The founder and President of Bamenda-based non-governmental organisation, Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, who is also senior associate and regional Director for Central and West Africa at the National Democratic Institute, has expressed concerns over the commission of enquiry set up by President Paul Biya to probe into the Eseka train disaster.
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| Dr Fomunyoh donates blood |
Speaking on the sidelines of a visit he undertook Friday October 28 to donate blood at the Yaounde Central hospital where some survivors of the train accident are being treated, Dr. Fomunyoh who is expert in democratization raised concerns over the absence of religious and civil society leaders in the Yang-led commission.
“First of all, I will acknowledge that it is important and it is a good thing that this commission has been created.
That is what needs to be done after an accident of this magnitude occurs but also I would have wished if I were in the position to do so that the Head of State could have included in the commission, personalities who are well respected in the country for their attachment to the truth and honesty because the whole country is shaken by this tragedy” Dr. Fomunyoh told reporters Friday.
He continued: “...I just came back from the Far North and the population up there is also worried over what has happened. People are worried as to how many people were in the train, how many died and how many were wounded. How many people have lost properties and so on.”
“And so when you have this kind of major catastrophic crisis and you set up a commission, you want to make sure that the entire population can identify itself in the commission that you have created and that is why many countries open up those kind of commissions to reputable religious leaders, to civil society leaders so that people can know that the work of this commission will be done in all honesty and in all transparency.
That the findings of the commission will be released to the public so that we can all be assured that our government is looking up for our interest and that similar accidents will not happen in future” he added.
In the meantime, during last Friday’s brief visit to the Yaounde Central hospital, Dr. Fomunyoh personally met with some of the victims of the train accident who are currently receiving treatment at the health facility.
He was showed round the hospital by the Director of the hospital, Professor Pierre Joseph Fouda.
“I decided to undertake this gesture in order to help some of the victims of the train accident in Eseka. It is a humanitarian gesture from the Fomunyoh Foundation.
We are also hoping that a thorough investigation be carried out so that we can get to the truth as to what was at the origin of the accident and what concrete steps can be taken to avoid such accidents in future” he told reporters shortly after the blood donation exercise.
On Saturday, Dr. Fomunyoh continued his humanitarian outing with a visit to the train crash site situated some 5km from the Eseka train station. At the site of the accident in Eseka, prayers were said as attendees prayed for the repose of those who lost their live during the tragic accident.
Earlier, the Fomunyoh Foundation President had visited the Eseka hospital that offered first aid to the victims. At the hospital, he took time off to encourage the medical staff for showing such compassion even under difficult circumstances.
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