“There’s no grazing, farming land in the Northwest”—Expert

Nkambe, Cameroon—Cameroon’s three decade old land tenure law has been criticized by many local land tenure experts as full of limitations.

Participants pose with Divisional officer for Nkambe

“As per the current land law, there is no grazing or farming land in the Northwest region”, says Barrister Robert Nso Fon of the Bamenda based MBUFONZAK law firm.

The legal expert explains that according to Decree No. 78/263 of 3^rd  July 1978 for settling of  farmers/grazer conflict, such land has to be clearly demarcated by a 10 member commission in which two are notables of the area concerned. But in the Northwest region, farming and grazing lands are demarcated by either prefectural or sub-prefectural orders while farmer/grazer problems abound.

Barrister Fon was speaking to some leaders of the civil society, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders during a workshop aimed at identifying the shortcomings of the 1974 Cameroon land tenure law that took place in Nkambe recently.

Christian J. Taku, coordinator of the Community Assistance in Development (COMAID) Bamenda, organizer of the workshop said resolutions from the workshop would be integrated into the current land reforms of Cameroon.

The Divisional Officer for Nkambe, Abba Abdouraman who chaired the workshop hailed the organizer saying management of public policies cannot be successful without the active involvement of the civil society.

“Gone are the days when administrators act solely in the implementation of public policies”. 

The administrator said the Ministry of state property, surveys and land tenure is carrying out consultations on positive ideas that will be integrated into the land tenure law under elaboration. Thus, suggestions from the Nkambe workshop will not be neglected by the administration.

 “You are the ones dealing with land issues, you know the problem faced by youth, women/widows, Fons, Ardors etc, so you can better help government with proposals should be integrated into the new land law”, the D.O said.

By Marcel Abanda in Nkambe