.

The rife between Mayor Ngum and his Municipal Treasurer, Chronicle gathered, stemmed from a gimmick, which the former had long embarked on. According to a source, the MT was induced to withdraw at one time, the sum of 57 million FCFA from the council’s account at the bank: that the move was allegedly masterminded by Mayor Ngum in order that his mission allowances be paid. But then, things got sour, when auditors came questioning and the mayor allegedly washed his hands off the issue.

Chronicle further learnt that ever since Ngum Jerome became mayor, he has been suspicious about whoever is around him. Even Soh Patrick, his section president and First Deputy Mayor has not been seeing eyeball-to-eyeball with him; journalists too.

According to a source, Mbei Marcarious, the station manager of the Oku community radio has been at odds with Mayor Ngum over his poor management of the council. The mayor is even alleged to have exploited the council forest and sold to a dealer in Bamenda at some 3.7 million FCFA which money, he never accounted for to his MT. Worse still, Nkwaibibi Genesis, a revenue collector at the council was messed up in 5.7 million FCFA withdrawal by Mayor Ngum.

The last council session ended in disarray when councilors refused to stomach the unruly nature of their mayor. The administrative and management accounts were stall. Councilors were more crossed over allegations that Mayor Ngum undertook a trip to Dubai to purchase an old model PRADO as his service car, yet, was paid on mission by the council. Interestingly, Chronicle learnt that the PRADO allegedly bought for 3.2 million FCFA was again sold back to the council at 22 million FCFA. Councilors were irked by the fact that the mayor had made himself a contractor with his contracts not going through any tenders’ board.

Mayor Ngum is mired in varied controversies at his Elak council. He is suspicious of everyone, even the Oku rural radio station manager. He is quoted to have told him how he (Ngum) dreamt that the journalist at one point held a gun and shot him (the mayor). It is even on record that all the living forces that backed him to become mayor are no longer behind him.

The caterpillar episode is one amongst the other numerous scandals linked with mayor Ngum. Having spent a colossal sum to repair the equipment thanks to connivance with a Bamenda based consultant, the caterpillar had never been seen at work. The caterpillar was due to rehabilitate the Jikijem-Mbam road, yet, had not even worked for a km, when it got bad and had since been parked by the wayside.

One thing, which Chronicle gathered Mayor Ngum Jerome prides himself is that he is of the Prime Minister’s constituency. He knows what is scandalous cannot be brought to the fore, given that it would denigrate the image/name of Philemon Yang, the PM.