DECLARATION BY THE SDF PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON THE RAMPANT BURNING OF MARKETS IN THE URBAN AREAS OF CAMEROON
In less than a month, on the 17th May and 10th June 1999 the central market of Bafoussam, the Provincial headquarters of the West Province went into flames and the origin of these fires is yet to be determined. The burning was really a catastrophe as over 80% of the shops in that market were burnt down, depriving hundreds of traders of the totality of their merchandise, occasioning death and grievous bodily injuries.
Several towns of Cameroon have experienced similar fire disasters during recent years. Instead of taking appropriate measures as required by the gravity of these catastrophes and other measures to prevent subsequent similar occurrences the CPDM government busies itself with words of comfort and messages of condolences. These disasters are the inevitable consequences of the dual management saddled on the city councils chairpersons are set against surrogate government officials known as ?government delegates?.
In Bafoussam, this provincial headquarters is devoid of any fire fighting and prevention structures and services and the explanation given the population is the militants of the SDF form the majority of those affected by the fire disaster. It is in the same logic that, a few years ago the Yaounde government delegate said over radio and television that opposition was responsible for the garbage, which inundates the Yaounde City.
The SDF has persistently demonstrated the anti-constitutionality of the government delegates and advocated their suppression but the CPDM has given it a deaf ear.
The SDF Parliamentary Group seizes this opportunity to vehemently reiterate to the CPDM government through the Prime Minister present in Parliament, the SDF position on the continuous existence of these government delegates at the helm of the councils it won during the 1996 Council Elections.
Hon. Daniel Tsessue,
SDF Deputy Leader of the House of Parliament
The end
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