Actualités of Friday, 20 June 2014

Source: Chronicle Newspaper

Member of Parliament beats-up own driver over FCFA 500

Chronicle newspaper has reported that drivers of some SDF MPs of the Cameroon National Assembly held an emergency meeting on June 11, 2014 over what the paper described as a reunion to seek ways of avenging the punches rained on one of them by Hon. Njong Evaristus Ndim, SDF MP for Boyo.

According to Chronicle while SDF MPs were humiliating the visiting Hon. Guillaume Soro, Cote D’Ivoire House Speaker, drivers on the other side were looking for ways to humiliate Hon. Njong Evaristus, who is the Secretary of the SDF Parliamentary Group.

The story goes that Andrew Achou, driver to Hon. Njong returned with his boss from Pinyin and they car they used was extremely dirty. Andrew Achuo requested boss (Hon. Njong) to give him money so that he (Andrew) could take the car to the washing point. It is alleged that Hon. Njong angrily shouted at him, tasking him to wash the car at home.

When the driver went behind the house to get a bucket, some carpenters working there asked him what the matter was. As the driver was trying to explain to them what happened, Hon. Njong emerged and asked what was going on. As Andrew Achou (the driver) tried to explain the situation, he poked his finger at the driver and rained blows on his mouth, wounding it and blood was oozing out.

It is alleged that the driver dropped the bucket and decided to report the incident to the SDF National chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi. While still on the bike, the MP called and ordered him back and Fru Ndi was not informed of the injustice. Allegations abound that Hon. Njong is noted for hiring and firing drivers at will during each session. Besides, it is also aired that he has used several drivers without paying them as well.

Worst of all, it is even alleged that Hon. Njong doesn’t provide food and accommodation to his drivers, though he as bureau member collects FCFA 62.000 from the National Assembly for his driver.

During the meeting, the drivers collectively asked Njong’s driver whether he had eaten and when he said no, one of the drivers pulled out FCFA 1000 and handed to him. More so, it is alleged that the drivers asked Njong’s driver to hand the keys back to him and resign. They equally resolved that they were going to discourage any other driver from driving the MP.

One driver is said to have aired that Hon. Njong is a product of political mistakes, who has no base as he represents people who never voted for him. While others suggested that the issue should be reported to the SDF National chairman, but one driver rejected it on grounds that Ni John Fru Ndi is already tired of talking to Hon. Njong and Hon. Nintcheu on the ill treatment of their workers but they have not changed.

He added that the National chairman and other MPs treat their drivers and workers with respect but Hon. Njong sees self as a demi-god. One driver is even quoted by Chronicle to have joked that Njong tells everyone who cares to listen that he is the second in command in the SDF. Another asked whether the Honourable MP actually knows the constitution of the SDF.

However, Chronicle newspaper concluded that when Hon. Njong was contacted to tell his own side of the story, he as usual evasively said that he was in a meeting and will call later, a thing he never did.