Bakassi: Or the Politics of Exclusion and Occupation?

Chapter 10. Socio-Economic Profile of the Bakassi Region

281 Chapter 10 Socio-Economic Profile of the Bakassi Region Socio-Economic profile of the coastal area from Batoke to Akwa Geographical and human factors constitute the two principal determinants of the configuration and representation of the economic activities, developed in the mainland zone and the coastal area of the Fako Division to the Ndian Division and the Bakassi peninsula. General Appraisal of economic activities according to their geographical areas From a geographic and socio-economic point of view, the coastal landscape as from Batoke to Akwa can be divided into two large zones: the coastal maritime and the inland zone. The coastal maritime zone This is made up of localities which are directly facing the sea front (The Bight of Biafra): Batoke, Dibundscha, Bibonda, Idenau, Sanje, Enyenge, Njangassa, Bekumu, Bamuso, Ine Atayo, Ibekwe, Atabong East (Idabato II), Atabong West (Idabato I), Jabane I and II. While the coastal low land is made up of localities found in the creeks and swampy areas or on firm land far away from the sea: Akwa, Isangele, Mossongiselli, Dibanda, Funge, Ekondo Nene, Ekondo Titi, Lobe, Mbonge, Iloani, Mbongo, Ekumbe, Lyongo, Munyenge, Efolofo, Small and big Kotto, Bamana Bakweri. On the one hand, economic activities or the subsistent agricultural type of farming developed in these diverse localities differ more or less from one coastal zone to another. On the other hand, in the same coastal zone, specific economic activities can easily be identified following the geographical location of each locality. 282 The coastal maritime zone and its economic activities On the coastal maritime, two geographical sectors can be identified: x The South East, made up of localities like Batoke, Dibundscha, Bibonda, Betika, Njonji, Idenau, is characterised by 4 principal economic activities: artisanal fishing, industrial agriculture and subsistent agriculture for food and cash crops and petit trade, small business management, maritime and road transport. x The South West, made up of localities like Sanje, Enyenge, Njangassa, Bekumu, Bamuso, Ine Atayo, Ibekwe, Atabong East, Jabane I and II. In this sector, the coastal maritime space is the most predominant. Economic activities include: artisanal fishing, semiindustrial fishing, processing of fish products (smoking and drying), Sea transportation business and long distance trans-African trade. The coastal land area The coastal land geographical surface which extends from Dibunda to Mossongiselli can equally be considered as two different socioeconomic production types. The Nord West Sector is composed of localities like Awa, Isangele, Mossongiselli, Ilor, Funge, Ekondo Nene, Ekondo Titi. Predominant economic activities in this sector are: o Industrial agriculture o Small trade and petit jobs o Maritime and road transport, with ports at Jabane I and II, Atabong East, Akwa, Isangele, Ekondo Titi Beach market, the principal inlet of goods from Nigeria in the South West region of Cameroon. x The South East, made up of localities like: Lobe, Mbonge, Iloani, Mbongo, Ekumbe Lyongo, Munyenge, small and big Kotto, Bomana, Idenau, Dibundscha, Batoke. This sector is predominantly characterized by industrial agriculture and on subsistent agriculture of small land holdings, petty trading and small and medium business notably in Urban centres like Mbonge and principal villages. x In a bid to give a synoptic analysis of the configuration of the socio-economic activities on each of the major 4 geographical sectors, 283 presentation of their respective socio-economic profiles is developed below. Graphical representation of the socio-economic profiles of the main geographical areas studied The evaluation of the different economic activities in the localities constitute a given geographic sector based on a scale of points (1:10) and its classification by order of importance of economic activities developed in a locality. This classification of activities was gathered through individual conversation and discussions with organized groups in the various localities where research was carried out. An arithmetical average has been calculated for every significant economic activity in each particular geographical locality. Each economic activity has been considered in the various sectors of the different localities, with a coefficient (Chi) ranging from 1 to 3 interpreting the demographic importance of that locality where x 1 for Low importance; x 2 for Average importance; x 3 for High demographic importance. Pa = ¦¦ i i ai C C P Socio economic profile of the South region of the coastal area as from Batoke, Dibundscha, Idenau, Njonji, Bibonda to Akwa. Table 10.1: Average intensity of activities in the South of the area under study Activities (a) Small scale fishing Smoking and selling of...