MINAT boss says traditional rulers cannot restrict movements of citizens

By Stephen TADAHA

In a correspondence to Regional Governors, Senior Divisional Officers and Divisional Officers on July 24, Paul Atanga Nji says the current legal dispositions do not give traditional rulers the right to stop citizens from exercising their movement rights within villages. The only person with exclusive powers to impose such a ban on citizens is the President of the Republic, says MINAT boss.

Administrative authorities have hereby been instructed to monitor and take neccessary measures to stop abuses and to remind traditional rulers that they have no power to impose movement bans on civilians.

This outing from Paul Atanga Nji comes some weeks after the Fon of Balatchi in the Bamboutos, declared one of the villagers as a persona-non-grata in the village.

The ban consisted of restricting the man from stepping into Balatchi, collaborating with any son and daughter of the land and from taking part in any Balatchi community activity.

The man was punished for committing incest on his own daughter.

The Minister did not address the threats from the SDO of Mfoundi, who said he would ban troublemakers from the Division.