Hon. Agho Oliver Bamenju, Member of Parliament for the Bafut/Tubah Constituency, has renewed his support for raffia bush tappers, describing the sector as an important part of the local economy, environmental protection, and cultural heritage.
Speaking during a meeting with closed to 50 raffia bush tappers at the esplanade of the Divisional Delegation of Agriculture and Rural Development for Mezam, the MP for Bafut/Tubah Constituency donated cutlasses, rain boots, raincoats, and practical guidelines to help improve working conditions and promote safer practices. The items followed a needs assessment carried out with members of the Raffia Bush Tappers Union.
The initiative, according to Hon. Agho Oliver, is also personal. He recalled that he tapped Raffia Wine as a child and sold it to help pay his school fees. He said supporting the sector today is therefore a way of giving back to an activity that played a role in shaping his own life.
The MP urged the tappers to protect raffia palms and wetlands, warning against cutting down raffia trees for construction. He also raised hygiene concerns, particularly the use of containers that may release harmful chemicals into palm wine.
Hon. Agho said his support would go beyond the initial donation. He pledged to work towards providing raffia seedlings and safer containers for storing palm wine, with the aim of improving hygiene, protecting the environment, and adding value to locally produced goods.
Mezam Divisional Delegate of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abireche Hans Utenogo, commended the MP for focusing on a sector he described as both strategic and often overlooked. He welcomed plans to provide raffia seedlings, saying replanting would help address the continuous exploitation of existing raffia palms.
For the tappers themselves, the intervention has given new recognition to a traditional activity that has helped support families and educate children.
Munjum Kingsley, a raffia bush tapper from Bafut Subdivision, said the practice had been passed down through generations and remained an important means of supporting families and preserving local traditions.
Another tapper, Gemoh George Asong of Kedjom Ketinguh in Tubah Subdivision, said the MP's intervention had changed his perception of the work. What he once regarded as a part-time activity, he said, could now be developed into a more serious and sustainable occupation.
The August 25 initiative brings together three priorities, livelihoods, environmental protection, and cultural preservation, while placing greater emphasis on making raffia wine production safer and more sustainable.
@Laarry Times
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