Did Ngolle Ngolle Elvis Embezzle Public Funds?

Ngolle Ngolle Elvis

This extremely mind bugging question has been on the lips of those who know the eminent University Don, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, former Minister of Forestry and Wildlife. In fact since the official presentation of the report of the National Anti Corruption Commission, NACC, on November 29, 2012; a report which axed Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle of some financial impropriety, many Cameroonians of goodwill and clear consciences have been asking if something is not wrong somewhere. Without being advocates of the Devil, they argue that Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is human and liable to acts of commission and omission like all mortals, but to tag him to acts of corruption is certainly unfathomable and a joke in very bad taste. They say Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle is capable of everything that can make Cameroon stand on her feet, but not corruption and embezzlement of public funds, something he is anathema and seriously allergic to.

Nevertheless, others intimate that the name of Prof Ngolle Ngolle featuring in the NACC reports is not surprising, given that before he left government, a well constituted cabal had vowed to soil his impeccable image, simply because his soaring popularity, loyalty to state institutions and workaholic nature was putting them at bay. Although Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle’s entourage are gripped by utter surprise and disbelieve, others simply consider the NACC report a non-event. Those who hold this opinion argue strongly that just like in 2011 when the NACC report was published and ministers and institutions challenged it for lack of procedure and logical methods in carrying out their investigations, thus discrediting the report, it might be a repeat scenario this year. But Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s supporters are seriously cross by the mere idea of putting his name in the report even if the allegations are false. In fact after the publication of the NACC 2011 report in November 2011, the Minister of Public Works, Bernard Messengue Avom who was axed by the report came out energetically to refute all the allegations therein. Other instances came out too to point serious lapses in the method of data collection and analysis by NACC, a procedure which did not give room to those accused or denounced to defend themselves. There is no guarantee that other ministerial departments and individuals indexed by the 2012 NACC report as embezzlers will not do same.

What is curious is the fact that of all names, Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis and Hon. PC Fonso are tagged as haven siphoned public funds. Although, their purported financial crime is that they allegedly received undue sitting fees in the Inter-ministerial Commission, IMC of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, it raises eyebrows, given the integrity and public credibility that these two personalities command. Could it be an error on the part of NACC, or is NACC being used by some hidden hands to settle scores, is the question on many lips.

Reading through the 2012 NACC report on the state of corruption in Cameroon ; a report that dedicates more than10 pages to the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife; one easily leaves with the impression that Prof Ngolle Ngolle is being scapegoated. The report after accusing him of diverse inconsistencies in procedure, ranging from usurpation of the role of the chair of the Inter-ministerial Commission, through the refusal of the application of the directives of NACC to the embezzlement of public funds, he is requested to pay the sum of FCFA 1.5 million. Was the report actually tailored only to tarnish Ngolle Ngolle’s image or it actually reflected the state of things as they obtained as of the time of the investigation, which was February, March and April 2011? Amongst other flimsy accusations levied against Prof Ngolle Ngolle is hostility towards NACC team. It is common knowledge that the Inter-ministerial Commission, IMC in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife has representatives from other ministerial department and the National Assembly. It is also on record that the chair of the Inter-ministerial Commission is the Secretary General in the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and not the Minister. It is no longer news that when Ngolle Ngolle realized that some unorthodox practices were going on in his ministry, he personally invited the National Anti Corruption Commission, NACC to visit his ministerial department and through light on happenings there. How could he in turn be accused of being hostile to NACC? Equally, when NACC asked for the dissolution of the Inter-ministerial Commission, the matter was referred to the Presidency of the Republic which in turn tasked the Prime Minister, Head of Government to listen to both parties; that is NACC and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife. Sources close to the Star Building adduce to the fact that during the meeting, Prof Ngolle Ngolle stated that the Inter-ministerial Commission had representatives from other ministerial departments and institutions and he had no powers to dissolve such a structure. He then requested the PM, Head of Government to give him the written authority to dissolve the structure, a thing which was not done. In the wake of the matter, it is alleged that Dieudonne Massi Gams, chairman of NACC even wrote back to Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, reassuring him that after proper investigations, NACC had found out that he was in order and should continue functioning with the Inter-ministerial Commission. Was that a mere ploy by NACC to stab Ngolle Ngolle on the back? The answer is of course in the affirmative, if not how could NACC accused Ngolle Ngolle of embezzling HIPIC funds when he was not the one managing them?  If not a ploy how could that be possible when Ngolle Ngolle complained about his collaborator that managed HIPIC funds and he was arrested and is facing justice, yet Ngolle Ngolle is tagged for haven siphoned such funds?

Ploy To Efface Ngolle Ngolle’s Billboard In Ministry Of Forestry And Wildlife  

Give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. This is just what is happening to Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis. His detractors thought that he was down and out. Yet, they realized that the indefatigable University Don was still material for use anyway anytime. To completely efface him from the political arena and public appreciation, his detractors swung into action and united their forces and concocted stories filled to the brim with fabrications just in a bid to soil him. There is no gainsaying that Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s performances as a minister were laudable and remain indelible. And in a government were inertia and mediocrity had elected permanent residence, the very workaholic and proactive Prof Ngolle Ngolle was bound to have detractors. His crime is haven succeeded where others fumbled and are still fumbling. It is common knowledge that when Ngolle Ngolle was Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, he had ferocious attacks even within his ministerial departments as most directors wanted undue advantages and he refused to cede to their machinations. Many of his collaborators tried to undermine his authority and most of them indulged in financial malpractices just as a way of tarnishing his billboard. Some of his collaborators struggled in vain to ensnare and induce him into error. Void of finding any blemish on him, they turned to the NACC and fed the structure with half-baked facts that the institution erroneously endorsed without proper investigation. There is a popular saying that administration is continuous but Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s successor seems oblivious to this principle.  When he took over, he apparently questioned everything done by Prof Ngolle Ngolle to the point of nullifying appointments and contracts with lumbering companies that Ngolle Ngolle signed. Even the SG is alleged to be behind the woes of Prof Ngolle Ngolle. Tongues are wagging that he used his filial relationship with Dieudonne Massi Gams (they are married from same family) to pinned down Ngolle Ngolle in purported acts of corruption. The amount Ngolle Ngolle is accused of haven embezzled sends giggles through people’s minds. How could he have managed billions and stole a meager FCFA 1.5 million, many are wont to ask. Even in accounting principles all accounts that balance are not correct accounts for there is always a margin for human error. But why this cabal against Prof Ngolle Ngolle?

Paying The Price For Loyalty, Hard Work And Transparency

 Prof Ngolle Ngolle’s only crime is his exceeding intelligence, political loyalty and proactive workaholic nature that propelled the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to higher heights. Conventional wisdom holds that when you transform something neglected into an enviable art, others will want to dislodge you to reap the fruits of what they did not plant. Prof Ngolle Ngolle rendered the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife enviable through his hard work and transparent management of both human and physical resources. In order to improve on the quality and competitiveness of Cameroon wood abroad, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle negotiated, obtained and signed the FLEGT partnership between Cameroon and the European Union in May 2010. He equally signed other important protocol agreements that have improved on the management policy of Cameroon forest to the appreciation of foreign donors. It is no longer news that personnel of the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife arte better equipped and armed to tackle forestry problems thanks to palpable reforms put in place by Prof Ngolle Ngolle. He was one of the greatest architects of President Paul Biya’s Greater Accomplishment efforts as he did everything to push the forest sector towards becoming the life-wire of Cameroon ’s efforts towards an emerging economy in 2035. Illegal logging and lumbering that used to be legendary in Cameroon is now something of the past thanks to the efforts put in place by Prof Ngolle Ngolle to dislodge illegal powerful lumbering companies from Cameroonian forests.