It was a moment that stood out amid the pageantry and political gravity of Prime Minister Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute’s third official visit to Bamenda. As he stepped into the circle of dignitaries waiting to receive him, his handshake with Mayor Musa Shey Nfor of the Nkambe Council and Hon Gerald Ngala, Member of Parliament for Nkambe Central, lingered longer than others, firmer than most. Observers caught the Prime Minister smiling, audibly stating, “Thank you very much for the mobilisation. We are very happy.”
That extended handshake told a story of recognition, approval, and perhaps quiet admiration for what the two men have achieved in their corner of the crisis-hit North West Region.
Nkambe, headquarters of Donga Mantung Division, is widely recognised as an oasis of calm in a region still grappling with the fallout of an armed separatist conflict. While other towns have seen school closures, ghost towns and municipal paralysis, Nkambe has forged a different path. Schools are open, children wear uniforms. Markets thrive. Construction of new educational facilities is ongoing. Roads are being tarred, thanks to the Ring Road project. And through the council-led “Clean City, Clean Habits” initiative, streets are regularly swept and public health is actively promoted.
That steady pulse of progress has often been credited to the leadership of Mayor Musa Shey Nfor and Hon Gerald Ngala the two men who, despite political challenges and security threats, have remained visible and engaged with their communities. Their grassroots presence has earned them both praise and the trust of a population weary of absentee leadership.
Speaking to Hilltopvoices shortly after the warm encounter with the Prime Minister, Hon Gerald Ngala made clear the political and developmental stakes of the moment.
“You know that this is an election year, and we’re preparing for the presidential election. It’s important for the population to know what the Head of State has been doing. As Section President of the CPDM, I’m happy to work with the Prime Minister so we can market what has been achieved. We’re proud of how far we have come and when the time comes, we’ll be ready to vote our national champion.” he said
Both Mayor Shey Nfor and Hon Ngala belong to the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), the same political family as the Prime Minister and President Paul Biya.
With a rare stability and consistent implementation of local projects, Nkambe today feels less like an exception and more like a possible model. And as the Prime Minister makes his rounds evaluating the impact of the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development of the North West and South West Regions (PPRD-NW/SW), it is clear that he sees in Nkambe something worth holding on to.
In a region fatigued by promises and paralyzed by fear, the development duo of Nkambe offers something refreshingly different: presence, action, and perhaps most importantly, hope.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Newsroom
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