NCHRF, EDC resolve Lom Pangar misunderstanding

The recent disagreement between the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, NCHRF, and the Electricity Development Corporation, EDC, over the Lom Pangar hydro-electricity dam project in the East Region, has now been resolved.

Speaking in Yaounde on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at a press briefing at the organisation’s headquarters, the Chair of NCHRF, Dr Chemuta Banda, said after the mission to investigate the human rights situation among project workers and displaced indigenes on September 17th to 20th, 2014, EDC was summoned to explain its initial hesitation over the visit. He said after the discussions, an understanding was reached and cordial working relations re-established between the two sides.

The NCHRF Chairman also disclosed that his organisation has been investigating allegations of land grabbing in the South West Region and in the Kribi Deep Seaport project. He said that there was evidence that non-indigenes had fraudulently acquired land near the Kribi Deep Seaport, while administrators in the South West Region have also amassed land for unjustifiable reasons. Dr Banda said as a result, the Prime Minister’s office has set up a commission to investigate the matter thoroughly.

Dr Banda deplored the manner in which displaced local people were compensated in the Kribi Deep Seaport project, saying the site set aside for resettlement was not prepared for construction. Moreover, cash was given to the people, which most of them squandered and still remain on the land.

On the contrary, the process went well in Lom Pangar when new settlements were constructed for the locals, he pointed out. He therefore promised to make a case with government on what else to do for the displaced of Kribi.

The press briefing was to discuss NCHRF’s recent visits to investigate the human rights situation in businesses in the southern part of the country and in the Far North Region in the face of Boko Haram-created insecurity.

He said after discussions with stakeholders in the region, everyone was satisfied that some freedoms had to be curtailed for now while the military battles Boko Haram militants.