Far North: Traditional leaders still without salaries

The administrative authorities are accused of creating fictitious chiefdoms in order to have money.

Tension reigns now among the traditional leaders of the Far North region, particularly in the departments of Mayo-Kani and Diamaré. According to our sources, the custodians of the tradition of these departments have not yet seen any franc as their monthly allowance that was granted them by the President of the Republic according to the a decree signed on September 13, 2013.

Yet, for nearly two years, Traditional leaders of other departments in the region whose compliant files were sent to the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization go to the checkout.

The origin of their situation, sources suggest, is a tampered list sent to Yaoundé and operated by the administrative authorities. What? By creating new chiefdoms in violation of regulations. "Aware of the anchor of traditional authority in the area, some administrative authorities are involved in the creation of traditional chiefs to benefit their cronies and that means large sums of money," suggests an administrative authority.

In this enterprising breakdown of traditional chiefdoms, the Mayo-Kani department holds the Gold Award. Just in regard to traditional chiefdoms of 3rd degree, the figure is about 1400 in 2014 alone since these figures have yet experienced a small extension.

Whether in the lawanat of Korah in the borough of Moulvoudaye, in the canton of Bizili in the borough of Touloum, land chiefs are "manufactured" as new leaders. This happened when, as we pointed out, the creation of new traditional leadership has been prohibited since July 1994. And even the call to order of the highest authorities do not seem to disrupt the sub-prefects and prefects.

"As for traditional leadership, I wish to reiterate loud and clear that their creation is suspended by the President of the Republic since July 1994. I would like to take this opportunity to solemnly warn all administrative authorities who continue to appoint these fake chiefs, sometimes excelling in the creation of fictitious chiefdoms, sometimes with impunity violating regulations including consultation of Procedure relevant to customary laws.

"It pleases me to note here that if the law recognizes the prefect of resolving disputes and arising challenges inherent in the appointment of traditional leaders, for heads of 3rd degree, the fact remains that the governor may seek the cancellation and resumption of consultations when corruption evidence is proved," thus stated the governor of the Far North region Midjiyawa Bakari, on the occasion of the regional committee work of administrative coordination, held from 25 to June 26, 2015 in Kaele. Is the recreation process over? We wait and see.

For many, this disorder observed in the field is caused by prefects. "The traditional leadership, creating disorder is done with the complicity of the prefects. They are the ones who sign the approval orders designating the traditional leaders. If a prefect validates the designation of a leader, it means that he first approved the creation of the chiefdom of this chief. Yet the creation of traditional chiefs is suspended," regrets a traditional chief in Maroua.

Chiefdoms Vacant

In creating fictitious chiefdoms, added is the power vacuum observed in several chiefdoms. This is the case in the canton of Seraoua chiefdom, in the district of Tokombéré where since the death of Chetima Malloum Zake on November 15, 2012, a new leader has still not been appointed. "This problem is complex. The policy has taken over the administration," says an official on duty at the sub-prefecture of Tokombéré.

The power vacuum in the chiefdoms however concerns the highest point, the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Rene Emmanuel Sadi. This issue has also been the subject of a recommendation at the end of the conference of regional governors, held from 17 to 19 September 2014 in Yaounde.

The Minister also issued instructions along the lines of taking appropriate measures to fill vacancies observed at the head of some traditional chiefdoms and expedite conflict resolution of pending estates.