Open Letter from CEO of Herakles Farms in Response to Report On ...

3. Considering that the signed MOU was a personal mark of confidence to Dr. Timti Isidore (your
consultant) by the local stakeholders intended to give SGSOC PLC a document to assist them
negotiate with the government of Cameroon for an authorization to operate a plantation in
Cameroon, and then come back to the local stakeholders for a more concrete agreement,
We the chiefs and population of Nguti sub division, find it extremely inappropriate to deal with a
potential partner who has systematically demonstrated bad faith and do hereby RENOUNCE the
MEMORANDUM OF UNDRSTANDING (MOU) which embodied the NOTICE OF CONSENT
signed between the chiefs and population of Nguti Sub Division and SGSOC PLC.
We therefore withdraw all our support for this project until they will comply with our demands.
This was signed by Hon Asu Mbanda George, MP for Nguti sub division, Tanyi George Ayompe,
Mayor of Nguti, Chief Ehuom William Ngam, President of Nguti sub divisional Chiefs conference,
Dr. Chief Atem Ebako, Think Tank Member, Napoleon Nyake, President NGUSCUDA, and 14 other
signatories on the main attendance sheet, among which are the chiefs of Manyemen and Betock.
At what point did you comply with these points and when did you address the issues raised to have
won the support of pioneer ardent opponents like Dr. Chief Atem Ebako, who surrendered his
personal lands to HF, Napoleon Nyake Besong and Chief Eben Nkongho of Manyemen? Should we
go with the supported claim that you have bribed all these people to cross the carpet to your side
without you giving anything to the communities? You prefer to deal with individuals than all parties.
This is what is called “Divide and Rule”.
On 28 June 2010, representatives of NGUSCUDA wrote you complaining of their patience being
stretched beyond limits as SGSOC took advantage of the enthusiastic welcome given the project to go
ahead seeking government approval to occupy lands in Nguti without having met with the most basic
of the requirements agreed upon. This was signed by Hon Asu Mbanda and Napoleon Nyake.
On 29 June 2010, Hon Asu Mbanda George wrote to the President of the Republic of Cameroon
stating that the People of Nguti sub Division Objected the Attempt by SITHE GLOBAL
SUSTAINABLE OILS CAMEROON (SGSOC PLC) to Irregularly Exploit the sub Divisional Land
to the Detriment of the Population. The petition actually requested the President not to entertain any
request from SGSOC PLC to obtain government approval to exploit land in Nguti.
On 18 November 2010 Dr. Nzo-Nguty Bernard Wrote to the CEO of SGSOC copying the Prime
Minister of Cameroon, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, ordering an immediate suspension of the
project by SGSOC Plantation in Nguti Sub Division, South West Region. Dr Nzo-Nguty
condemned the obtaining of a false document from Institute of Agricultural Research for
Development (IRAD) Ekona on 20 November 2009 on the vegetation and land use in the Nguti-
Manyemen-Toko area. The learned doctor said contrary to the cited document, most of the land in the
area is made up of more than 80 percent primary forest with economically and medicinally very rich
tree species.
It is the problem of HF if it chooses to disregard the normal channels of dialogue and consensus,
preferring to patronize individuals who cannot decide for whole communities. The selective choice of
who to meet and where is for the convenience of bribing individuals. As HF is informed that Cameroon is
a corrupt country, it resorts to massive corruption of individuals, instead of facing conventional ethical
business practices. In this light HF refused to meet Nasako Bissingi of SEFE in the company of his