By Nchendzengang Tatah
Some seven land certificates bearing ownership of a contested piece of land in Buea have been withdrawn. The Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure (MINDCAF), Henri Ayebe Ayissi, in an order dated November 11, 2025, stated that the said land documents were put up in administrative error and fraud.
The land certificates by Lower Ewonda, notably N⁰ 016324, 016326, 016327, 016328, 016329, 016330, 016332/Fako, were identified to have been illegally drawn. In a complimentary letter which Minister Ayissi addressed to Lower Ewonda (holders of the invalid land titles), he explained that the present decision was inspired by an investigation on May 10, 2025, carried out by a Commission of Enquiry. In response to a letter addressed to him by Barrister Nyonbadmia Evine, counsel of the plaintiff.
The seven land documents had been irregularly issued to Lower Ewonda “in execution of Attestation of Non-Appeal N⁰ 00062/MINDCAF/SG/D2/1100/BB of 03 February 2025.” This was signed in disregard of an earlier petition dated 03 October 2024. The petition was received on the same day by the Mail Service of the Cabinet of the Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure. The petition, which was recorded as Mail N⁰ 010339, was in appeal against Regional Order N⁰ 013/RO/G/GSW.79S.1/SG/IRSTD of 20th September 2024.”
Further prompting the MINDCAF order to note that the administration had been lured into the error of signing the nullified land certificates through the appropriation of third parties. Following the withdrawal, Minister Ayissi identified the formerly contested pieces of land to be national land. This decision from MINDCAF had remained highly anticipated in Ewonda for months. Locals had continued to cry for justice following destructive actions on the said pieces of land by members of Lower Ewonda who had claimed ownership.
If respected, many say this order is a major step in ensuring justice for the indigenous people at the foot of the mountain.
