“Before Bakossi National Park trained me, I had nothing. Now I am a builder and I also train persons who are willing to learn. I make profit from this, and it’s all due to the Bakossi National Park,” Sone Yanick Mesumbe of Muetan Aku told a visiting delegation last week.
His testimony was one of many as the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and partners from the German Cooperation toured Kupe Muanenguba on March 25 and 26, 2026, to assess livelihood schemes executed around Bakossi National Park and Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary under the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, PSMNR, South West Region.
The high-powered delegation, accompanied by officials from Yaounde and Buea, visited the Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary (BMWS) in Nzobi village, Banyue Cluster, Nguti Subdivision, and the Bakossi National Park (BNP) in Muetan Aku and Elum II villages, in the South East Cluster, Bangem Subdivision.
They assessed several livelihood and social development projects, including potable water schemes, piggery projects, nursery projects, road works, goat-rearing projects, poultry projects, and other community support programmes designed to improve living standards for populations around the protected areas.
During the visit, the Head of Program and Project Unit at the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, Tadong Lionel, said the mission aimed to evaluate the implementation of PSMNR for the South West Region, and to determine if beneficiaries are satisfied with the projects and managing them properly.
He added that the ministry plans to introduce a 7th phase and wants to ensure that projects provided during the 5th and 6th phases are well managed before communities are included in the next phase. “From what we have seen today, it shows that the population is satisfied and is properly managing the projects, so we will definitely include them in the 7th phase,” he said.
Tadong pleaded with the communities to secure the integrity of the protected areas, ensure conservation law enforcement, avoid hunting and cutting down of trees, and refrain from setting bushes ablaze. He also asked the communities to report any difficulties they encounter to the conservators, encouraging them to keep preserving the parks and to participate in every project.
Christian Manga Bell Epie, Regional Delegate for Forestry and Wildlife for the South West Region, said the programme has, over the years, supported communities within the framework of park management to improve livelihoods. He said the programme is co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of Cameroon through the KfW Development Bank.
The Regional Delegate added that for the past 20 years, the programme has supported repentant poachers and intends to do more if communities ensure conservation law enforcement. He instructed the conservator of BMWS to identify two projects that will benefit the women of Nzobi and to ensure women are included in all projects executed in the area.
The PSMNR Technical Leader and consultant from the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank Stenmanns, commended the communities for making good use of the projects and encouraged them to continue protecting natural resources while embracing sustainable development initiatives.
He noted that the projects were designed not only to improve livelihoods but also to strengthen the relationship between conservation efforts and community wellbeing.
Stenmanns promised that the Federal Republic of Germany will continue partnering with the Government of Cameroon to bring more projects to the communities.
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The Chief of Nzobi, Chief Nsuh Seraphine, and the Chief of Muetan Aku, Chief Sale Philip Ngole, welcomed the delegation and appreciated them for interventions in the villages. They promised to continue protecting and preserving the protected areas.
Dione Agnes, another beneficiary from Muetan Aku, said she has been rearing pigs for nine months. She said the park has provided her with animal feed, finance, and training on how to produce local feed using maize and concentrates, which is helping her greatly.
Eweh Delphine from Nzobi also appreciated the Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary and promised to help preserve the park and the sanctuary.
However, while expressing their joy, the population of Nzobi raised concerns over the poor state of the road linking communities. They said it has been abandoned, making movement and transportation very difficult.
Present during the visit were the Community Development Officer for Bakossi National Park, Elvis Kome Ngome; the Conservator for Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, Mekembom Yves Nathan; Community Development Officer for Bayang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary, Esoh Vitalise Akime; the South West Regional Chief of Service for Forestry, Bala Diane; Chief of Service for Reserves, Sanctuaries and Zoological Gardens, Orock Zakaria; and the Regional Chief of Service for Wildlife and Protected Areas, Eteba Alexis, among others.
By Ngoh Jude Larissa-Dian & Nuella Teneng
