The exercise is continuation of the fight against illegal occupancy by military personnel in government houses in Douala.
The 136 houses are those owned by private individuals hired by the state for occupation by military personnel. Their occupation has since not met government expectation, but bred a new form of confusion. There are indications that some soldiers lived without authorisation, some refused ceding their apartments after retirement and others with authorisation sublet a part of their apartment creating a complex situation that led to the lost of huge amount of money.
Such shady occupancy has in some places been blamed for the misuse and dilapidation of some blocks whose renovations are expensive. Beginning last November 28 a special mission composed of officials of the Ministries of Defence (MINDEF), Finance (MINFI) and State Property and Land Tenure (MINDAF) have been meticulously investigating the situation in the 136 houses in Douala following instructions from MINFI. Investigations entered high gear yesterday, December 6, with the situation of 20 soldiers being examined. The mission is led by Alexis Nyaté of the General Directorate of the Budget, coordinated by the Delegate of State Property and Land Tenure for the Littoral, Jean Bernard Koulou Abeme. Sate Property and Land Tenure Delegate for the Littoral, Jean Bernard Koulou Abeme, revealed that even the reduction of housing allowances from their salaries (20 per cent of salary) has been difficult as the Ministry of Defence had more names of occupants than those it authorised to do so.
“According to instructions from the Ministry of Finance, we want to come out with a clear number of people living in the houses, who are those living in the houses, their authorisation that allotted the houses to them. When we are through with our investigations we will then forward the results to the Ministry of Finance in Yaounde.” There are 73 of the houses under MINDAF, 60 under MINDEF. These houses are situated in Bonamoussadi, Cité des Palmiers, Bonapriso, Bonanjo and Akwa neighbourhoods of the economic capital.
