Cameroon: SW Chiefs “against” creation of UB annex in Akonolinga.

The traditional authorities have called on the University authorities to implement their recommendation of decongesting the institution first.

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

Members of the South West Chiefs' Conference, SWECC have called on officials of the University of Buea to implement the recommendations they had proposed after elites of Akonolinga are pushing for an annex of the University of Buea in their locality.

In a communiqué August 19 sent to the University of Buea and signed by Mafany Njie Martin, president of the South West Chiefs' Conference said during one of their visit to the Vice-Chancellor on August 8, 2020, they had proposed the decongestion of the University of Buea.

This message by the traditional authorities of the South West Region comes a few days to the senate of the said University holding a session with one of the agenda being the discussions on the creation of the annex of the University of Buea in Akonolinga.

"…The text creating the University of Buea clearly states that it will pursue an Anglo-Saxon type of education with English as the medium of instruction…" SWEEC said in the communiqué. "Any student wishing to pursue an Anglo-Saxon type education should feel free to apply as it is already the case…"

"We know how difficult this process entails as most faculties; Colleges and Schools are interconnected and share common facilities and resources."

In the recommendations proposed by the South West Chiefs, the Faculty of Agriculture should be extended to Ekondo Titi (Ndian Division); Fisheries and Maritime Studies to Limbe (South West Region); Higher Teacher Training College (Bangem – Kupe Muanenguba Division); School of Mines and Geology (Mamfe – Manyu Division); School of Pharmacy and Pharmacopeia (Menji – Lebialem) and Faculty of Engineering and Cyber Criminology (Kumba – Meme Division). 

"It is said that charity begins at home… while thinking of the request of the elite of Akonolinga to create an annex of the University of Buea in their municipality, the senate should first consider the previous request of the Chiefs of the South West Region towards the decongestion and growth of the University of Buea," the Chiefs added.

The Region for the past five years has been facing a socio-political crisis that has seen many people killed while education has been disrupted and even most Divisions completely non-existent for the past years. Education according to the chiefs is a "very sensitive area" and "we should avoid any action that will further complicate the present situation."