17 Million FCFA Now Exhausted To Complete New NOWEFU Secretariat

- Fon Teche Says Inauguration In December

By Tegha Otega

For those who thought that funds raised to finalize construction of the North West Fons’ NOWEFU Secretariat had been siphoned, may just be dreaming. Last Thursday July 26, 2012, Chronicle spotted Fon Teche, the NOWEFU President General at the Nkwen Mile 4 Secretariat site. The Ngyen Muwa Fon was supervising finishing touches of the Secretariat: Builders and the architect were at the site. Yet, what Chronicle observed was that far from public view of no work going-on, some 80% of the project had already been realized. Fon Teche told Chronicle that the project would be realized and inaugurated this December 2012.

The NOWEFU President told Chronicle that some 17 million FCFA had been spent to beef-up the structure, ever since he took over as NOWEFU President. He said though 15 million FCFA was raised during the last fundraising, all had been gulped, with a 2 million FCFA benefit. He said the amount would have been okay, but not of the fact that his executive had to pay debts, inherited from the former executive, as bank charges. To this, he posited that some 17 million FCFA had been gulped by the project under him.

When Chronicle inspected the work done at the secretariat, there were no doubts about the amount spent. Iron, plaited doors had been mounted; the ceiling and its painting completed; even the secretariat section of the Secretariat had been plastered.

According to Fon Teche in the next few weeks, the floor would be tiled. He told Chronicle that thanks to his lobby, Jean Perrial Nyodog, the Director of TRADEX had opted to tile the floor. He said it would cost some 6 million FCFA. The NOWEFU President however regretted the fact that Zaccheus Forjindam who had opted to paint the secretariat and provide a sound system had been sentences to life jail. To this, he said they would fox out a possibility to meet-up.

The NOWEFU Secretariat is just one amongst the myriad of projects of the North West Fons’ complex. A hotel of 21 rooms is also in the offing, just as a Rest House. Yet, the phases may not be realized, under Fon Teche’s reign. Commentators hold that for him to realize the completion of the secretariat project would be too much for his mandate.

Worthy to note, that Fon Teche succeeds Fon Aneng (Menchum), whose billboard was naught. It was instead during the reign of Fon Chafah XI (Ngoketunjia) that NOWEFU made a name. Earlier presidents like Fon Abumbi of Bafut (Mezam), Fon Sehm Mbinglo (Bui) had unquotable trappings. Only two (2) divisions are left to man/complete the NOWEFU rotatory presidency - Boyo and Donga/Mantung. For every Fon at the helm, his billboard would either be criticized or acclaimed.