Bamenda – The Special Status framework in Cameroon’s North West Region faces a significant challenge as tensions rise within the Regional Assembly. Fru Angwafor III, President of the North West Regional Assembly, is under fire for allegedly consolidating power and sidelining key stakeholders, including the House of Chiefs and members of the Executive Council.
Mounting criticism against Angwafor III centers on accusations of neglecting decentralization laws, excluding traditional rulers from governance, and unevenly distributing regional projects. The controversy intensified after the House of Chiefs, the Assembly’s upper chamber, announced its boycott of regional deliberative matters.
The rift became glaringly evident when the House of Chiefs abstained from approving the region’s budget and shunned high-profile events like the end-of-year cultural jamboree and the head of state’s New Year address at the governor’s residence. Fon Yakum Kevin Shomitang, President of the House of Chiefs and Vice President of the Regional Executive Council, has emerged as a vocal critic of Angwafor III’s leadership.
Speaking on behalf of traditional leaders, Fon Shomitang accused Angwafor III of disrespecting the role and authority of traditional rulers. “The dignity we hold as custodians of tradition is under siege,” he declared during a meeting with fellow chiefs. He asserted that for the past four years, the decentralization law has been repeatedly violated under Angwafor III’s administration.
Shomitang emphasized that the decentralization framework, enshrined in Section 352 of the law, establishes the Executive Council as the governing authority of the region. However, he claimed Angwafor III has monopolized decision-making, reducing the Executive Council to a symbolic body. The Fon also highlighted Section 345 of the law, which mandates the House of Chiefs to provide input on regional deliberations. Yet, he revealed that the chamber has been systematically excluded from deliberative processes.
“We have not been presented with a single regional deliberation in four years, nor have we had the opportunity to provide our insights,” Shomitang lamented.
The exclusion of traditional rulers was starkly evident during the recent adoption of the North West region’s 2024 budget, which allocated over 5 billion FCFA. Chiefs reported being sidelined from both the preparation and execution phases of the budget. “I was not involved in any aspect of this budget,” Shomitang stated, describing the process as a blatant disregard for the law.
In protest, the House of Chiefs extended their boycott to the Regional Assembly’s end-of-year cultural jamboree on December 31, 2024. Their absence resonated with the public, resulting in low attendance at the event.
Shomitang warned that continued marginalization of traditional rulers undermines the purpose of the Special Status framework, which was intended to promote local governance and inclusivity. “Our participation in governance has been reduced to ceremonial invitations, which only highlight our exclusion from meaningful decision-making,” he said.
