MINUTES OF META ELITES MEETING OF 25thJULY2010

HOSTED BY FOMUKONG ISABELLE

Attendance:

  • Metambi Peter
  • David Mancho
  • Fonguh Jacob
  • Fonyam Cletus
  • Samkoh Victor
  • Miki Patricia
  • Mbamuku Charles
  • Fokam Pius
  • Fomukong Isabelle
  • Fon Thaddeus
  • Fon Elisabeth
  • Awazi Emmanuel
  • Metambi Eunice
  • Humphrey Muna

Excuses:

  • Anumu Nicolas – lost the mother
  • Louis Teboh

The meeting started at 17:22 with the proposition of the below agenda by the President which was adopted by Samkoh Victor.

  • Opening prayer
  • Word from the President
  • Introduction of Guests
  • Reading of minutes
  • Matters arising from the minutes
  • Monthly reports/news/other matters
  • Announcements
  • Njangi Matters
  • Refreshment
  • Closing Remarks

OPENING PRAYER

Metambi Peter made the opening prayer.

WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

The President welcomed everyone present and particularly praised Isabelle Fomukong for the number of guests she invited to the meeting. This was a laudable initiative which falls in line with our current vision to expand membership. He apologized for the late start which was due to reasons independent of his doing. He concluded on a positive note that today’s meeting promises to be exciting as the agenda is stuffed with interesting issues to be discussed.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

  • Fon Njokem of Mbengwi
  • Dr. Nyamusa
  • Sango Godlove – MECUDA Douala I President
  • Mbariku Ignatius - MECUDA Douala II President
  • Prince Teboh
  • Nji Cletus – Cambridge Finance Officer
  • Mbanwei Andrew – Senior Tax Inspector & President Zang Tabi Development Association
  • Grace Fumokong – Douala Ports Authority
  • Steve Barr – ZangTabiVillage Worker
  • Stanley Ticha - ZangTabiVillage
  • Ndam Abam – Nephew to Samkoh Victor

MINUTES

The minutes of our June meeting were read and the following amendment made:

Read Engeh Joseph in lieu of Eneh Joseph.

The minutes as amended were adopted by Fonyam Cletusand Samkoh Victor.

MATTERS ARISING

  • Tonkin of Alice Njinda and Dora Fongho (late).A cheque of 1,500,000 CFAF was handed to David Mancho to this effect. A formal document detailing how the amount was arrived at is still pending.(Notyet done).
  • Report No.1 on Social Account: The President appealed to members to pay their 2010 social debts.
  • Report No.2 on Social Account fromMbamuku and Teboh:No update
  • Running Costs by Executive: The budget with a total revenue estimated at 1,440,000 CFAF and expenditures of 2,060,000 CFAF was tabled for deliberations. The deficit was to be financed by contributions from members. After discussions it was resolved that the President should present a balanced budget as members were not ready to finance the deficit.

MONTHLY REPORTS/NEWS/OTHER MATTERS

  • Improving Meta Mini-Project 1 (Census of Meta indigenes) – Fon Thaddeus:No progress so far.
  • Improving Meta Mini-Project 2 (Extension of Elites) – Mbamuku Charles: As concerns the guidance counseling forum to be organized, the President tabled a budget of 325,000 CFAF to be voted by the general assembly for the event.The forum is scheduled for August 7, 2010. Members were implored to channel their contributions to the President who will ensure that same is delivered during the forum.
  • Improving Meta Mini-Project 3 (Fertilizer Project) – Humphrey Muna: Facing a small hitch as estimate of quantities not available and the price of fertilizer has been on the rise. Will post figures on our forum prior to the next meeting.
  • Meta locomotives:Elisabeth Fon - no update.
  • Meeting attendance:The three man committee made up of Isabelle Fomukong, Peter Metambi and Mireille Nji that was set up to brainstorm on how to attract new membershipas well as look into meeting attendance did not present a report as requested asthey did not meet.
  • Newsletter:No update.
  • Microfinance institution:The President presented an elaborate plan on the way forward after the visit of the Yaounde team. Discussions centered on whether we should join or not the MENEMO Credit Union. The microfinance committee was asked to make meaning out of the discussions and present their findings to the general assembly during the August meeting.
  • Elections: The president tabled a motion that the elections initially scheduled for July 2010 be moved to September 2010. This was agreed.
  • Audit:The President tabled another motion that David Mancho be authorized to audit our books for the period since the last audit till August 2010. This was agreed.
  • Death:Anumu Nicolas lost the mother. Burial to take place on August 7th, 2010. Likewise two motor cyclists collided in Mile 19 in Mbengwi on July 22, 2010 with four persons losing their lives. A minute of silence was held in honour of the departed.
  • Health Issue: Reports suggest the consumption of “igbo” cocoyams may result to a major health risk/hazard.
  • MEYOCUDA: The Douala I branch of the Meta Youths Cultural and Development Association organized a week of activities to which the President of our group represented us.
  • Graduation: Laeticia Fon recently graduated with a Master degree in Social Work.
  • Aid: The support to our bereaved members Isabelle Fomukong & Patricia Miki was handed to the concerned.
  • Business Corner: It was suggested that we re-introduce the business corner in our meeting whereby members could make a brief presentation on topical issues related to either their profession or business.
  • Memorial: In memory of Ni Dan, the clinic he founded formerly called Polyclinic Bonanjo was renamed to Daniel Muna Memorial Clinic during an occasion presided at by the Littoral regional authorities. The group was represented during the occasion by the President, Metambi Peter and Isabelle Fomukong. Also present were Louis Teboh in his capacity as MECUDA President, Samkoh Victor, Elisabeth Fon & Humphrey Muna.
  • MECUDA 2010: Will take place in Zang Tebi. This year the program will run from August to December unlike in the past whereby it took place only in December.As a result therefore the budget is estimated at 12.5 million cfaf. Our financial support was solicited to make the event a success. After an extensive discussion on the issue, it was resolved that Meta Elites should write to MECUDA on our commitment to contribute towards the secretariat project. Besides, the President of Meta Elites should get in touch with the President General of MECUDA to obtain an update on current projects being run by MECUDA. Humphrey Muna & Samkoh Victor instantaneously pledged the sums of 200,000 cfaf & 50,000 cfaf respectively towards the secretariat project.

On another note, the visiting Presidents of MECUDA Douala appealed to members to regularly attend MECUDA as well as village meetings. They also implored us to we use the dialect during our sittings as well as at home in order for the Meta language not to phase out. A drill on how to greet in Meta was performed by Prince Teboh. They also promised to always be in our midst. Humphrey Muna responded on behalf of the group. This was queued by a word from the Fon of Mbengwi who called for unity between the Elites and MECUDA given that we are all Meta people and should strive towards the same goal.

THE EARLY BIRD PRIZE – THE PRESIDENT’S GIZZARD

Fokam Piuswon the prize for being the first person to arrive at the meeting ground.

NJANGI

The beneficiaries of the njangi were:

  • Teboh Louis: 1,400,000 @ 100,000 cfaf
  • Fon Thaddeus: 1,400,000 @ 100,000 cfaf
  • Miki Patricia:1,400,000 @ 100,000 cfaf

Soft loan:

The sum of 5,000,000 CFAF bought as follows:

  • 5,000,000 cfaf @125,000 Fon Thaddeus

The njangi secretary informed the group that the current njangi ends in August 2010. As a result, all debts must be paid in August.

Fon Elias & Laeticia sent a mail to the President informing him of their decision to pull out of the njangi, but not the group.

CLOSING REMARKS

The President committed that we would be attending MECUDA meetings going forward in a more regular manner than in the past. He poured praises on the host for her high sense of creativity & organization and for the record number of guests invited to the meeting. This momentum needs to be maintained he continued. In three years, the Bamenda – Enugu road will be operational and as such we should start brainstorming on how to make use of this project, for where the road goes development follows.

The meeting rose at 21:15.

The next hostisDavid Mancho.