PNDP Partners with NW Councils for effective decentralization

By Njodzefe Nestor 

The 34 councils of mezam division in the North West Region have signed co-financing partnership with the National Community Driven Development Programme, known by its French acronym as PNDP to launch Phase III of its projects.

                The signing ceremonies that started with Donga Mantung division on June 13 ended with Mezam on June 23, 2016 at the Bamenda II Council Hall.

                The seven councils of Bamenda I, II and III, Bali, Bafut, Santa and Tubah accepted to abide to the terms of the partnership under the watchful eyes of the second Assistant SDO for Mezam and are expected to receive financial and technical expertise of PNDP.

                Bamenda I, II and III Councils who are joining the PNDP family for the first time will be given FCFA 69 million with PNDP to support with FCFA 65 million while the councils will contribute FCFA 4 million.

                For Bali, Bafut, Santa and Tubah councils, they are expected to benefit FCFA 20.2M, with FCFA 5.2 to come from councils themselves.

                Speaking on behalf of the Mayors of Mezam, the Mayor of Bamenda II Council thanked PNDP for phase III of the project while assuring that the councils will ensure that the projects implemented within the frame work of the partnership are sustainable.

                On behalf of the North West PNDP Coordinator, Ngoko Rene Bertrand thanked councils, communities and sector ministries for their collaboration during the second phase of the program while noting that phase III of the project can only succeed if they work hand in glove.

                Amongst the success of phase II of the program, he mentioned the elaboration of council development plans, recruitment of council development officers and organization of training seminars for council staff.

                According to a release from the organization, the key activities embedded in the co-financing partnership agreement are updates of councils’ development plans and elaboration of others, co-financing of council sessions extended to sector ministries, support to councils for the elaboration and financing of feasibility studies of micro projects and support to councils for the co-financing of the production of their quarterly magazine.

                Given the many and varied challenges councils face to improve on the livelihoods persons within their municipalities, Phase III of PNDP-Council partnership will seek to construct socio-economic infrastructure, strengthen platforms of projects and programmes working with councils to ensure councils get facilities, which Government provides, promote local economy by valorising opportunities from decentralized cooperation.

                The Partnership will also improve the mobilization and security of all fiscal incomes through the use of SIMBA among other tools. In addition, communities at the grassroots shall be mobilized to follow up, implement and maintain realized infrastructures, the organization said in a statement.

                Phase III of the PNDP-Council Partnership follows last February’s partnership agreement, which the Cameroon Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT signed with the World Bank in Yaounde.

                The third phase, launched last May 10 at National Level will support government policies and objectives in line with Growth and Employment Strategy and Decentralization Policy.