Cameroon Development Corporation seeks aid over palm tree destruction

The Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) has appealed to the government for intervention following the destruction of more than 100 palm trees at Esuke in Mutengene, located in the South West region. This latest incident, reported on August 26, 2026, follows a previous felling of 52 trees in the same area.

CDC management stated that the destruction is a result of encroachment by individuals and interest groups. General Manager Franklin Ngoni Njie noted that the land dispute dates back to a 2023 application by a group seeking control of the area. The corporation has previously indicated that the land would not be recommended for surrender.

Workers at the corporation expressed concern that the loss of high-yielding palms, which were planted in 2016, threatens their livelihoods and could render a recently acquired oil mill useless. As Cameroon’s second-largest employer after the state, the CDC maintains major agricultural operations throughout the South-West region.