Militants, supporters and sympathisers from all wings of the Cameroon’s People Democratic Movement (CPDM), Monday March 24, celebrated the 29th anniversary of their party since its birth on March 24, 1985 at the Bamenda Congress hall in pomp and pageantry.

In the Ngoketunjia III section of the CPDM in Babessi, the celebrations were special and just like elsewhere in the division and country, marked by choral music and series of speeches from leaders and top brass of the party within the various sections, sub-sections and cells.

After a welcome speech by the host subsection president, the Mayor of the Babessi Council who doubles as vice section president for Ngoketunjia III took the floor. Choh Isah Buba said the day was a very special one as the CPDM in Babessi was celebrating two very important occasions: the 29th anniversary and first anniversary of the first ever CPDM party victory over the council since the birth of multiparty politics.

He used the celebrations to outline some of the achievements of the new CPDM Babessi Council which he disclosed has done better than any other party with just 97 days in office after its December 17, 2013 installation, in implementing programmes aimed at promoting the welfare of the people.

“We have effectively opened streets in Babungo, Baba I and Babessi Fondoms. The council has equally opened new food markets in Mambim and Babungo and installed street lights in all public spots in all four fondoms of the municipality and has concluded a contract for the extension of electricity from Makulung to Mbessang in Bangolan.

In education, we have assisted the construction of two classrooms in G.S.S. Mbinzeh as well as the putting in place of infrastructure for a computer laboratory in G.B.H.S. Babessi,” Mayor Isah Buba told the people.

He added that the Council has equally extended the Council office and Mayor’s residence within the Council premises and recruited 55 teachers who have been sent to various primary schools in the fondoms and equally employed nurses and lab technicians for the health centre in the area.

The council he continued recently purchased a 20 ton truck to facilitate collection of garbage and transportation of building material within the municipality. All these, he concluded, in just 97 days.

While thanking some elite of the division notably, Paul Ghogomu Mingo, Uphie Chinje Melo and Hon. Njingum Musa for making available some financial resources for the effective celebration of the 29th anniversary, the mayor promised that the party would maintain its standing in the section as the sky alone was their limit.

Praising the Mayor for his development strides and vision for the municipality, the Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office, Prof. Paul Ghogomu, who was special guest at the occasion, called on the people to stand behind the CPDM now and forever for greater and better things to come.

He said the CPDM is on top now in Babessi and would remain on top forever and that the decision to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the party in Babessi was to congratulate militants and sympathisers for their brilliant performance in the last elections seizing the council from the opposition SDF party.

Prof. Ghogomu Paul Mingo called on all the militants to continue rallying behind the winning team which comes along with many advantages. He cited the Ndop/Kumbo stretch of the ring road with the inhabitants of Babessi already enjoying the road as well as other development projects ongoing in the council area.

“This anniversary is so special here because it is coming after the lone council that was owned by the opposition party had been with them for 17 years. For once, the CPDM finally got it in order to remove the people of this section out of bondage and darkness. So we had to come and celebrate with them.

Special also because it came at a time when the Babessi people had told the Prime Minister that they were going to do it and they did it. So I came with a special message of thanks from the PM to them. That is the reason why the CPDM 29th anniversary in Babessi had to be special.

He said the party in Babessi is just starting and there is so much that the party would offer to not only the Babessi people but the whole Ngoketunjia as a whole.

“This subdivision in particular, that is the Babessi subdivision which was created by this same party now has roads, inter village roads, quarter to quarter roads, farm to market roads but they need to opened and the mayor in just three months has what the other mayors for the past 17-years could not do. So I think the CPDM has a lot to offer to this subdivision.”

Prof. Uphie Chinje Melo in her capacity as Central Committee delegation head was full of praises for the people for voting for the party.

“You know as you heard, for 17 years of democracy, the Babessi Council was not doing what it was supposed to be doing, and I am very happy that over the years, the people realised that they were in the wrong direction and on September 30, they unanimously agreed that they were going to vote the CPDM and of course today they are witnessing the huge changes.

The Mayor today not up to 100 days since they took over, everybody is very impressed what he has been doing especially opening up the quarters, he has brought light to all parts of the four fondoms, at least to the central part of the town and so we are very happy that the CPDM is in charge fully of this council area.

It was a long struggle but we made and today we are rejoicing with the people of Babessi for what they did to change things from the opposition to the party and as we are celebrating today, we are asking everybody to stay on board, stay committed so that together we would work to make everybody, citizen in this subdivision to feel fine and be happy.

Other key speakers at the occasion included the section president Chindong David who revealed that the party was growing in a geometrical progression ever since it took over of the council.

Prof. Ghogomu and the members of the Central Committee of the CPDM also made a stop at the Ndop Community Hall to celebrate with militants of the Ngoketunjia I section.