Actualités Régionales of Friday, 1 May 2015

Source: The Post Newspaper

Flashy administrative cars flood Kumba

In the last few weeks, the city of Kumba, Southwest Region has been witnessing an unprecedented presence of flashy administrative ‘Prado’ cars supposedly belonging to civil administrators in Cameroon.

The vehicles which look apparently new are usually spotted around banks, in front of beer palours, private homes, unofficial ceremonial grounds and relatively church premises.

Observations carried out by The Post indicate that, the situation is a spillover effect of over 150 new of such administrative vehicles the ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization shipped into the country for her staff.

Most of those who have benefited from the largesse are said to be Divisional Officers, DO’s, Senior Divisional Officers, SDO’s and other senior staff of the Ministry.

Observers believe that, the frequent presence of the new cars mostly during the weekends in K-Town is the continuation of celebrations among family members, friends and colleagues in former stations.

Another point that justifies the massive presence of the new ‘Prados’ in town of late observers say, is the central location of Kumba to Divisions such as Lebialem, Kupe-Muanenguba, Lebialem and Ndian, most of which lack even a millimetre of tarred road on which the comfort of the cars can be fully savoured.

However, there are those who believe that, it would be best if Government puts a restriction on the places and times during which the vehicles should be seen in public.

A Kumba city dweller, Joseph Kwu regretted that, despite the efforts of the Government to keep the administrative class comfortable, the administrators are not supposed to take the vehicles to places such as night clubs and beer palours as it is fast becoming the vogue.

Kwu recalled that, very few people like Pascal AnongAbedime, one time Minister in charge of State Property could dare to challenge the misuse of Government vehicles by civil servants.