Where is balanced development?

South region allocated 127bn as PIB, NW & SW share 85bn

President Paul Biya concentrates development in his native South region

President Biya’s native South Region has been allocated far more financial resources in the 2017 Public Investment Budget than the two Anglophone regions combined.

                According to the 2017 project log book published by the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, MINEPAT, the South Region whose population is just about that of Mezam Division in the North West Region, was allocated over 570 projects at a total sum of FCFA 126, 259, 917, 000 (one hundred and twenty six billion, two hundred and fifty-nine million nine hundred and seventeen thousand francs cfa).

                The North West Region was allocated less than 500 projects as indicated in the project log book, amounting to a total of FCFA 42, 564, 495, 000, (forty-two billion, five hundred and sixty-four million, four hundred and ninety-five thousand. The South West has a little over 500 projects to be executed at a total cost of FCFA 43, 213, 597, 000 (forty-three billion, two hundred and thirteen million, five hundred and ninety-seven thousand).

                A close study of the above figures reveals that the amount of the public investment budget allocated to the South Region alone in 2017 surpasses the amount allocated for the two English speaking regions combined by at least forty billion FCFA.

                A much closer look at the projects allocation for the Anglophone Regions for the current financial year also shows that very little attention has been paid to crucial areas like road construction and rehabilitation which is a major problem in the two regions.

                Another observation is that while projects in the North West and South West are more or less dotted across the Divisions, most of the expensive ones in the South Region are concentrated in mostly the towns of Sangmelima and Meyomessala.

                Observers say this gross disparity in the PIB allocation only buttresses the observation that the two Anglophone Regions receive only crumbs whenever the national cake is redistributed.

                Others say it is yet another pointer to the current lamentations about Anglophone marginalization which is part of the broader Anglophone problem.