16, January 2017

Scandal!! Budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture spent on Biya family’s private plantations 1

It has been revealed that a part of the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) to build boreholes and maintain agricultural roads in the South region has been used to develop private farms belonging to Foumane Akame, a senior aide and cousin to President Biya.

The Public Investment Budget (BIP) in the South Region for 2017 amounts to FCFA 125.4 billion and the Ministry of Agriculture has reportedly included private farming facilities located at Ndonkol into the budget. The Ndonkol Farms belong to Jean Foumane Akame, Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic.

A source at the Ministry of Agriculture has also hinted that the minister has already paid for the rehabilitation of agricultural tracks leading to plantations own by the Head of State. Our informant noted that “it is a real mess when you know the number of entire poor villages that do not even have a water point.”

Local media reports say tension is mounting in the South region over the 2017 budget. We learnt that out of an envelope of 125 billion CFA francs, the Department of the Mvila which is home of the chief town of the South region has been accorded only 11 billion FCFA against 43.6 billion FCFA for Dja and Lobo Division, the home constituency of President Biya.

By Rita Akana