The government of Cameroon alongside her multilateral and bilateral partners have rationed a total sum of FCFA 89 billion 682 million 938 thousand for the execution of the first phase of the project to reconstruct the Northwest and Southwest regions.
This fund was allocated during the commissioning of Minister Paul Tasong and Donatus Njong, National Coordinator and vice respectively of the Presidential Plan for the Reconstruction of the Northwest and Southwest regions, on April 15, in Yaounde.
Appointed last April 3, 2020, the men leading the task force are expected to submit the first annual plan of reconstruction for these regions to the Prime Minister and Head of Government.
Speaking during the meeting, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute highlighted some major tasks to be carried out during the first phase of the plan, expected to kick off within the current year as he urged them to put forth their expertise and capabilities in submitting their plan.
“Among the tasks awaiting the appointed officials are the rehabilitation of 350 schools, 115 health centres, 40 bridges, 400 water points, 500km of low-voltage power lines, 600 km rural roads, 45 markets, 12,000 private homes, 25,000 hectares of agricultural land, cattle lost by the grazers, the establishment of about 300,000 lost documents,” Dion Ngute cited.
In addition, the Prime Minister said that he is convinced that the two personalities have the required capacity to lead the very important mission. With this, he urged them to straight away set up a coordination team in a bid to prepare the first annual work plan which will be submitted to the steering committee for approval.
In this light, the PM urged all respective ministerial departments with focus on the Ministers of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development and the Minister of Finance to support the project by making their full contributions.
The programme to reconstruct the Northwest and Southwest regions falls under three main axes which are;
The establishment of social cohesion, the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructures as well as the refurbishment the local economy, following comparative studies made in other nations with respect to reconstruction.
Jean Luc Stalon, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, averred that, “we want to be the fund manager of this plan. So, funding from the government and donors would be managed by UNDP and we will implement the plan according to UNDP’s rules and regulations. So, it is our fiduciary responsibility to ensure that we have adequate instruments and adequate mechanisms. We can implement this plan in all accountability, transparency and efficiency.”
By Annie Babelle Odounlami
I write to appreciate Gov’t initiative envisage to reconstruct NW/SW Regions. This was far from my imagination given the circumstances under which the destructions unfolded & the advent of this horrible coro-19 pandemic with all it’s odds. I should here reiterate my appreciation with my last reserved energy to thank the Gov’t initiative envisage to reconstruct these two regions. My only supplication to the Gov’t is that the reconstruction exercise should be aimed at putting to birth modern villages with life supporting projects for the youths.