Menchum Integrated Rural Development Project (MIRUDEP) stands to lose up to 287 million francs cfa in a “raid” on its equipment as a result of a controversial rescue of the bankrupt association.
By Wumah Acai
Four political leaders and an elite of Wum, Menchum Division, North West Region, have written twice to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC) to investigate how the equipment for MIRUDEP procured with financial assistance from the Islamic Development Bank was exploited elsewhere other than in Menchum for over 18 years without any solid outcomes.
Three contracting firms are cited in the first letter to CONAC; Baba and Sons Bamenda, which reportedly received 133 million francs cfa for the rehabilitation of a bulldozer, front end loader and excavator; Universal Contractors and Suppliers Company Ltd (36 million francs cfa) to repair a grader and a compactor, then FORSAB Enterprises Bamenda, 68 million francs cfa to revamp four tractors, two trailers, four ploughs and four harrows.
The political leaders (CPDM, SDF, NUDP, APF and a Wum elite), who signed the first letter, complain that after the Wum Area Development Authority (WADA) was liquidated in 1989, MIRUDEP was created and with assistance from the Islamic Development Bank various equipment was procured.
The equipment included five tractors, two graders, one bulldozer, two front-end loaders, two vibration rollers, one hydraulic excavator, two water tankers, three 7-ton tippers, one mobile van, two concrete mixers, one pneumatic compressor, one rock drill, one stone crusher, three welding plants and a well equipped spare parts store.
Unfortunately, reads the letter, the North West Development Authority (MIDENO) hijacked this equipment and used it for more than 18 years and is unable to replace even one of them, and up to this moment reduced three-quarters of them to mere scraps and some of these scraps do not even exist.
The political leaders further say that the various companies that won the contacts for the rehabilitation have not been able to effectively carry out the projects as required.
For instance, the tractors and their implements, the excavator, the graders, and the front-end loader are all grounded.
They say instead some parts were pilfered.
“Sadly too, some of the equipment was rehabilitated using spare parts from the spare parts store,” says the letter.
Before the contracts were given out, MIDENO had been criticised for mismanaging the Government Investment Budget meant for MIRUDEP for maize seed production and road construction equipment.
The deal fell short of the much sought-after repairs on the Waindo-Atue road where only a few kilometres were bulldozed; Esu-Gayama and Benakuma-Banede roads where no work was done with the excuse that it was rainy season in 2010.
According to the appeal letter, government has been pumping in money into MIDENO for seed production in MIRUDEP Wum for over 18 years, yet seeds produced in Menchm are not sold in the Division.
“In 2012, seed certified taxes bore the name KOM-NWA (a subdivision in Donga Mantung) and Mankon (a town in Mezam Division) indicating that the seeds were produced in those places whereas there are no seed producing centres in the said places,” reads the petition.
The petitioners argue that it was a deliberate act to swing a tractor meant for seed producing centres away from Wum.
Considering what they term unfair treatment by corrupt government officials, the petitioners appeal to CONAC to probe MIRUDEP accounts; that the new Sub-Director in charge of MIRUDEP be replaced immediately, and above all the tractors be rehabilitated as they are grounded.
