Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, Henri Eyebe Ayissi, has annulled two disputed land certificates that had been used to justify the creation of a controversial settlement known as “Lower Ewonda” in Buea, located in the Fako Division of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The decision followed complaints and investigations that uncovered serious irregularities in the land registration process.
According to The Post Newspaper, the minister made the decision through an official order signed in Yaoundé on March 4, 2026. The document declared Land Certificates No. 016325 and 016331/Fako invalid after authorities determined that they had been issued under questionable circumstances.
In correspondence addressed to representatives of the Lower Ewonda community initiative, the minister explained that the measure was taken after a petition and a detailed administrative inquiry. The investigation revealed flaws in the procedures that led to the creation of the titles.
Referring to Article 27 of Decree No. 76-165 of April 27, 1976, which regulates land certification in Cameroon, the minister noted that the law permits the withdrawal of land titles obtained through irregular or fraudulent means.
The Newspaper also highlighted that, the disputed certificates had initially been granted to individuals attempting to establish a new locality named Lower Ewonda on land that belonged to private residents and members of the existing Ewonda community.
However, findings from the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure indicated that administrative mistakes and fraudulent actions had played a role in the issuance of the certificates. Investigators also reported that the process involved questionable interpretation and execution of a ruling from the Court of First Instance in Buea.
Furthermore, authorities discovered that some of the beneficiaries allegedly attempted to legitimize their claims by presenting developments that actually belonged to other landowners. These actions, the ministry said, misled the administration during the land registration process.
The dispute reached the ministry afterBarrister Nyonbadmia Evine filed a petition on behalf of Joseph Mokake Luma and other affected property owners, challenging the legality of the certificates and demanding their withdrawal.
Following the complaint, the minister ordered an investigative mission to Buea in May 2025. Reports from the inquiry, together with submissions from the regional delegation of the ministry in the Southwest Region, ultimately formed the basis for the final decision to cancel the titles.
The ministerial order further clarifies that once the irregularities were confirmed, the certificates could no longer remain valid. As a result, the parcels previously covered by the documents will revert to their earlier legal status as national land.
Authorities in Fako Division have been instructed to enforce the decision. In particular, the Divisional Chief of Service for Surveys and the Land Registrar for Fako must ensure the registration and publication of the order where required.
